sooo im cooking up ideas for a phd and am due to make initial contact with a potential supervisor soon. but to make the time-scale, i needed to know how many ppts is an expected size for quantitative data and how many for qualitative data? its a 3 year course and i have no idea why it will take me three years to get this project done. any advice? suggestions?

The amount of data depends upon your project and I would say quality of data should be more important.

However, a PhD is no ordinary course you're setting out on. The fact you ask the above question suggests you've alot to learn about what is generally an intensive research project in whatever subject you choose.

My blog (link following) will offer you some general advice on PhDs in general.

yupp iv still got plenty to think about. ive yet to meet my supervisor who im suuure will bring the sorts of things into light that havent even crossed my mind before :/ i have days where im really confident about a phd and then days where i think its turn into tatters :s i prolly shudnt think either of those two feelings until iv actually fully researched what im about to do. cheers for the link!