I have to write an A4 page describing the empirical investigations which will make up my research study.

Problem is I don't seem to be able to get my head round what an Empirical investigation is.

Could anyone provide me with an example so I can more easily understand what I am being asked to do? So far I've attempted two draft documents both of which have been returned to me by my sup kindly telling me that I have been documenting what i intend to do and designing my study, not fulfilling his request.

I go now in search of coffee and a brain that will function!

I have had some great advice from this site and so thought I would drop back to say that things are going ok. I had my first supervisory meeting in a while today (because of Easter, illness, another hospital stay for my daughter and fieldtrips) and my sup was pleased with my level of work so far, I had been asked to email 'something written' and so I just wrote all my notes up from my reading so far, I also wrote about the ideas I had and the study areas which I thought I could use, it was a really rough document but its almost as if by writing it all down I have space in my head to think?
One thing which did throw me is that I have been told to have my empirical investigations written up by the end of next week, I'm not really sure exactly what level of detail they want - I have some very VERY rough ideas and not sure how to turn it into a form to go into my annual review. Would be very grateful for ideas on how to start thinking about this.......

I am doing this PhD with a young child and so hubby and I have been going on lots of picnics and fun days out - all in my study area! That way I can get to grips with the mosaic habitats I am researching. I try to do 3 days at my desk 8.45 - 5, then a day at a weekend which involves tidying files, making plans, writing lists and downloading data. I've also found getting back to the PGR office (we were relocated and I was in the library on my own for about 6 weeks and got hideously depressed) has helped my productivity and i'm realising that most other people are struggling with the exact same things that I am. In fact I am realising that I am at a great uni with plenty of support, I just have to learn to ask for it.

practically speaking something reasonably comfortable with a layer or two - I have found conferences can get very hot and also very cold if the air con is turned up too high!

I dress quite smart but not formal, I usually wear (as pp) a skirt, shirt and pretty cardi and/or jacket. Scarfs are a cheap easy way to pretty up a 'normal' top. Enjoy your conference :-)

I was accepted onto a PhD which already had a vague brief, but I asked my supervisor for the three most relevent journals and searched the least three years. I am very fortunate in that my suprvisor is active in his field and engaging to listen to, he gives pointers but does not suppose I have read everything, nor does he make me feel stupid if I haven't read something relevent.
The most useful way I have found so far is by attending workshops which are being run by existing university projects, listening to other pepole speak and discussion amongst stakeholders I have managed to find several good areas for future research, this has then enabled me to target my reading.

I started my PhD in February, almost done 4 months now ai have had some ups and downs already. Firsly I'd say get comfortable in your new environment (especially if you are relocating to do the PhD), get to know the area, the campus, people, shops, library etc

Treat it like a job, go in each day, dress nicely and make an effort, I take great delight for the first time in my life to look reasonably smart and efficient.

No one can work 10 hours straight, plan your breaks, enjoy them, recognise the need for company and two hours solid work is far more efficient that 4 hours surfing facebook.

Use Mendelay - its awesome! But at the end of each day write the papers you have read, you wouldn't believe how easy it is to remember where you were when you read something and when but forget which paper it is!

Write as you go along - even if the only person that sees it is you, but in the long run it is good practice. Also recognise you will have productive days and non productive days, keep a list of easy things that will keep you busy like filing papers, transcribing, looking up other papers - i use an electronic post it note system whereby if something crosses my mind while I am writing/reading I note it down and then at the end of the day I read through my post its and work out what was useful, and what become my 3pm tea break things

Sounds like I'm working all the time but in fact I had a slow start and have a small family to look after 3 days a week (I work at the uni 4 days).

LEARN TO SAY NO. I have been asked to do teaching and courses and also got interested in so many things but have told myself I'm not getting involved in anything at all until I have submitted my research plan and started my fieldwork! I don;t know if that approach would work for everyone but it has helped focus my mind.

If you feel down and lonely fond someone to have tea with, or see student services, sounds crazy but a little chat can help get things straight in your mind. :)

Thank you - very much appreciated

======= Date Modified 12 May 2011 10:46:37 =======
Exam time is hitting the internet contention hard at our Uni and having been unable to get online for two days (and can't authenticate from home) could someone very kindly get this paper for me?

Analysing the relationship between indicators of landscape complexity and preference
Source: Environment and planning B, Planning and design [0265-8135] Miller yr:2011 vol:38 iss:1 pg:24

http://www.envplan.com/abstract.cgi?id=b35084

Thank you very much in advance :)

Hi everyone,

I want to create some software which effectively challenges people to think about climate change by bringing it down to a very local level and applying it directly to the local landscape. Very roughly for example along the lines of "to enable this river to support more biodiversity water abstraction needs to reduce, watering your garden with rainwater could protect 30 meters of river bank" using 3D visualisations and choice analysis I could capture what people are willing to do and then use that to target initiatives.

Heres the problem, I'm not a programmer. Like really no i'm not - have spent 11 years or more trying to code and failed so I accept I know how stuff works, and I know SQL/databases and I can scope/design software but not make it happen.

I was told that I can buy in expert help with my research grant, has anyone done this? The idea being I would scope the software, and any additional connections it would need to use (like saving back to a database with people choices) but that someone else would do the code, I would of course give full credit in any writeups i did.

ty in advance.

Thank you :)

I have failed on the lunch. All gone. Yum.

May I politely request to join this thread?

My challenge for today is;
- to finish my section on Water,
- to start my section on Agriculture,
- to pay my BT phone bill
- to not eat all my lunch by 11am (part failure so far as the crisps and apple are eaten)
- to condense all my scrappy word docs into one larger document

:p

How about a holiday?

Book something just expensive enough to be a royal pita if you have to cancel, just far enough away to be away from familiarity, just outside of a WIFI area and perhaps even some major fun activities that you'd really want to do.

BUT you can only go if you finish your review. Figure out how long you think your lit review shoudl take, add a week and then book this holiday. Its sort of tough love because if you don't do the work you can't go and play. I am a fan of reward based enterprise rather than @rse kicking. Oh and invite some friends too, so if you don't go you'll be letting them down too. In my case I've promised my baby girl a trip to Wales and I cannot go it I am not up to speed on my research!

Just wanted to update this. I found myself geting very interrupted study the last few weeks with Easter and family visiting plus my daughters nursery was closed for two extra days and in general I feel like I have just read papers, highlighted passages, thought of a tangent, disappeared on that and eventually achieved nothing!

BUT

Today I read through what I had written, wrote a list of questions which I wanted to answer, very simply I returned to my research proposal, took my main 'question', and the two minor 'questions' and in each area I had found, eg public participation, climate change, energy use, water abstraction I asked myself how they related to my three questions. Got a surprising amount done and did some decent writeups of two papers too which then gave me high quality material for some lit review editing.

I am still struggling a bit to know which section follows which section as each mini subject seems so inter related but hey this is ok. And had my lunch with some 2nd year PGRs who gave me lots more new ideas *sigh*. But I have a BIG meeting with my supervisor in a week and I haven;t seen him in about a month or more, and then my supervisory team meets at the end of May so I want to get a good handle on what I am doing.

Not enough and Not anymore!

With the agreement of my supervisor I work 3 days a week at my desk (though this has just been cleared away and the PGRs scattered to the four winds so I am in the teaching room) and try to make up the other two days by weekend working. WIth a young family I don;t have th luxury of more time - but as my baby grows up I will get more time as i get further into the PhD. Not sure I've achieved much in 3 months:-(

Quick question,
I know when I did my masters project I had to write everything as if I were talking to a layman, basic principles pulled together to explain why I was doing what I was doing. I felt it made the whole write up rather simplistic but in fact it won an award based on its accessibility so i did something right.

Is it the same at PhD level? DO I have to explain every single concept or can I draw the conclusion that the people reading it will know what an ecosystem service is for example or a riparian corridor?

Many thanks :)

I use Science Direct or Google scholar, I should investigate Web of Science methinks.