Maydude,

I see it in a similar way as Goods. The whole research project is seems to be based on answering a very specific question and very explicitly documenting what you are doing. This inevitably gets boring, and is a matter of "getting the job done", not really pasion regarding the subject. Obviously it helps if you like your subject, yet even in an interesting area the same nittygritty will occur and you have to finish it.

Thank you all for your feedback, this is useful.

UFO will think it over!

Regards

I am working on a questionnaire and am already breaking my head how I could persuade (busy) people to fill it in! I fear it that it will end up in the bin. I wondered whether a "reward" may tempt them. Would this be unethical? Has anyone got experience regarding this? For example "You can win a bottle of champagne etc. if you return the filled in questionnaire?"

Hi H

good remark, makes me laugh

Hi cc,

sounds like there is a communication problem (supervisor trying to help? All of a sudden interested? You thinking that not good enough? Offended maybe as this would normally be your job to write the conclusion).
I think the only way out of it is actually to ask for clarification, best personally, if need be by telephone or E mail. E mail has the advantage that you can state explicitly what you want to know yet obviously the disadvantage that is not interactive.

Hi Shani,

thanks, see what you mean.

How is the writing going?

Have spoken to me supervisor. Constructive discussion and nice to see that he also has no easy answer. He thinks the trick is to have a good research question that fits well with the method (how surprising!) He may be right regarding the importance of wording: would clinicians use a guideline one cannot answer with a questionnaire. Do clinicians think that certain elements of a guideline are correct you can find out using it. Obviously the question then is "What is correct". I have to think this over!

Hi Chris,

just wondered whether you finished the paper which you were amending?

Regards

Hi Shani,

thanks for your thoughts regarding this subject. You are right that my idea was to use the questionnaire as an introduction into the subject and the to ask the general opinion regarding it.
Your ideas regarding the film and website are interesting and I will have to think about this. Indeed if the particapants could look at it individually they may do it, getting them all together for focus groups / film sessions is more difficult.

I have arranged an appointment with my supervisor today. His view is that the quesionnaire which I designed does cover the relevant areas but does not cover whether they actually will use it (they will know the subject, and they may say that they would use it, but cannot be sure that this will happen). I think he is claiming that the face validity is not great! I will discuss and see what other approaches there may be.

Thank you Aliby

Hi Chris,

see it as something positive that you found out now. Look at it as light at as the end of the tunnel, yet that will already be tomorrow!You can then reward yourself for having finished something, and something which you are proud of!

(by the way I heard on the radio that there is now a machine which makes that you feel refreshed after 3 hours sleep only)

Thank you Aliby,

thanks for sharing this. Your posting is helpful as it confirms that interviewing people is probably required, yet they may not enthousiastic about it. The attitude that you describe sounds familiar to me. I am not too keen on open interviews anyway and having a more structural approach seems a good idea.
Maybe as suggested by Shani a combination of methods is required.

So is your research still ongoing or have you finished it?

Hi sleepyhead,

maybe it helps to make a list with advantages and disadvantages regarding staying and going. This provides an overview and helps to structure your thoughts. Then listen to your heart and be honest with yourself regarding what you really want. Combine the two to decide.

In my opinion making a decision, even the "wrong" one if less stressful as not making any decision at all.

Hi Andy,

choose Amsterdam, this has the advantage that you can go for a bicycle ride, visit the "Nachwacht", eat "appeltaart" (cake)and enjoy some other liberties.

I am personally not really a party type of person, yet always enjoy going to Amsterdam especially the "grachten" area(canals), which gives the impression like being in a village, while the big city is just a few corners away.

Shani,

interesting subject

I see how the culture will have an effect on reproductive medicine. For example in relation to views regarding IVF treatment and termination of pregnancy.
Vice versa you are probably referring to the contraceptive pill and how this changed completely the life in the western world.

Seems quite a grand subject. How do you intent to tackle this? Interview obstetricians /gynaecologists in different cultures? Or even interview parents? Pill users? Women against using pill? Your research population could be endless.

Interesting,

do you mean different "schools" of reproductive medicine or reproductive medicine in different cultures/countries?