1Excuse me, Professor Hall, do you have a moment to talk about the dissertation deadline?
2Of course. The submission date is the tenth of May, if I remember correctly.
3Well, that is the problem. My data collection has taken far longer than expected.
4I see. What exactly caused the delay, because you seemed on track last month?
5Two of my interviewees withdrew, so I had to find replacements and start again.
6That is unfortunate, but extensions are only granted in genuinely exceptional circumstances.
7I understand. Would it help if my supervisor confirmed the situation in writing?
8Yes, absolutely. You will also need to complete the standard extension request form.
9Where can I get that form, from the department office or the website?
10It is online now; the office stopped issuing paper copies at the start of term.
11And how long an extension could I realistically ask for, one week or two?
12Normally ten days, although in your case I would recommend asking for fourteen.