Hi there

Difficult without having read the paper, but I think what you are saying is what ends up being the problem with most methodology chapters in theses.The descriptive way of doing this would be to outline all the decisions (from choosing a method, designing the project), steps of using a software, coding framework etc.

But another way to do this, is perhaps to write it as a piece of text on your approach to epistemology and analysis. So, then, from having sections that describe the purpose of an interview, or who said what on grounded theory (for instance quoting Glasser and Strauss over and again) or describing how you adopted a particular coding framework, you may wish to think through some of the concetual priorities in this project - i.e. why grounded theory for this research question, how did the research evolve in the field, what was the role of the esearcher, power dynamics between researcher and researched (and how and if at all this impacted the research process) and so on...

I get the feeling examiners who read methods chapters (and perhaps your reviewer) are lessinclined to read (a) quotes from the research on specific qualitative methods (Miles and Huberman, Glasser and Strauss, Boyatzis, Yin and so on are cited multiple times) (b) or even paragraphs on what you did and how, but are more inclined to see why you made the empirical choices you made, what the underlying priorities were and how it comes together.

I am in the middle of drafting my methods chapter, after my sup (a little tersely) tore apart my idea of methodology at a supervision and then emailed me asking for an intelligent piece of writing on epistemology and interpretive stratgey!

Whoops, that got me thinking (behyond methods text books!!)

Best of luck

Bug

You've weighed out the pros and cons of this very well and all will be well :-) Focus on what's at hand and things will work out! you're far more determined and organized about this than I was at your stage (you knew you wanted a PhD from your first degree days) and I admire you!!

:-) Cheers

KB

Just to say I did my MSc and PhD in the same place, same sup. Now, there's been post doc discussions and we've agreed to apply for funding for post docs from two or three sources, including conventional post-docs as well as research grants, with sup as mentor. I an trying to submit by Easter 2011 (under 3 yrs) for deadlines are such.

So it's araher similar situation (minus the BSc) and there's no other way I'd do it :) I think it's absolutely fine!

Good luck with your funding apps and many congrats for keeping them happy with you for so long!

You have your whole career to move around and try multiple things!

Just to add that I would write what KB wrote exactly but was unsure what you wanted to hear...

It's enrtirely your choice, but if I were in your place, I would prioritise a great PHd at a place I truly want to be and just go for it.

(Remem ber though that part of posting on this forum is getting to hear responses which are often poles apart)

Hi Natassia -what you decide for yourself is best, always. Even if others say it isn't :-)

How much more would the 8th Feb deadline need in terms of work? Is it more of exploring further or 3 straight days of intense back breaking hard work to hone and polish something and make it done and dusted? Is the work needed on the lines of exploring new territories and making mistakes and learning (and that kind of time) or is it more a question of hunting down approipriate references, giving something a stronger backbone and making it a convincing narrative?

If the latter, would you wish to give it a go? All depends on where you are with it, how much you want this uni to work out, where your priorities are, and what kind of work this proposal now needs.

remember, it's you who knows the ground situation, and only you can make decisions without letting any of us confuse you this way or that!

:-)

Best

======= Date Modified 23 Jan 2010 16:16:20 =======
Thank you Eska.

Sorry Mrrox for being unsympathetic to your position. As Bonzo said maybe you need to support not just yourself but a family. Also, maybe the jobs that distract you aren't jobs that go in the CV or have other benefits which can 'balance' the distraction that any jobs bring. I responded without taking those possibilities into account and without giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Of course, I responded from the position of wanting to be a fully funded international student (people whose position I want to be in) - a direct expression of my own wants.

In all, sorry, and I hope you find a useful solution to your problem.

Bonzo - I agree with you entirely, as do I with Eska.

Eska - perhaps you and I are now clashing quite a few times, perhaps entirely my fault. I shall be careful in responding (on this forum generally) in the future.

Best, Bug

Excuse me.

Jobs distract you?

You have your entire international tuition waived and you don't want to work for your living?

Pl forgive me, but I do not quite know what to say.

I am an international student with NO money. I decided to come study here in July when all the limited international funding deadlines had run out. My uni supported me as much as they could with a couple of scholarships, but I still have a fees deficit in my 2nd yr and of course my third.

They gave me all possible jobs they could.

I work 3 days a week on teaching and 2 research project jobs which squeezeall my energy out of me. (this is just during term). DUring breaks, the 2 days on RA jobs become 3 days a week on RA jobs.

Yes, and I must complete under 3 yrs, and of course I will. I canot express how tied I get to organise the international fees, rent in London, food, and I earn so much momney that I need to pay taxes on it, and my folk think I am doing so well.

Of that money about £200 are 'extra' per year. the rest is tuition fees of £12000 a year, rent and basic food. And I am earning it all.


ANd here you are, with £12000 a year waived,. and you dont want to work for your living because jobs distract you?

I just cannot be sympathetic.

Hi all, thank you so very much :-)

Hmm, friends who've read the email said the same, that since the editor actually wrote "it's a fascinating and topical essay that would find a much better home in our sister journal XYZ" - I shouldn't actually stress at all ...

Wil discuss with sup and i think not sit on it for too long and send it off again to the other/another one..

Thanks all!

Good point...

I think overall they have a mass media focus (cultural, critical, interpretive work around television, films, radio etc)... and I think they class work with the 'internet' as something for the journal that has the very words computer/sinternet in its name.

Alas! For the nature of that journal makes it publish technical stuff, whereas mine was such a great fit with the stuff that these people above do...

Hmm thanks Teek - more surprising because my article was in fact a response in a sense to an essay in their inaugural issue - and it makes that essay look good too! (I do something empirical out of a theoretical suggestion in that essay and I begin my article acknowledgin that source of inspiration!)

I realise on hindsight thought that my essay title seems rather technical, and she might not actually have read the piece...

No, yes, I am convinced - the essay definitely definitely fits better with this one and not the one she suggests

Ok, need to discuss with sup.

:(

Edit to add: the journal I originally submitted to is newer than the one she suggests now, howver is *much* more appropriate IMO for my article.

In fact the one she suggests is much too technical focused than my verrrry qualitative/interpretive kind of stuff...

======= Date Modified 22 12 2010 18:12:41 =======
HI all -

So, in our field, the key association is say Association X (like International X Association).

Ok, so they publish 5 journals - all very significant and these 5 are called X journals, and admittedly to be published in an X journal is quite wow!

Anyway, so recently, my paper was accepted for Association X's annual conference. I had, since submission, re-worked it a lot, and refined it and submitted it to one of the 5 journals published by Association X.

Now I submitted like 2 days ago - this evening I get an email from the editor which says she has not even sent it for review and is returning it.

She says -

"This is a topical and fascinating article! However, it will find a better home in our sister journal (also of Association X) called Journal of X Y Z. Please submit there"


Now is this kind of a 'rejection' common? I mean, I was rejected in under 48 hours, without being reviewed....or should I be happy that she says what she says?

:-(

Ooh catI got so drunk at your dinner I had to hide under your carpe (oh was it the carpet or the cat..)

I give you 9.5 on 10 (.5 is taken off for making us drown in drinks..)

Exactly what Wally said and yesterday a (girl) friend of mine told me at the pub that one reason might be because I come across as "extremely confident (to the extent of seeming intimidating), very articulate (To the extent of scaring people), very focused (To the point of being demanding))

And she explained nicely with instances and body language explanations and I thought she was verrry correct! But she told me (and I agreed) that I shouldn't necessarily change this above and try a more vulnerable/quiet/'sweet' mode for that just isn't me...

Plus... also.... I kind of (deep down) have a clinical acknowledgement that relationships are good and it's nice to have a spectacular career and a spectacular family and it's possible etc (but that's digressing) but deep (deep) down, I don't think I am too bothered with relationships just yet and make no extra attempt at all...

Would like to be with someone by 30.... but that's 5 years away and maybe I'll be less intimidating then :-) To cut a long story (not very) short, in answer to the last sentence in the OP's post - I do nothing to actually try and meet partners!!

Hi there Eska, am not humanities but my field being media does link with loads doing discourse analysis, film, literature etc...

I think the following order has been mentioned to us

1. Top journal article
2. Book chapter in a collection with a grand name as editor
3. Good journal article
4. Book chapter in a volume by peer-review (mention in CV if peer reviewed) and not by invitation
5. Middle range journal article

Last two options of low range journal articles and one of those many bok chapters in any book that's being put together and your article is invited - both these hold little value I am told

but even then, apparently anything that's peer reviewed still ranks higher...

Our ex HoD even told us to keep in mind who the editor is - so, having a book chapter in a volume edited by yur supervisor (even if a great name) is of lesser value than say publishing in the top notch journals of our field.

Given that, a caveat to add: disciplines have entirley differnt citation cultures, and this RAE, apparently in my uni there was big thing about how anthro differs from economics in that sense, but I disnt quite follow that corridor debate..