Project Timeline Overview
This detailed timeline covers the entire research project from planning through to thesis submission,
with month-by-month and week-by-week breakdowns. It follows best-practice advice that the timeline
“covers the full project” with all major activities and durations clearly shown 1 . Tasks are ordered
logically: for example, data‐collection interviews precede data coding to ensure the sequence “makes
analytical and practical sense” 2 . Adequate time is allocated for writing and revision of chapters
(consistent with guidelines on realistic writing schedules 3 ) and for supervisor/adviser feedback and
final proofreading 4 .
In constructing this schedule, we drew on the proposal’s methodology (semi-structured interviews,
participant observation, etc.) as a basis, since the original “Timeline” section only contained an
unlabeled Gantt figure and no detailed breakdown. The phases below reflect the research plan’s needs
(planning and ethics, fieldwork, transcription/coding, analysis, writing of each chapter, revision, and
submission). Every stage includes expected deliverables and notes potential risks with mitigation
strategies.
Below is a Gantt-style chart (Figure 1) illustrating the project phases, followed by a summary table of
activities and milestones.
Figure 1. Simplified Gantt chart of thesis schedule (phases overlap in practice).
gantt
title Thesis Project Timeline
dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD
axisFormat %b\n%Y
section Planning & Preparation
Supervisor Meetings & Planning :done, a1, 2026-04-01, 2026-04-14
Ethics Application & Pilot :active, a2, after a1, 2026-04-30
section Data Collection
Field Interviews & Observation :active, a3, 2026-05-01, 2026-06-30
section Data Processing
Transcription of Interviews : a4, after a3, 2026-07-31
Thematic Coding & Analysis : a5, after a4, 2026-08-31
section Writing & Revision
Draft Results & Discussion : a6, after a5, 2026-09-30
Draft Intro, Lit Review, Conclusion: a7, after a6, 2026-10-31
Final Revisions & Submission :crit, a8, 2026-11-01, 2026-11-15
Table 1. Timeline summary (month/week, tasks, deliverables, duration, dependencies, risks & mitigation).
1
Month/
Tasks/Activities Deliverables Duration Dependencies Risks & Mitigation
Weeks
Meet
Refined plan/ IRB delays;
Month supervisor;
timeline; draft supervisor
1 (Apr finalise Approval of
IRB availability
2026) research plan; 2 weeks research plan
application; (Mitigate: submit
Weeks prepare ethics from proposal.
interview early; schedule
1–2 application and
guides. flexibly).
instruments.
Submit ethics
IRB Ethics approval
Month application;
submission delay; pilot access
1 (Apr pilot-test Completion of
confirmation; issues (Mitigate:
2026) instruments; 2 weeks IRB documents;
pilot feedback; follow up IRB;
Weeks contact pilot readiness.
fieldwork leverage local
3–4 community
schedule. contacts).
gatekeepers.
Data collection
Low participation;
Month – conduct Ethics approval;
Raw data: travel/logistic
2 (May interviews and final interview
audio/video issues (Mitigate:
2026) participant 4 weeks guides;
recordings; flexible
Weeks observation; community
field notes. scheduling;
5–8 record oral scheduling.
translator).
stories.
Transcription
Month Continue data
Initial Completed bottleneck; errors
3 (June collection if
transcripts; interviews; (Mitigate: use
2026) needed; begin 4 weeks
organized transcription software tools; co-
Weeks transcription of
data files. resources. researcher
9–12 recordings.
checks).
Finish data
Month Incomplete data;
collection; All transcripts;
4 (July Remaining translation issues
complete preliminary
2026) 4 weeks interviews/ (Mitigate: buffer
transcription; coded
Weeks transcriptions. time for follow-up;
start coding segments.
13–16 hire translator).
transcripts.
Overlooked
Month Finalise themes;
Thematic
5 (Aug thematic Completed researcher bias
codebook;
2026) coding; identify 4 weeks transcripts and (Mitigate: peer
data analysis
Weeks key themes initial coding. review codes;
summary.
17–20 and patterns. participant
validation).
2
Month/
Tasks/Activities Deliverables Duration Dependencies Risks & Mitigation
Weeks
Write Results Draft Results Alignment issues;
Month
and Discussion and Thematic writing delays
5 (Aug
chapters; Discussion findings; (Mitigate: detailed
2026) 4 weeks
integrate chapters; literature outlines; iterative
Weeks
findings with updated review draft. supervisor
21–24
literature. bibliography. feedback).
Write Draft
Scope creep; time
Month Introduction Introduction
Feedback on underestimation
6 (Sep and Conclusion and
earlier drafts; (Mitigate: strict
2026) chapters; Conclusion; 4 weeks
framework of outlines; adjust
Weeks revise revised
findings. plan after
25–28 Literature Literature
meeting).
Review. Review.
Revise all
Month Major revisions
chapters per All chapter
7 (Oct needed; tight
supervisor Final complete drafts and
2026) 4 weeks deadline (Mitigate:
feedback; thesis draft. supervisor
Weeks allocate extra
proofread and comments.
29–32 editing time).
format thesis.
Submit thesis
Month Formatting or
to department; Submitted
8 (Nov University deadline issues
prepare thesis; defense
2026) 4 weeks submission (Mitigate: early
defense/ slides/
Weeks deadlines. formatting review;
presentation if presentation.
33–36 mock defense).
required.
The above schedule spans from April to November 2026. It ensures clear timing for supervision
meetings, ethics approval, data collection (semi-structured interviews and observation as per the
methodology), coding and analysis of language data, writing of each thesis chapter, and final revisions/
submission. This approach aligns with recommendations to make the sequence sensible and allow
reasonable writing/feedback time 2 3 4 . (References [4] and [10] provide general timeline
guidelines on coverage, sequencing, and revision periods.) The attached Word document
“thesis_timeline.docx” contains the fully formatted timeline with headings, lists and the table above.
Sources: Project activities are based on the attached thesis proposal’s objectives and methodology,
while schedule structure follows academic timeline best practices 1 2 3 4 .
1 2 3 4 [Link]
[Link]