Hi Sneaks, I've used mixed methods in my research to develop a questionnaire. Although I have no connection to your specific research area, if you really need an objective outsider, I would be happy to read bits of it and tell you what I think. :-)

I'd apply for it if I were you. You never know what might be and they may really take to you. After all, you gotta be in it to win it!

It would seem that my dream as a researcher extraordinaire is on ice. I got told today that there really is nothing at my university for me, and little prospect of it. I'm not even getting responses to my half-arsed applications for any jobs I'm doing to keep my jobcentre happy. So, I've just applied for a job as a research officer/facilitator. It's sort of my area of research and the money isn't too bad. The problem is that it doesn't fit into any long term career strategy and I'm not sure that it'll look very good on my CV. I told my supervisor and she was a bit dismissive, saying that it won't really use my brain or help me keep my hand in academia. But, I can't try and keep my hand in academia, research and publish for free. She then argued that I should apply for some fellowship funding, but I can't do that until next year anyway. Therefore, I think that this is the only way forward. The job market really is horrible and I'll be lucky to have employment. Hopefully I can pick up some new skills, network and seek new opportunities. Who knows?

Hi Paulknit, I took over 3 years years to submit: 3.5 years (not had the viva yet though). Generally, so they say, it takes people 4 years to submit. It seems to me that you have a very complicated project and you've taken quite a few hard knocks along the way. You've probably already thought of this but could you not continue to write up the earlier chapters (up to the methodology) as you go along, so Intro, lit review, and methods? Good luck with everything.

There are several stances you can take, aside from pragmatism, such as multiple paradigms and the dialectical stance. I personally think that pragmatism goes best with mixed methods. As a pragmatist, you prefer action to philosophy and are concerned with choosing the most appropriate methods to answer your research questions, and you accept that reality can be multiple of singular. The proof is in the pudding with pragmatism, meaning that if you research has the desired effect and benefits then your methodological approach is justified - known as functional justification. The constructivist paradigm is inductive, positivism is deductive but pragmatism is adductive combining both the processes of induction and deduction - sorry if that all sounds a bit garbled.

I've got it, just PM me with a contact e-mail and I'll send it.

Thanks for the comments, everyone. It will give me longer to prepare, but it's just the waiting game that gets to me. Oh, and the Jobcentre - another month of ducking and diving before I can apply for the jobs that I really want. The one danger is, they'll make me apply for something and I'll end up getting it. I don't think any employer is going to be too understanding if I say, 'Can I have a day off to go for an exam?' Or, 'I've got an interview for a job that I really want. Please can I take some time off to attend the interview?'

Yeah, I can get a couple of them if you run into trouble.

Hi Cornflower, if you find you're really struggling and don't get help from the ALF, what about trying to apply for a loan from the Social Fund? It's for people who are in crisis, is interest free and you only have to pay it back at a bit at a time. You couldn't say you need it for fieldwork, but you could make up something like you need some new kitchen appliances like an oven and washing machine. If you think that's a bit too unethical, what about joining your local credit union and taking out a small loan with them? It's very low interest and a means for people on low incomes to save and/or borrow money with very reasonable terms.

My viva date has been moved back to towards the end of March due to unspecified circumstances on the part of the external examiner. This annoys me slightly because it doesn't help my finances or my sense of sanity. I suppose it gives me longer to prepare, but it really drags things out. Eurgh, and it's Valentine's Day as well, so all the newspapers are even worse than usual. From 'Valentine's Day Around the World' in the Guardian to 'How to Improve Your Stamina' in the Daily Mirror, I just want to be sick - bleurrghhh! The radio's going to be terrible entertainment tonight, I just know it. It's going to be people ringing in going, 'I love you my ickle sweet princess' and 'Shazza, love, will yer marry mi?!' I'm having a love - in with my thesis and we're playing a cute game of spot-the-typo.
Sorry, just needed to vent :$

Hi Florence, no you haven't failed. Like you, I can't work with checklists and targets because it makes me feel like rubbish when I miss them. Reading your post, I can gather that you are frustrated and feeling really down. Your thesis may be the cause of this, but I would really recommend that you access the support services at your university and/or see your GP. Let's look at what you've said and I'll tell you what I think.

"I think that I work really hard. I am writing up and I write seven days a week trying to hit my deadlines. I never do." - Actually you work too hard and it's of little wonder that you feel burnt out. I think your deadlines may be unrealistic.

"I've disappointed my parents and my supervisors so many times" - I sincerely doubt this. If they're aware of how much you push yourself, they could be nothing but proud.

"I can't face talking to my supervisor again. I can't do any better. I'm clearly just not cut out for this." - You're more than cut out for a PhD. The fact that you can work so long and so hard is clear evidence of this. If you're not capable, you wouldn't have been allowed to get this far and would have stumbled at the internal assessment stage.

"I've made some bad decisions along the way I guess and I can't go back now. I can't quit." - We've all thought this at some stage. I made some bad decisions along the way with my thesis, but I've learnt from them and they have helped me to grow as a researcher.

"Reading back through this message I can't see how to convey the extent to which I've failed. Really - imagine your worst nightmare about your own work. I'm running out of time and out of energy". - You really haven't failed. You're clearly under a lot of stress, you've been working too hard and I just think you need to take your foot off the accelerator a bit. You're really not being fair with yourself. I know that everybody says this, but it's true: never compare your research with that of others. Maybe they've finished earlier because they did less than you; maybe they haven't had to face as many challenges as you - the list could go on and on.

I think you need a bit of time just to relax and recharge your batteries. It often takes up to 4 years to submit a PhD anyway, so you're not really behind. Try and take a bit of time away from it, even if only a few days, come back to it with fresh eyes and then look you think is really hampering your progress. You could make a list of these problems and arrange a meeting with your supervisor to discuss them. You've doubtless done an awful lot of work, research is a messy business and it's not about being a genius (90 % perspiration and all that!). You more than deserve your PhD and you will get it.

I've just received my viva date: 21st February! I'm nervous as hell, and it quite strange. My God, I'd better stop reading books on vivas and actually start preparing. Time to play the Rocky training montage on Youtube and get to it!(up)

Thanks for these tips everyone, they're very helpful. I've spent much of today taking notes of what everyone has said and watching some excellent tips videos on Youtube. I'd recommend having a look on the site to anyone else that is thinking about or preparing for their viva. I'm now going to make some notes from the Tinkler and Jackson book and then start summarising the pages of my thesis. The one thing I am wary of is the need to build up my peripheral knowledge. :-)