I'm off chums! I have enjoyed your company on this lovely Sat afternoon.

PS: Olivia I love filter coffee but sometimes I am just *that* lazy that I will have instant for ease. I am English and therefore have a relatively uneducated palate when it comes to coffee...

Good luck all!

Yes I find it odd that they seem to think no planning is a viable alternative. That is plain silly, but I sympathised with the findings that we constantly seem to set targets that, while maybe achievable, we just aren't *going* to keep! I am like that ALLLL the time - a new chapter, a new optimistic deadline... Doh.

I'm very miffed because I am on 7500 words already for an 8000 word chapter and have about another 1500 at least to go. I hate writing 'empty words' that will be seriously edited later.

Hmmph.

Here is a great article in today's Guardian Newspaper about how tasks always take us longer than we have planned for them!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/02/healthandwellbeing.psychology

I really enjoyed it and thought I would share

x J

There's one here for you pamw. all of the above in exchange please!

I just made myself the most horrible cup of instant coffee ever. How is this possible? Instant coffee just *is*. You can't get it wrong. Hmmm.

I'm working too... Just boiling the kettle if anyone fancies a cuppa?!

Hi there

Am not waiting to start but wanted to say congrats for getting on your course! Hold on to that enthusiasm too - it will serve you well.

I agree joyce... sometimes I have a fantastic week and others... or you end up doing something completely different to what you planned to do. This is part and parcel of getting a PhD I feel - maturing and learning to cope with the unpredictability of it. I find routine helps though and am on PhD 'time' between certain hours of the day - and hopefully working properly! (usually not... hmmph)

I agree Ju-ju. My funding stipulates a 37 hour week and 8 weeks holiday a year which is a realistic guideline (although more holiday than I actually take!)... you may have a week or two when you have been disorganised or feel under pressure and then you work more hours but really, when you get into the flow and get a routine you should be working 35 efficient, focussed hours. Then go and enjoy your time off!

*luck*!!

My (very experienced) sup has said to me that writing more than 8000 would likely mean I am waffling ;). I expect the analysis and discussion chaps to be a bit more more than that but generally am looking at 8000 for most of my chapters.

You are not alone! I generally try and be at my desk between 9.30am and 6 but I may have a gym break for two hours in the middle/start late/finish early/start early/finish late... I may get only one hour's work in even. Most days I would say that I work for about five productive hours and the rest is faffing about. I am nearing the end of my second year, am looked on as a 'good student' by my peers and sups and am meeting all my deadlines. The end of your first year is a time for reflection and to start to get yourself sorted, but for YOU - it is also a time to stop comparing yourself with everyone else, to start to be more self-assured in your work, working patterns and deadlines. It will be fine!!

...
Also bear in mind that doing a PhD is part of training to be a researcher and as such there may be a time in the future when you need to adopt a qual methodology. Flexibility is a good trait so don't run away from a form of analysis that you don't think will suit you. Be pragmatic about it. Also, 'qual' is a huge umbrella term for many forms of data collection and analysis - there may be a compromise in it somewhere for you.

Finally, only you can know if you have Sups that will allow for you to grow and mature as an independent researcher so it is impossible to advise whether following your own ideas will end up being a ticket out of there... Generally if you can justify your decision under a grilling I think they should be pleased. If you can't, you may need to be more flexible... HTH

Hey there

Obviously this is a subjective situation and it is hard to know without being familiar with your research whether you are getting good advice and being stubborn or being railroaded into a direction you are unhappy with... So, with that caveat I would say:

This research is your project and being assertive and confident making decisions regarding the methodology is part of getting a good PhD. If you think/know this is the best way then write out why and write why you want to discard the qual approach and present/send it to your sups.

...