Overview of DocInsanity on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of DocInsanity

Signup date: 06 Aug 2012 at 1:43pm

Last login: 08 Jan 2019 at 5:27pm

Post count: 477

Recent Posts

Writing the background section of intro- any tips?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

As well as the background to the problem I'm addressing, I've also put my background and how I came to choose that particular project.

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

On the information I gave it wasn't an unreasonable comment walminskipeas, but it's very gracious of you. The main issue for me is that the lack of decent research training in this area, and hence the mild panic which occasioned my question.
Thanks for the link, it looks good and I feel a lot happier now that I am on more solid ground!
Thanks everyone for your help :)

your biggest productivity challenge

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Biggest productivity challenge? The Olympics!

Journal article submission

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From sneaks:

I think its quite common for you to get a second R&R from a journal, so you get another chance. BUt I've heard people get 2 R&Rs and then a rejection which must be extremely annoying, particularly if you'd revised it specifically for the way the journal wanted it which may not be relevant to other journals.

I have to say that baffles me - if they've asked for revisions, that implies that the article would be suitable if those revisions were made. I did some revisions then got the article rejected, which certainly was annoying! Plus the journal involved, the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, took an inordinate amount of time to get back to me. It was over a year from first submission before they finally sent me a rejection.

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Yes indeed - or give the appearance of having done so! Mind you in the hurdles, show-jumping and indeed the canoeing/kayaking, you can hit the hurdles/fences/gates - you just get penalised for it!

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Thanks Sneaks, having just looked up template analysis that seems to be the best fit for what I'm doing - much appreciated! :)

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From sneaks:

You'll also need a fair idea of your epistemology/ontology which although it doesn't have to, should probably link with your methodology.

E.g. I used template analysis with my qual data because I come from a post-positivist discipline, but was adopting a pragmatic approach in my thesis. Template analysis meant I could use existing theory to drive my thematic analysis (like you would in post-positivism) but also be reflexive about what came out of my data, explore the context in a rich qual way - more like a constructivist position.

You don't have to talk about this stuff in your thesis, but you should have a solid idea of what you're doing and why otherwise you'll look like a twonk in the viva.

Absolutely - I have my philosophical assumptions worked out, which is complex because it's an interdisciplinary project so I have to use two different sets of philosophical assumptions. The problem arises from the fact that I haven't had any convincing tuition in grounded theory - that has been the basis for what I'm doing, but I'm just not using QDA software as it doesn't help me. It just irked me the rather 'shoot from the hip' characterization of this as cursory (not sure why 'ad hoc' per se is a criticism, given the nature of construction of grounded theory).

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From Skig:

I'm not saying that what you are doing is illogical but, as far as I know, we can't all just analyse data in any way we like, or think it's best.

Different qual methods are used for different reasons and I'm afraid it'll be much better for you if you utilise one of the already established methods than try your own. The examiners will be looking at how you've analysed the data and why. It'll be easier for you in the long run to get this sorted now.

As walminskipeas rightly points out, it's best to go back to your research design and start from there.

I think it conforms to a version of grounded theory, I'm just not using all this coding stuff - I may go and do it retrospectively to satisfy the examiners.

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From walminskipeasucker:

No-one here can actually give you a label for what you have done analytically. Doesn't sound like grounded theory, but then doesn't sound like a thematic analysis either. Sounds more like something quick and dirty, cursory and ad hoc. What may seem like a perfectly logical approach to you may not be a view shared by others, including examiners further down the line.
As has previously been recommended, I think you need to go back to the fundamentals - you need to identify clearly your method(s) of data analysis. At the stage of analysis, you should not be sticking labels on methods that should have been clearly selected at the point of research design.

Not much help really. "quick and dirty, cursory and ad hoc" - and you say this on what basis?
Oh well, I thought I'd actually get some useful comments from here. Seems I was wrong.

Conference presentation: to present or not present

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From larrydavid:

Conferences are about raising funds. They just want your money.

Certainly postgrad conferences are.

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From sneaks:

It just came across like you'd already started and were trying to work out what you were doing, rather than working out what you are doing and then starting.

I'd go back and work out WHY you want to use a certain type of analysis. this is a good place to work out what you are doing and why http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/methodologies.php

I have started, and I know what I'm doing is logical - I just want to know the label for the purposes of the viva.

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Quote From sneaks:

For the sake of your viva, I'd say you need to stop and find a label for what you are doing/how you are doing it and really understand he process. That way you can really justify it in your thesis by saying "I used this technique, and so did all these people (Smith, 2010; Zelda, 2011) therefore it must be amazeballs"

I agree - that's the point of my question!

Research method - grounded theory or thematic analysis or other?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

Hi,
I've been doing interviews of expert witnesses and analysing it without Qualitative Data Analysis software as I find it hinders the creative process. I've just been looking at the common features of the interviews and generating some theories from that. Is this loose sort of analysis still a form of grounded theory, or is it thematic analysis or even something else?

Does a post-doc make one less employable?

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

I'm going to be shooting straight for lecturer posts, but then I've started my PhD at a late age (I'm 42 now).

Conference presentation: to present or not present

DocInsanity 477 posts
12 years ago

How prestigious is the conference? It's certainly something you need to get used to, so if it's a big enough conference I'd go.