Hi JJJ

Sent it to you :-)

I just have Heading one, left aligned, bold and sub heading left aligned, italics, non-bold. I only have the chapter title centered, and in 14 pt!

You'll be in trouble Dunni if the Toy Story dvd breaks between now and your viva. Useful emergency answer in your viva if stuck for a reply: "to infinity and beyond" ;-)

That's terrific news Beajay, am delighted. Staff as well, prob lends a bit more weight to your name when you look to publish academically

thanks Sneaks, have given myself metaphorical kick up the backside. I'm just SO bored with it!

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I'm a pretty quick typist but I'm not sure if I ever managed to do an hour interview in an hour and a half. Perhaps if I totted up the actual time typing it would be 90 mins but I found it next to impossible to do it at one or two sittings. Some days were good, some not so good and it often depended on the quality of the recording. There are conventions in relation to shorthand but if you're not already familar with them, I would suggest just adapting your own. You're bound to have your own shorthand 'squiggles' which only you understand but as it's you that's going to be analysing them, no matter! It might be different at postdoc level if you were collecting and analysing data as part of a team. Then I think you would need to agree on shorthand issues beforehand.

Keep tipping away at them and you will break the back of them. Try to get a start on an interview as soon as possible after recording it. Even if you don't finish it, transcription has started. On a few occasions I did more than one interview in the same day. My advice here is to make sure you identify your interviewee at the start of the interview ON the tape. For example "so Murt, tell me about your experiences in charitable NGOs". I found this useful when listening back to the tapes.

It's all part of the wonderful qualitative methodological experience ;-)

Edit: sorry didn't answer your question about reading etc: tbh it probably was disruptive but it's as necessray as reading in that it's part of your project so you just have to try to fit it all in. It's a good thing to do when you're not up to reading but feel that you should be doing something. Keep a list of your interviewees and scratch them off as you transcribe.

Check the conference website itself as there are sometimes funding opps there.

Far be it for me to advise not listening to your supervisor ;-) but I wouldn't necessarily take his word for it that your uni has no funding. Check with your graduate studies department; there can be all types of funding and part funding opps about; I've yet to meet a supervisor who keeps on top of everything that's available!

Hi Murt

Transcription, the joys! No real short-cuts that I know of. Paying for transcription undoubtedly saves a reseracher's sanity but I do agree with the argument that doing it yourself keeps you close to the data. Also, listening back can prompt further questions and occasional eureka moments.

I used grounded theory and Strauss and Corbin (1990, 2008) advise that full transcription can be 'relaxed' as the process unfolds. What I did when my interviewee really went off on a tangent was put that info into the transcript and note at what point it ocurred so as to be able to re-visit if necessary - I never had to though! There's not a whole lot in any method book I have with advice re: transcription.

In hindsight I'm sorry I didn't get a footpedal to help with the transcription as the pause button on my recorder was small and it definitely slowed me down. I did look into one but it turned out I should have got it at the same time as my recorder as not all pedals are compatible with all recorders. I downloaded free softward 'Expresscribe' which I used for a bit - you can use the onscreen buttons along with a footpedal (which I borrowed for a time). In the end though, like most things, I went back to the original way of doing things. 60 interviews of between 40 mins and an hour long later and I was tearing my hair out.

My advice is keep up with your transcription from the start otherwise it will haunt your dreams!

Hi Daisy

Speaking only for myself I work somewhat erratically due to family committments so I wouldn't be a good accountability partner. Florence on another thread mentioned the idea of partnering up with somebody very recently - have a look, it might suit you.

http://www.postgraduateforum.com/threadViewer.aspx?TID=18686

I'm at the keyboard as well Dunni after returning home from drive with my daughter-gosh I hope she passes the test first go so I can be be released from driving practice duties! Self-imposed deadline of Friday to revert to my supv with the changes to my draft. I should make it, just about! Going to Bon Jovi tomorrow night probably won't help matters though!

Good luck with your goals; countdown to next week must really be on. You can do it(up)

I can get it back as far as 1973 I think. Is that the only article you need? Pm me your email and I can send you the pdf :-)