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Hi,

I don't think you're any more lost at this stage than the average PhD student to be honest. You need to keep reading, reading, reading and look for any gaps in the literature, or ideas that are early in their development. I think considering that your supervisor is away ill he's actually doing more than could be expected. Just keep reading and emailing him with ideas and you'll get somewhere! Presumably you must have a rough idea of what your thesis is going to be based on? Is there something you can build on? Keep reading and pushing ideas past your sup and your post doc.

For reassurance, the first 6 months of my PhD (which is in health and social care) were all about reading, thinking about ideas and discussing potential studies with my sup. I also completed visits to a variety of different places to discuss their ways of working. Then I wrote a proposal which was approved, then completed my ethics documentation. And that was pretty much it for my first year! I passed my review panel with flying colours. I know the process is probably a bit different for lab based studies but as long as you're reading and thinking about concepts and potential avenues you will be fine.
Sorry uncutlateralus
:-(

Hi all,

I posted something similar to this earlier in the year but this time I wanted to find out if any of you have had the same problem, basically I am now approaching the end of my second year and I am in the lucky position of having collected most of my data and in the process of analysis as we speak (well not right now as I'm typing this :$ )!

I am on a bit of a strict timeline as I can't afford my PhD to run beyond the 3 year funding window and I wanted to keep most of next year free to concentrate on writing up (and subsequent amendments etc) but my supervisor, although she's had a copy of my timetable, keeps giving me extra bits and pieces to do.
I am under no illusions and I know my writing needs developing but I really need to get my analysis done or I won't have anything to write about!

So I suppose what I'm asking is, are you in control of your timetable or do you have your sup telling you what to do? I thought by this stage we should be in control of our own destiny, so to speak?

Thanks!

Lindalou

I am by no means an expert having just obtained NVivo myself but I believe, based on what I've seen through tutorials etc that for safety it would be better to back up the source files too, just in case!

Oh my god! I am now living in fear! *starts making back up files for everything*.... this may take a while...!

It's totally normal - I felt like this at the start of the second year and seriously considered quitting, but I didn't and I'm so glad I didn't! It is the beginning of a new academic year and your sup will be very, very busy with freshers, returning undergrads etc so don't feel too put out. At the end of the day the break through for me was realising that it was MY project, MY responsibility, and at the end of the day it will have MY name on it - so I guess this goes back to ownership. Does your university have a set of guidelines for the review? This should include what you need, at my university we have a research registry unit who are really helpful and can also guide you through the process.

And remember - you're not alone! There's loads of us PhD students out here! And we're always willing to help or just support each other :-)

It really depends on your research question to be honest, as you should let your question guide your selection of methods, not whether you're rubbish at them or not! Have a good look at your research question and the best way to gather the information you'll need to answer that question. Don't fret if it turns out you need a more quantitative approach - your university should have a stats department that can offer you guidance and support.

Do you have your aims and objectives sorted yet? These should also help point you in the right direction.

Well done!!! Can't wait to be in your shoes (though having said that I'm quite scared of reaching "the other side"!)

Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for you - I agree with Mak, it sounds good! And enjoy your holiday - you deserve it!!!

Hi,

Sorry it's me again! Just a quickie as I'm naive on these matters-will I have to submit my hand written fieldnotes with my thesis?

Thanks,

Linda

Hi all,

Just a quickie, my sup has asked for a 4,000 word field report by Thursday. She asked for it this morning, bearing in mind I am in full time fieldwork at the moment. She wants me to reference relevant theory too. Don't get me wrong, I'm keen to do it as its helpful, just a bit anxious at turning something readable round in that time scale. Anyone got any previous experience of this & how did you deal with it? Is this an elaborate test?!

Thanks,

Lindalou

Hi all,

Just a quickie, my sup has asked for a 4,000 word field report by Thursday. She asked for it this morning, bearing in mind I am in full time fieldwork at the moment. She wants me to reference relevant theory too. Don't get me wrong, I'm keen to do it as its helpful, just a bit anxious at turning something readable round in that time scale. Anyone got any previous experience of this & how did you deal with it? Is this an elaborate test?!

Thanks,

Lindalou

Hello,

I'm a second year PhD student in my fieldwork phase at the moment and I had been drifting through fairly irresponsibly for the past few weeks but after posting on here I re-found my inspiration!

So I have two tips for any newbies:
1. Use this forum! Even if it's to vent, ask questions, as a reward etc. It really is great to know you're not alone, which is definitely something I've struggled with, especially as I live a good 2 hour drive from my University.
2. A new one from me today - someone on here suggested "Writing your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day" - by Joan Bolker (about £7 on a well known e-retailer!). This book is gold dust and it's got me going on writing up my fieldnotes and starting my analysis. But it covers the period from generating ideas right through to graduation.

That's all from me!

Lindalou:-)

Thank you both, I'll get reading!

Lindalou

Hello all,
Hope you're all enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having! I was just wondering if there were any fellow ethnogaphers out there (ok so I'm strictly a mixed methods researcher but the PhD is an ethnography, long story!) who had a "bible" so to speak that they swear by? As I'm still struggling a bit methodologically and it's something I really need to get to grips with as I'm currently in my research phase!

Thank you all you lovely people!
Lindalou :)

Hi,
I've been reading the forums and it seems I'm not alone but I just wondered if anyone had advice for me with regard to my situation.

I am supervised by 3 PhD supervisors, 2 who are ex health care professionals turned PhD and one who is ex local council research team. This last person I am finding very difficult to work with. The idea, I thought, of supervising is to offer constructive criticism and advice as well as pastoral support. This person constantly criticises anything I say or do, finds fault in everything, and recently on the loss of a close family member made a death related pun in an email which I found shocking and sick.

The thing that is really bothering me about this individual is his constant criticism of me as a researcher. He has delayed the start of my fieldwork by asking for repeated corrections to my work (even asking me to correct corrections he'd already corrected!) and is now criticising me saying I've left it too long to begin my research!!! ARGH!!!:-s

What can I do? My other supervisors haven't said anything about his behaviour towards me recently but they have raised their eyebrows a few times and challenged him for being overly critical in the early stages of my PhD. This guy has even made me want to quit on occasions (see earlier posts!) as his constant put downs and criticism has really knocked my confidence and made me feel unable to carry on at times. I have now seen the light - i.e. that this PhD is my responsibility, so I am determined to attain it, but I don't want this toxic supervisor on my team. Can I ask for him to be taken off the team? Is there a right way to do this? Or do I continue to put up with him, our relationship becomingly increasingly fractious?

Don't get me wrong, I know criticism is a good thing, but only if it's constructive. I haven't done an MSc so the jump to PhD from BSc has been a big one, but I am getting there! This guy, it feels, likes to cause controversy and criticises because it massages his ego, but I don't want someone like that around me dragging me down!

Any advice will be greatly appreciated, constructive or otherwise ,-)