Panic. Panic. Panic. Panic....Panic!

I am due to give a conference paper in the next couple of weeks but, since sitting down to write it almost 3 weeks ago, I have realised that I have nothing to say. My PhD programme is collaborative which means I have just spent 6 months within an organisation searching through their archives to find empirical evidence...however, the six months were a nightmare. No empirical evidence, no solid resources for me to use and frankly being used as an office assistant.

That complaint aside it has left me in the somewhat tricky position of having to write what my supervisor calls a 'reflective paper'. Now I have always been told that history papers need to be supported by evidence. Well given the nightmare of the last few months my 'evidence' is at this stage observational at best. So I am left to make sweeping statements about Jewish identity which will get torn apart by the world and his dog for being based on nothing!! I assumed I would have more to go on than simply my ideas...some empirical material for starters! Now there is no time to get that before I have to give this paper.

Has anyone got any pearls of wisdom or have had to give a reflective paper themselves?! I was scared enough about giving this paper but now I am just moving from moments of despair, to panic and finally to tears. Any advice would be so appreciated!!!

Kx

My immediate response was could you not make it a reflective paper on the process itself - so not necessarily on the results of your past 6 months but what it has taught you, how you might have circumvented the issues you had, but then only with the benefit of hindsight. State that you are aware of the trap of making sweeping statements etc and yet the past six months have been frustrating. I imagine you will have to be careful not to bad-mouth anybody but yet do feel that you should be able to make a paper out of lessons learned etc. Don't forget to say every so often "on reflection..."

good luck with it(up)

Could you get any mileage out of the fact that there was no evidence in their archives - eg does this allow you to critique the existing literature for its assumptions or if it's the case that there should have been evidence there does that tell you anything about attitudes in the organisation?

Thanks guys - I hadn't thought about looking at it from that point of view. I think the fact that their 'archive' consisted of a leaking basement with piles of rubbish (literally) could tell me a lot about the organisation but as you say will have to tread a fine line to ensure no bad mouthing!!

Had a miniature breakthrough last night...maybe someones you have to reach the depths of despair before coming out the other side!

Thanks again for the wise words :-)