Supervisory comment

Well, as I was instructed, I held onto draft Chapter 3 for a week and sent it to my supervisors for comment at a meeting in two weeks, two days before I go on leave for 3 months. It doesn't seem very sensible to me, but there you go.

I really like revised Chapter 2 so far. I hope to finish the restructuring by the close of this week and then I suppose I'll edit it. Afterwards, I'll attack Chapter 4.

I don't want to touch Chapter 1 because my supervisor's like it. Personally, I think it is soul-less for a person as passionate as I. Anyway, I have to draft Chapter 5 and 6/7 yet.  ¶ 6:13 pm

  Chapter 3 revised

Well its done and I am fairly happy with the content. I will meet with my supervisors on 13 November to discuss it for editing. I spoke to one supervisor yesterday and went over the structure with her. She was relatively happy with it, but asked for some changes to the introduction and conclusion, which I drafted yesterday afternoon. I thought the changes were a little mechanical, but I will review and edit the draft a couple of times before sending it off next Friday for the meeting with my supervisors.

While I wait to proceed with Chapter 3, I'll work on reviewing and editing Chapter 2 I guess. Then its back to Chapter 4... And on and on we go...  ¶ 12:11 pm

  Chapter two?

I've been revising and editing draft Chapter two this week since the supervisor reviewing my work on Chapter three has the flu quite badly. She wrote to me yesterday because she was surprised I sent a revised structure of draft Chapter three for her comments, she thought I was sending a draft of the whole chapter.

I like Chapter two way better where I've worked on it. Fingers crossed, I will like Chapter three way better after editing too.

I have realised a couple of things. I have been slowly going over draft Chapter 2 for a week or so now. Reflecting on the previous 12 months, I realised I have been focused on pushing through and achieving the PhD award rather than looking at the process. When I look at the process, I think, firstly, that heaps of work I've done is relevant and so I shouldn't forget it. Also, I have to make everything tell a LOGICAL and coherent story to the reader. Scads of information just doesn't cut it for a PhD. Finally, I have to make decisions. It isn't my supervisors' research, neither is it a former supervisor's study- it's mine. I have to control and defend what is and isn't relevant to the research aim (and communicate this effectively to others). Hopefully, by reading and reflecting on what I have drafted on Ch 1 and 2 so far, plus the research findings and conceptual framework, I can finally deliver a contribution to knowledge.  ¶ 4:45 pm

  Still feeling flat

Well the Chapter three is restructured, but the flu means no-one can look at it until next week. That's life I guess. In the interim I began restructuring and editing Chapter two in light of my findings. At least when I go back to putting the whole thesis together, the content will be right. I finished the first part of the chapter this week plus I deleted the entire second section. Next week, I'll work on the third, fourth and fifth sections of the chapter. I think all three sections can be combined in a single, much more relevant lit review.  ¶ 12:34 pm

  Back to draft Chapter three

Well I got the structure for Draft Chapter three wrong and my supervisors think that is affecting my remaining chapters. I need a framework to go by.

I knew I would have to edit the draft again and again, but the thought depresses me. Its hard to keep going and I am beginning to wonder whether it even worth keeping on going. Maybe the coming week will be better.  ¶ 11:30 am