Hi jojo,

some of these tests are regarding assessing your personality (famous Myers Briggs Type Indicator) which provides a characteristic profile of yourself. Strictly speaking there is no right or wrong personality, yet obviously certain firms problably want certain characteristics (e.g. teamworker in hospital, innovativ in design etc.) You can influence this a bit by guessing what the question may be hinting at and then answer accordingly. However risk of getting it wrong and creating a profile which dose not reflect you at all!

Regarding the strict numerical tests these usually like intelligence tests and look at logical thinking and pattern recognition. The trick is to try and find the pattern. Focussing on this may help, practise, practise, practise is the main thing. Do not think that theory here helps! Try and keep everything logical and rational!

Good luck

Hi MicheleV,

thanks for your input.

The idea of the quality microfone is useful. I have a normal one yet may be that would not be good enough. The microphone which you had is that a professionAal one; I mean what they use for radio interviews?

How are you going to approach your analysis?

Hi rjb,

I am sorry to hear regarding your story. You must feel very disappointed after this experience. Have you got people around you with whom you can talk? It would be good to express your frustration and anger?:

Hi Verdy,

are you going to publish (parts of)it and if so do you know in which journal. This journal will give you instructions regarding the length and characteristic of the title. In general try and keep it short. Try and include the crucial points so that a potential reader knows immediately what this is about (I know this is obvious). A lot of people use constructions like:
Bla, bla, bla: survey of........
Check other theses related to your subject

Hi Michelle,

I am afraid I do not know the systems you mentioned yet have often heared the term "Ethnograph", although not used that myself.

I am also going to use focus groups. How did the transcribing go?

Hi Jojo,

it is interesting to read regarding the impact your parents have on your decisions. I consider myself to be a rational person and tend to make decisions based on a long thought process, but even then find it difficult if my parents disagree, even though they often have not got a clue what I am talking about.
I think an approach may be to explain again the situation to them and especially that the financial side is important for you. As long as you get your phD a change of direction problably will not be a bad thing.

Good luck

Hi nurseyboy,

I agree with missresearch; a small pilot exercise / interviews may help in getting insight.
Be aware that the question sets the method. For example if you want a wide exploration of ideas then a focus group probably will be the best method. If you want confidential issues to be brought forward individual interviews will be better. If you want fgures then a quantitative method will be required.

Hi Pulse,

how are things?

just to let you know: I will write my thesis in English even though I am based in Germany. You are right, it is not uncommon to do this in Germany.

Did you have any luck in your search?

kind regards

Individual video of a consultation is an excellent tool; one can see the young doctor perform the consultation and afterwards both the young doctor and the trainer reflect on this. Often value systems can be identified in this way.

As your research is of a sensitive nature would one to one interviews not be an option for you?

maybe aside of focus groups?

Hi Doc2008,

I am also in the medical field, yet not into anthropology or sociology. I will use a focus group in my research as well.
I am involved in training doctors who want to become general practioners and one of the difficult areas is assessing their attitude and values. My experience is that just asking a question for values is not really working. Also there may be pressure upon people to provide the socially accepted values. Normally I work with scenarios: "You see in your surgery a 15 year old who is pregnant from bla, bla, bla, she does not want you do disclose anything. What are your thoughts / what do you do / on what is this based etc." If the focus group is a small and safe group the interaction could really help to disclose different value systems. I think the trick is to keep it small and start with non sensitive issues first.

Hi,

I agree with the above, yet I think that it is also vitally important to concentrate just on structure! Once you know the structure your writing will be a lot better. The difficulty being that you do not know at this stage what your structure is.

I use the following method: first just brain storm: write whatever you like, use broad ideas and put them randomly on paper.Also ask other people to provide other ideas. Then look at how these are interrelated or subparts of other ideas. Re-arrange, look again, add, re-arrange etc. until you really know how you can put them in different catagories. Once you have done this start writing the actual text.

Hi Phder,

in theory you could use a beta blocker, it has an effect on the heart, reducing blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate. When you are nervous the BP and pulse rate go up and especially the quick pounding rate of your heart makes you are aware that you are anxious / nervous. As mentioned a beta blocker can counter balance that. If you are going to use them then it may be best to try them out under similar conditions before the actual viva, as everyone reacts differently. The last thing you want is to feel unwell at the viva as a result of the beta blocker! So do a mock viva before the big day!

cc,

I would be interested to know when you started writing? I presume starting early is problably key. It is obviously a cliche yet if you write from the start of the research the thesis is more a compilation of already done work as opposed to a tremendous task at the end. Would you agree?

Well done!!

you have really achieved something! Take a good break and get yourself a reward!

Hi Chris,

did you eventually manage your 8000 words? If so this would be amazing, if not I think this is (very) understandable.