Hi,

I am going to start my PhD now and the topic is already there. However now I am wondering how I really should start. The topic is, surely, new for me so I have to read into it. The problem with that is that I am so far not able to really figure out which information is important and which not! Any tips to sort and get through this tons of information? And how to organize the gained information to have it easier when starting writing? Any experience *help* *feeling really lost*.

Thx for any help.
/Sophie

ah, the problem that every PhD students faces! All PhD students are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of material in their field. This is one of the most difficult aspects, as looking into one resource leads you to another, which leads you to yet another, and so forth. If you're just starting out, I would say the best bet is to start with the seminal texts in your field. Look at the bibliographies of the major texts in your area and see which texts are most often referred to in your field(this is known as 'bibliometrics')That's the best way to begin. When you're getting that feeling of drowning in resources, remind yourself that you're not alone!

literature survey

Dear Soophie,

try and find whether there are books written related to your subject. Usually this is a helpful starting point regarding the crucial literature and authors.

Kind regards

Hey soophie! I started the PhD a few months ago. You will probably find, as I am at the moment, that you'll try out a few systems of collating/organising materials before you find the way that really suits you, so don't worry too much at this stage. Be vigilant with keeping a running bibliography (use Endnote, if possible), try to keep a journal of thoughts/ideas, things you've done each day (though this is a great theory, it's quite difficult to keep going!). You will end up going through material that actually turns out to be useless, but that's all part of the filtering process and locating your topic. You will probably find that the initial topic you go in with will change the more you read. This is perfectly normal--mine has already evolved four times so far! Have fun!

Thanks Eddi
A very helpful reply. I'm a mature student, literally at the start of my PhD. I just been accepted in the last few days for part-time research. I'm not sure what this is all about, but have identified a possible topic. The fact that it may change is reassuring.

philevans 114- Hey, no problem! I'm glad that info proved useful. I spoke with a senior academic because I was having some major concerns (very high self-expectation, fear of lack of direction) and he told me that PhD students just starting off often expect everything to 'click into place' too early on, and become disheartened when it doesn't. Most people I know have changed their track several (or innumerable) times before finding their true direction. What a comfort to hear!