Heading up to Glasgow tomorrow to conduct some more of my data collection - the clinimetric phase of my questionnaire's construction...meh

Anyway, not a totally irrelevant post for this thread because tonight I am watching The Wolfman (new one). Expect my thorough and balanced review when I have finished watching it. There's a hairy man, there's blood and there's guts - but is it enough to satisfy the sensibilities of this aficionado - aka me? We'll see...

I would recommend you read this article in order to make a reasoned and informed decision...

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2167868.ece

No it's not - it's entertaining. Bear-bating for the noughties. I feel really good about myself when I watch it - about my dress sense, my dental hygiene and my current lifestyle. I think more people who hate their PhDs should watch it, as it will make them grateful for what they have.

In fact, if you have a few moments of procrastination you ought to watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8vpNkj-g_Q&feature=related

Ah well, that's enough laughter, back to work for me...

Here's a new take on the accountability thread - a different and perhaps equally productive way of seeing what we have left to do to complete our theses. Hopefully, by identifying exactly what I have left to do, it'll help spur me forward because I'm having a horrible day and feeling quite sad.

Chapter 1 - Background and introduction = done
Chapter 2 - descriptive meta-ethnographic synthesis = 20 % done
Chapter 3 - Lit review = done
Chapter 4 - Theoretical framework = done
Chapter 5 - Research worldview = done
Chapter 6 - Methodology = 50% done
Chapter 7 -Results part 1 = 20 % done
Chapter 8 - Results part 2 = 0% done
Chapter 9 - Results part 3 = 0 % done
Chapter 10 - Discussion = 0 % done
Chapter 11 - Reflections = 0% done
Chapter 12 - Concusions = 0 % done

1 paper submitted
Lots of data collection left to do

I have until the end of the year to have it all done. I desperately need to find some self-belief and motivation because I really want to throw in the towel at the moment.:-(

Well, here's what I think...

It's directed by Mel Gibson, very pretentious (more so than The Passion of Christ, I reckon) and up it's own bum. It's needlessly violent and gory (though not scary) and it's very difficult to follow with subtitles. Not a fan. But then I hated Braveheart and a lot of people liked ('Freeeeedddooommmm!' Shut up Mel Gibson and don't you ever flash your hairy arse at me again!) it, so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

For my next film review, I am ashamed to say I watched Extraordinary Measures. Why did I make myself watch this? It's utter rubbish. At the risk of sounding unoriginal, it's extraordinarily crap. The movie follows the struggle of an ordinary family to find a cure for their two children who suffer from a rare genetic disorder, Pompe disease. The father researchers the condition on the internet, actually more thoroughly than I have researched for my own PhD (saddest bit of the film for me - since there's nothing like personal shame), and comes across a researcher who is producing ground breaking results in the field. Cue a lot of melodramatic bits and some sad music, as this almost made for television drama, tries every novice trick in the book to make you weep.
Unfortunately for the father, the researcher he has to work with is a bit of a bad-tempered, loose cannon. Forever losing his temper and getting angry at the slightest of inconveniences and challenges, you wonder why he doesn't suffer a stroke or some other stress related disorder before the end of the film. Fortunately, he's good, damn good - 'his research is light years in front'. But unfortunately, he's skint, damn skint - there ain't much money in research and most of his grants get rejected. Clearly, this was the most personally affecting part of the movie for me.
Anyway, it's a Hollywood movie and we all like happy endings. So they get the money, the drug gets synthesised and the kids are saved. I found it hard to empathise with the characters, particularly the children. I'm sorry but the little afflicted girl in it is a cheeky cow with an attitude problem.
If you like amateurish made-for-television melodrama, you'll love this. But then if you do, there's plenty of others to choose from, including:

Sally Mildren: The Easter Sadness
Clinging to Life: The Cathy Lane Story
At Death's Door: The Morrag Blane Story
Thinking of You in Hospital: A True Story

I'm pretty sure you can claim Job Seekers allowance when your funding runs out. I'm sure that someone else will confirm this by tomorrow and know more than me. But this question has been asked before and it was basically said that you can.

A potential external examiner has been approached and agreed to do my viva. This person is a very noteworthy person and I note, with horror, that this person has written very popular books on best practice in research and research methodology. I'm not looking for an easy ride but I'm very nervous, when I do get to my viva, about the idea of this person being my examiner. I'm certain that this person knows everything, probably including all the secrets of the universe and, quite likely, how to my research correctly. I just know that I'm going to end up with major corrections at the least.
If I do pass it will look good I suppose. But, if this person gets out of the wrong side of bed or doesn't like my name, I'll get eaten alive. The only comforting thought I have is that the earth has to rotate over another 200 times before I potentially have to face my doom. Choosing an external examiner involves very tactful decision making and I'm not sure this is the right move. I don't know whether I should upset the apple cart by telling my sup that I think we should go for someone else who may be more agreeable with what I've done.:-(

Crap, working late tonight as well. Need to be done by the end of the year, only halfway through my data collection, and so much to write. There'll be many more evenings like this one.

Never done one, so can't be much help. However, have a couple of good books you can have that will help. See your PM.

Hi Rick, thank you for you help and suggestions. There is nothing within my field that can be considered a patient preference instrument - and it is one of the reasons why I am developing a patient preference section to my instrument. I do think that your suggestion concerning a pre-defined list of questions being best is right. If I take this route, I have already done half the work for it and it is just a matter of making sure that I have clear instructions for patients to follow and know exactly how it is going to be scored and what the score represents.
As for patients generating their own items, I agree there too. Item writing is quite a technical skill and the measurement error that may arise from having patients trying to do this could be terrible.

Thanks Rick :-)

I'm in a bit of a pickle with a big decision concerning my work and would really appreciate some opinions. This relates to, essentially, questionnaires in health research. As I've mentioned previously, I'm making a questionnaire and I'm integrating a patient preference section where patients can choose questions that they believe are important, which has lots of advantages but some disadvantages.
Now, I have two options with this, although I suppose I can also combine the two options...
I can:

1) Have a pre-defined list of questions and they can select a number that they believe are particularly relevant to them. The adds are: It is potentially quick, simple (relatively) and keeps the instrument and what it is assessing and evaluating in context. The problems are: a finite list, items included will have ultimately have been placed there through clinicians and is it really patient preference??? (sorry, if I'm rambling - I'm thinking aloud as I write this...).

2) Have patients generate their own items. The adds are: Truly patient preference, I can really tap into the lived experience of what I'm trying to measure, it will absolutely reflect the impact of the condition on the patient and allow more 'intimate assessment and evaluation'. The problems are: potentially time consuming, I am making the assumption that patients in the advanced stage of the disease can still write with a pen, writing items for a questionnaire is a skill so it may not be pragmatic.

3) Combine the two techniques, with the option of patients generating their own items a fail safe in case the list they are presented with is not exhaustive enough. Adds: The best of both worlds. The problems are: also the worst of both worlds.

Popular research indicates that approach 1 is generally taken - I don't think it's the best way of attempting to incorporate patient preference. It's like keeping a bird in a small, restrictive cage, then moving it to a bigger one and claiming you've set it free, if you know what I mean).

I'd be interested to see what interested members think of my quandary.