no worries :-)

I had interview last week specifically for an information literacy 'expert'. I didn't get the job but apparently came second :-( So near and yet so far...

Hey timefortea

Looks like somebody scanned and pdf'd it at some stage; think this is it
http://www.pasadena.edu/library/reserves/tfkeeler/engl1c/CohlerLifestory.pdf

A

======= Date Modified 25 Sep 2011 14:11:25 =======
I am full time as well. I have had sporadic meetings with my supervisor over the last three years, the majority of which have been in this writing up year. The sporadicness of things was agreed by us both at the start. During my second year I was out doing a lot of data collection and we only met a couple of times but this suited me fine.

He never actually asked me to produce anything over the whole three years but given that I was determined to be wrapped in three years, productivity wasn't really an issue. I don't know what he would have been like had I not been proactive in giving up work. In hindsight I regret that feedback protocols were not established from the start. Feedback when I have gotten it has always been very thorough, usually verbal although some of it has been written. I never doubted that he had actually read it as he was able to refer to sections from memory, without actually checking the thesis in front of him - very impressive! However, I was never sure when I was going to get it and this was the problem. Also, he never passed a single chapter with the result that one started to overlap the other until it was the whole thesis that was under scrutiny! Fingers crossed I am submitting very soon but I have found this last year horrendous!

Hey Rhea

You're sooooo nearly there, you've been working hard for ages now - sending positive thoughts [and article which you may have by now but just in case not!] your way.

======= Date Modified 24 Sep 2011 15:04:38 =======
Hi Hailey

Def doable, challenging but yes, doable. If you haven't already, I would start to gather up my chapters into a physical thesis as in make sure you know your uni's formatting and submission guidelines. Set the proper margins now and work with them. Decide heading styles etc. In the days when the creativity isn't flowing, work on your references and make sure that they are up to scratch from now onwards. At this stage you need to be strategic about things, and ruthless so don't be too tempted to explore juicy tangents. Also, try not to do too much new reading as it is easy to get over-whelmed.

Good luck with it (up)

Hi Redridinghod

What interesting questions you have? All the better... ;-), sorry, couldn't resist!!

I am close to submission and I have used GT although not constructivist GT. Your interviews are the methods, ie the tools you used through your methodology in order to try to find a way to elicit data from your participants which will answer your research questions. Theoretical sampling (to me) is not another method per se but rather is part of the methodolgoical process whereby it is part of data collection. Looking to Corbin (2008: 144) it differs from conventional methods of sampling in that it is responsive to the data rather than established before the research begins".

You probably know this but Kathy Charmaz is 'the' modern constructivist grounded theorist. If you don't have Constructing Grounded Theory by her you would be wise to get it. On this forum, it's Olivia who is brill at all things GT and who dug me out of hole a while ago.

Lots on the net as you probably know but have a look at
http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues/5_1/PDF/MILLS.PDF and
http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/inn/alic/agorra/3_Chapter3_Methodology_AndreaGorra.pdf - GT constructivist PhD thesis available online, each chapter is a separate pdf.

Also it's worth looking at
http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/resources.php#grounded_theory - lots of useful texts there but also a few videos which I tapped into and found very useful.

Good luck - boyfriends, what do they know??:p

======= Date Modified 24 Sep 2011 09:48:19 =======

actually I just checked again and the first one seems to be on open access at
http://www.physics.uiowa.edu/~rmerlino/Merlino_AJP_75_1078_2007.pdf
let me know if you've a problem accessing it and I'll email it

I can get you the second one but not the first, I'll send it on :-)

======= Date Modified 23 Sep 2011 08:39:31 =======
Thanks everyone for the words of support and wisdom. I discussed it with my supervisor yesterday and while he says 'why not work 'til the end of October', he said he was happy to sign off on it next week if that is my decision. I agreed to think it over (which I have) but really I'm spent as regards this thesis. I'm going to put in a hard week but then submit on 30 September.

Happy Days :-)

Well done Dr. Kikuka, great news - enjoy the rest of your holiday :-)

what about the un human development reports, or are these too broad?? http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

======= Date Modified 22 Sep 2011 13:37:17 =======
See Caro's reply and I was going to say the same; I would definetely include a cover letter and only not do so if they state 'no cover letter required'. Although you have no experience in the field you must have an interest in it so I would try to convey in the cover letter what interests you about the area so you could outline some of the key commentators in that area or some of the seminal papers you are aware of. Try to convey enthusiasm which is next to impossible to do in a CV, hence why a cover letter is so important.

Good luck(up)

======= Date Modified 21 Sep 2011 20:56:00 =======
Hi Chris

It's difficult to answer without knowing what the application asks for. For example, have you been asked for a CV and cover letter or is there a formal application form or have you to put together a proposal yourself? If the proposal, I would go for a) working title, b)Research statment or maybe aims and objectives or research questions your thesis will seek to answer, c) literature 'review', literature in the area that has influenced you d) methodological approach, with broad outline of what you propose to do d). Why not look at another funding body and sneak a peek at their application form and tailor your proposal accordingly! It is a proposal afterall so you are not expected to know everything (why would you be doing a PhD then??) but you are expected to have a braod idea of your topic, how you see it progressing and the approach you intend taking.

Re: your other questions: if you did well in your dissertation you could briefly go through it under the type of headings I have already mentioned - also include your findings.
Re: research skills, pull out modules you did well in and briefly mention them. Maybe go back to the module outline and 'steal' their learning outcomes(lol)
Re: Employment - good to mention in that it shows you are able to multi-task and you could tease out transferable skills you have gained from it. However if it's not relevant, don't go overboard with details. I wouldn't worry about no teaching experience - what undergrad has that unless you did voluntary teaching or TEFL etc etc but it shouldn't be a deal breaker. Have you ever worked as a demonstrator?

You ask a lot of questions which are difficult to answer because it all depends! that is it depends on what you have been asked to provide. If it's a CV that's required, I would go for a basic academic-type CV, ie put your education first, with results gained etc. Then employment and then other interests. If it's an application, follow it to the letter. If it's a proposal you have to put together, as I say, go to another funding body's website and have a look at what they are looking for. Pretty much everywhere is looking for 'working title', literature in the area, methodological approach. Don't pre-empt any findings in your proposal.

Hope that helped a bit, or did it just confuse??

Good luck