Complete my masters thesis by March 2025

by isabel

Academic Studies Completed

Academic Studies Journey Overview

Follow this step-by-step academic studies journey to see real progress updates, challenges overcome, and practical experience.

Progress Updates (7 total)

Update #1: Complete my masters thesis by March 2025

My masters thesis is meant to compare the implementation of different IT solutions within the public relations industry. More specifically, it compares public relations professionals' adoption of social media to the incoming adoption of AI. The thesis is meant to be a maximum of 50,000 words. I often struggle to make word count on assignments.
Challenges Overcome: The first part of my thesis is to review current literature that relates to this work to see what information is missing or understand the current limitations to what my work is on. I am currently reading through academic literature and will begin writing my literature review once I feel I've gathered enough information to base my own research on.

Update #2: Finding academic lit

15% complete
Since my last update I've been gathering a substantial amount of academic literature that'll help support my thesis. The topics cover AI in business, the perspectives of communication professionals on AI, the impact of AI on companies and organisational teams among other subjects. I've read through about 50% of them now, and have taken notes on those that will contribute to my thesis.
Challenges Overcome: Getting back into my studies.
Obstacles Faced: I've been moving around heaps at the moment, and have a lot on my plate, so getting back into my studies has been a challenge.
Next Steps: Finish reading the literature and write my literature review.
Looking Back: A friend of mine who completed their masters recently told me the most challenging part was surprisingly the references - because they didn't keep track of what academic articles they used and had to go find them. So I've created an account with a reference manager site (copied into the link section) and have been storing each of the academic articles I know I will touch on in there.

Update #3: Thus begins the Lit review

20% complete
I've met with my supervisor, and gone over all of the literature I have accumulated, figured out what I'm missing and created a structure for my lit review.
Challenges Overcome: I have been procrastinating writing anything because, no matter how much I read, I still feel like it's not enough to form a firm view that I can put into words. A friend suggested I just start putting words down and see how it goes, so I did. I'm feeling quite good about what I've written so far and have backed it up with my readings. This process has also helped me create a structure for my thesis and better understand the direction I want to take. I am now 2,000 words closer to my goal. I have not met a single milestone yet, but I'm starting to feel really good about my progress, which has been a big win for me.
Obstacles Faced: Academic articles are often filled with jargon, and sometimes the title doesn't accurately reflect the content or research. As a result, I've wasted time reading through articles that don't support my work at all.
Next Steps: Organise my articles, write out my questions/quotes I may use in my research as I read through the rest of the articles and write my literature review.
Looking Back: After sitting down with my supervisor, she gave me some very helpful tips and tricks. For example, she mentioned that even if the academic paper is everything I need and more, I don't need to read the 'and more' sections. If the title of a particular paragraph or section within the paper sounds like it's not going to help me, I shouldn't waste my time on it. She advised to start by only reading the abstract and conclusion, and if anything seems relevant to my work, that I should go through the paper and find those key pieces - nothing more, nothing less. I think this approach will significantly reduce the time I spend on the rest of my reading. She also suggested creating a document where I can compile insightful quotes from each paper, article or book I might quote in my research. Which will also help me write up my literature review much more quickly.

Update #4: Lit review done, questions made, ethics approval submitted

30% complete
Movement has been made. I've finished my lit review, made my survey questions based off my lit review and submitted ethics approval to the University's ethics committee.
Challenges Overcome: Completing literature review! I've been told by many that the literature review was the hardest part, so I'm seriously glad to be over that hill. One of my findings was very surprising to me (though, in hindsight, I should have anticipated it) and is guiding me toward an unresearched area that I'm pretty excited to uncover. Definitely helped add a pep in my step with my research.
Obstacles Faced: Motivating myself to keep going. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when I think about the thesis as a whole - 50,000 words, due in four months, and countless hours of work and study to complete. What’s been really helpful is breaking it down into smaller, manageable pieces.
Next Steps: Get my ethics approved and interview PR peeps
Looking Back: If I could go back in time I would tell myself to just buckle through it. Yes, it was hard and required a lot of time and attention, but I have such a clearer idea of where I want my thesis to go now, and I'm very excited for the interview stage. Reminds me of a Tom Hanks quote, 'if it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great.'

Update #5: Extension request

40% complete
Have put in a request for an extension
Challenges Overcome: I realised why I was struggling so hard with one particular section, and it was because it was on a topic that I don’t entirely care for and have actively been trying to push away from (social media). Once I finished that section everything else came fairly quickly I also applied for an extension. A lot has been happening in my life recently that has taken me away from my studies, so getting that extension will be really helpful. Unfortunately, no matter what grade I get in my thesis, I will not be able to get first class honours because of the extension. But I’d rather look after my mental health than stress over three words added to my degree.
Looking Back: Push through but also take your time in figuring out what subjects you want to study

Update #6: Submitted my final draft

40% complete
I got an extension, due date is now mid-June. Final draft was due today, which I submitted a few hours ago :)

Update #7: Signed, sealed, submitted

100% complete
Submitted for grading. Not sure when I'll hear back, but SO PROUD I FINISHED!
Challenges Overcome: Pushing through the lit review. That was easily the hardest section.
Obstacles Faced: Literature review.
Next Steps: It's set me up for a better position and one that focused on the adoption of technology. I could go into training and/or tech adoption roles.
Looking Back: I found finding the motivation was struggle street, two ways I combatted this: 1. pomodoro technique - highly rate 2. starting small. Telling myself I only need to do 10mins, and by the time my alarm is going off, I'm in the groove and not resetting my timer to 30mins, and then sprinkling the pomodoro technique in there hahah I also learned that the word count is not similar to bachelor's where you have to meet within 10%. So I was able to cut my words down so I wasn't over-explaining.