4 Time planning and limitations
Be aware of the time you have left to do the research. Data / information collection and organisation takes time, and you need to get started on it early if you want to be able to say anything useful by the time you finish writing your project up. If you are efficient in how you work this guide might help:
A brief guide:
Problem identification and reading: 1 week
Write literature review: 1 week
Write first draft of introduction: 2 days
Data collection: 1 week
Write method and methodology section: 3 days
Data cleaning and analysis: 2 weeks
Write results: 1 week
Write conclusion: 2 days
Re-write introduction: 2 days
Check document for references and errors: 1 day
Total: 8 weeks. From mid-March this would get you to mid-May, or from mid-September it would take you to mid-November.
The later you start, the later you finish, or… if you have a deadline… the more you have to sacrifice in terms of quality.
Remember to add time for:
- Reading and feedback
4.1 Reverse time-planning
A very powerful way to plan your project is to take the delivery date and work backwards.
Pick your delivery date, and then work out how much time you need for each of the jobs you need to do – but starting from the last job first.
I will also share a project planner with you all when we have shared supervision space established.