To think 3 weeks is enough time to write up a dissertation?

[whambamthankyousir]

I've been working on my dissertation since September last year, a huge chunk of it was taken up by having to go through the ethical application process. I got the go ahead in December with that. I then had to gather participants. Interviews commenced and finished in February. I have transcribed them all and analysed and found common themes.

I have a clear chapter structure and outline with how many words is going into each chapter. My literature review is written however, after doing the research I do have to change some of that and refine it but that's 2000 words out of the way with 8000 to go.

I have 3 weeks on Monday to write it to get the draft into my supervisor who said she will turn it around in a week to send back to me with changes to be made. I will have a week to implement these changes and submit officially.

To be honest I'm quite relaxed about it. It's a topic which interests me very much and is very close to my heart. I am a fast writer, once I get in the zone I can work very fast.

My friend on the course has been telling me it's impossible to write up a dissertation in that time and that I better ask for an extension now. The thing is, I don't see how I could have done it any quicker as I needed to wait for my ethics application to be approved before I could do anything.

Can anyone tell me if this sounds doable? I plan to put 5 full days a week writing time into this until it's complete. Is it doable or will I need an extension?

If you have to do it, you'll do it. Good luck!

More than enough time! I wrote mine in 4 days and got a 2:1

(including all reading and research!)

I agree with the PP who said get your references in order as soon as it starts to take shape.

You have your chapters- I would go for broke for two days and get a rough draft and then do references for a day before restarting to re-edit.

I have a shorter 4000 word essay due next week for my doctorate and I’m working on the editing stage now. I like to just write and not worry too much to give me the structure and then refine and add extra evidence where it needs it.

In fact that’s why I’m up now. I’ll do two hours now before the house wakes up.

Yes if not working/no major responsibilities.

You will be fine. You have your plan in place. Assuming it’s 10,000 words it’s doable good luck

Use Endnote for references. Lifesaver.

It's doable I know someone who did theirs in the 2 days before it was handed in and did an all nighter. They got a shockingly grade but scraped a pass

I wrote my MA thesis in 2 weeks (15,000 words) from scratch but I was single and could spend the time how I wanted.

I wrote my PhD these (124,000 words) in 3 months also from scratch and worked full-time with 2 young children. I would not recommend this .

Once I have got all my information gathered and I know (roughly) what I want to write I can normally do 2000-3000 words a day. Less if I get a bit of writers block/need to think about things again.
I think it’s doable but no harm in putting an extension request anyway.

Don't underestimate the time it takes to do references and presentation. And while it shouldn't matter too much, the marker gets an overall feel of how much effort you've put in via presentation and spag so it's worth allocating time to those specifically.

Yes, It's possible as I did similar with mine. I treated it like a full time job and worked on it all day every day and completed it in 2 weeks. I was very strict with myself and had no distractions. Good luck!

Easy. I did mine over about the same period because it was due in after the summer holidays and I only had 2 weeks childcare.

I’d say it was fine. I was ready to go with mine in draft, and wrote it in less than a week. I usually ignore the the word limit, write what I want to say, write the reference list as I go, and then spend the time pruning it back until it meets the criteria for the word limit, which for my dissertation and research project was +/- 10%.

Take regular breaks, and treat it like a job that has to be done. And good luck!🤞🏻🤞🏻

I'd check though if an extension would be permitted on this basis - I have the lofty position of approving extensions and we take a tough stance on poor time management, especially at postgraduate level.

And for the love of all that's good and pure, give yourself loads of time to submit if it's an online submission, we're even tougher on lates where people start to attempt their submission 5mins before the deadline.

Based on the title I thought no, but you've done literally all but the write up so yes. With qual analysis, the words come fast. It'll be fine in 3 weeks, good luck!

Yes, get off Mumsnet and get going 😊

Doable!

I wrote up a 30,000 word MRes dissertation in three weeks.

Definitely doable if you have a clear plan of what you want to write.

When I'm writing something like this I aim for 600 words a day. That would get it done in 13 working days. You should be fine. It's possible to write way more. Don't stress just cos your friend is stressing.

An undergrad I think 3 weeks is fine. A master's I think depends on the project and individual. A PhD no way in hell is 3 weeks enough!!

Hey, well done all you squeaky-deadline dissertation writers!

Onward!!

It sounds like you've got it well planned out, and the actual research is done (that's what takes the time!)

If it's purely just the writing up of it, you can easily knock it out in 3 weeks.

Definitely doable. With decent research and an idea of what was going into each section I could write 10,000 words over the course of a weekend and spend the next two weeks editing.

Ignore people on your course who think you can't possibly do this. I'm currently doing a postgraduate course as it happens - there have been similar dramatics on my course too.

Oh definitely, as you have the groundwork in. My son had done all his research and had copious notes, references, rough drafts etc for his BA (hons) dissertation, but had somehow got his hand-in date wrong. He wrote his dissertation in 24 hours, literally pulling an all-nighter.

Completely unhumble brag on his behalf - he got a 1st. But like you, he had already done all the work really. You will be fine, OP.