I started in October 1995 and by the Christmas break had handed in a rough, first chapter to my supervisor. Don t think for a minute that this was a polished piece of work and, if the truth be known, it bears no resemblance to the final draft of the thesis I submitted. However, it did give me the sense that I was making progress. I also had something concrete to think about, revise and show to potential critics. This is all necessary if you are going to finish within the allotted three years.
Deadlines are an absolutely necessity.
Once you have a clear idea of your chapter titles, sit down with your supervisor and draw up a list of deadline dates. This will provide a stronger sense of structure to your research. Also, if you are somebody like me who needs external stimulus and a goal to work towards, deadlines are crucial. However, take care that these deadlines are do-able. You want to settle on a date that will create a sense of urgency, but don t get pressurised by your supervisor into agreeing to fanciful deadlines that you will just end up extending.