Hello all (especially experienced PhD-ers)
I'm coming into the 2nd year of mine and feeling a bit behind... especially as I have decided to change the direction of my project quite a bit... I'm in the early stages of this "changing" business, and I'm not highly familiar with the relevant theory (or with theory general, if I'm honest - I was more applied before but started getting a bit bored with that side of things - just personal preference). I've started reading of course... just feel a bit behind and looking for some encouragement! Anyone out there successfully played catch up at this stage?
Thanks
Tudor

Yes! I totally had to do this! Sorry to hear you're feeling a bit down but I've been through it and it sucked at the time but my project is much stronger now (just starting fourth year and on course to submit in a few months).

My first year was a waste of time in a way because my project completely changed over the summer between 1st and 2nd year but it wasn't 'wasted' really, because I needed to go through that experience and let my project develop organically.

I can't speak to how easy it will be for you to catch-up but if you believe in your project and have the tenacity, you can do it. It can get overwhelming and for me it was uncomfortable for a while but just remember that smooth sailing in the PhD is most likely the minority of experiences! It might help to think of it as an opportunity to prove yourself? It certainly helped me become more determined in general whereas in my first year I was a quivering ball of nerves.

Hope that helps, Tudor_Queen.

Thanks Nesrine87! So it can be done! Is yours a 4 year PhD, or was the first year a Masters? Unfortunately, I only have 2 years remaining. I may have to go part-time to try and buy more time for myself! I think there is a LOT of hard work ahead...! I am still not 100% on the direction the project is taking... or rather, I am sure of the direction but not of the detail... but it should soon be clear as I read more.

Yes, it is defo. an opportunity for me. Good point! You see, I have initiated this change BECAUSE I want more of a challenge (already wondering if I am mad, haha!)... I just hope I can rise to it now, lol!

Yep, I think I will conceptualise this as proving to myself that I can do it... I actually already feel more motivated/determined by the excitement (and slight fear) of coming out of my comfort zone :)

Thanks for sharing your encouraging, similar experience! Good luck with your final few months.

Hi TQ

If I had to offer one simple piece of advice it is this. Always aim to finish your thesis as early as possible, very early in fact, and set a very ambitious timetable of milestones. Because in reality dead-end/detour thesis questions, dead-end/detour data collection/analysis experiences are quite normal, as is fine-tuning the research objectives. Most PhD students tend to work backwards after collecting their data and conducting wider research to see what others have done in the past, and tweak their research question based on new discoveries they make in their second year.This question is dear to my heart, hence the reason why I created this slideshow based on the military sociology thesis question - a real life PhD (happy ending) case study that looks at exactly what you are going through right now. I think you will find it very useful. Hang in there. The fact that you are asking these questions is a good sign. Jay :-)

Cheers Jay - I'll check out your vid.

Hi Tudor, I won't describe myself as someone who has completely successfully caught up (since I'm at the end of my funded period with a good couple of months' work still to do!), but I have definitely had the experience of changing my project in second year - in my case it was necessary to alter my direction and focus due to recruitment nightmares. The advice I would give would be to write things as you go (not necessarily chapters, but maybe chunks of writing that can be re-purposed later on, or at least make really good records of your readings and thoughts). As Jay said, it's likely that you will still be tweaking research questions/readings etc in the light of your data collection, but start thinking early on about what your thesis might look like and start thinking in terms of it being a thesis.

Hi Chickpea, thanks for the advice. I will certainly try to apply it. It seems that this is all the sort of stuff that undergraduate and masters can't really prepare you for!

I know - when I think back to my Masters, using data that were already 'out there' and that I knew I could get - I had no idea at the time how cushy things were!

Hi, I'm sorry, I totally forgot that I posted on this thread :S

I did a Masters, and I'm just about to start the fourth year of my PhD. My masters and first year of PhD was about my original topic, which then changed at the end of my first year...but hopefully I'll use that research in some capacity some day! Like chickpea, I'm also done with my funded period. I would echo her advice about doing chunks of writing to keep you thinking about your topic. My uni has two upgrades so we're forced to keep writing throughout rather than leaving it all until the end and it's been stressful but ultimately beneficial.

OK, good. Are either of you doing the alternative format submission, i.e., 3-4 papers (published or unpublished) together with an introduction and discussion?

I'd say no, because I'm fairly sure I have no idea what that is. Sorry! My thesis is the bog-standard intro, chps 1-4, conclusion.

Ah OK, it is probably something that isn't common in all disciplines. Thanks for the advice anyway and good luck getting yours done :-)