Hi all,

I have started worrying now being in the last quarter of my full time second year. I have not been able to transcribe all the data collected. It will still take two more months at least having huge volume of audio data. From the past 1.5 months, doing the same and I am fade up with transcribing ! I am worried that it will give me less time for write up. Will the one year time be enough for analysis/write up to complete in 3 yrs? Really very very worried. Any tips would be highly appreciated.
Swetch

Am at the very early stage so can't comment on whether it is a suitable about of time but could you outsource the transcribing? I know someone who got some funding to pay someone to transcribe for her which meant it got done quicker and she coudl focus on the anlaysis. There are places in India which are pretty inexpensive.

Has your supervisor given you any indication as to how long they think it will take? Especially the analysis stage. And is there any groundwork you can do to make the analysis go faster/smoother?

I know someone who had a lot of interviews, diary data and questionaires to transcribe, break down and look at and they're ahead of me in terms of writing up, and on course to finish in 3 years. They were finished collecting/transcribing by the end of their second year. I don't use similar data so take what I say here with a hefty pinch of salt but I imagine once you've got the transcribing out the way then a year to analyses and write up is doable. A lot of that depends on how fast and intensive the analysis can be done though.

I'm at the same stage as you and am nowhere near write up yet, I still have more research to do and then analysis etc before the write up. I've spoken to my sup about it and he says not to even aim for 3 years, if its done in that time great, but the completion year is for writing up in - you'd aim to have the research/transcription/analysis done by the end of the 3rd year. In that case then yes, you have plenty of time - I'm desperately trying to get through as close to 3 years as possible though and can't really see how its going to happen :-( One year should, in theory, be enough to get the analysis and write up done if all goes smoothly and you get quick responses from your supervisor to drafts etc, but I'm beginning to give up and accept that its just not going to happen. Not sure how I'll cope financially once my scholarship ends and also the psychological effect of going over the 3 years, I'm already exhausted to the point of repeated illnesses which isn't good but if that's what its got to be then so be it :-(

I got masters students to do my trascribing for very little ££ :$ I only did it though, because I was very confident that I knew the data thoroughly.

I'm attempting to do my analysis and write up to get a first draft by october - yes oct 2010! - starting.......now.

Gooooo Sneaks :-) *grabs a cheerleading outfit and waves pom poms* If you can do it it will give me a whole load more confidence that its possible and I can emulate your feat :-)

Hi all,

Thanks so much for your response. It at least made me assured that not only me in this phase. Hopefully, we all will get through his phase soon! My supervisors are expecting me to complete in 3 yrs. But, I started to doubt now. More confused than ever....over loaded with data and not sure what I am doing.

Yeah, I have transcribed all focus group data on my own as it would have been nightmare for any other transcriber. Catching up group discussion has been difficult for me too who actually conducted this. But, I have one year of audio programs from radio interviews. Since it is in not in English, had a hard time finding a reliable transcriber all the way from my home country. Some have shown interest over my email and hopefully gonna finalize one today. I am sure it will make me work faster. I hope to start writing up at least from October.
Swetch

Hi there,
I have been worrying about the time recruitment, data collection and transcribing will take over the last year. I'm two months away from funding running out and still have a number of interviews to do and a huge backlog of transcribing with no research funds to pay for it. It is not ideal. Supervisors not particularly sympathetic as they're more quant (which has it's own issues!). My advice is just to keep plugging away at it. I have spent a lot of hours worrying and therefore, not doing anything productive. It is hard and at this stage it seems like finishing this monster is a long way off. I'm thinking of going part time for the 'writing up' year as not sure how else I can make ends meet with a job and not kill myself with the stress of getting it all done and submitted before September 2011!! Perhaps this final deadline is not so final after all. I'm beginning to think what difference will it make if I take an extra year to submit. It is my PhD after all and better to get it done if my own time. I'm hoping that I can still continue to chip away at it whilst working. I'm aiming to at least have transcribed all the interviews by December, started to analyse them a bit too but it is all a bit up in the air. I wish you luck. It's not easy.;-)

Thanks for your best wishes blackbyrd. I am bit relieved today after my supervision meeting y'day. It seems that I am going to transcribe just the quarter of the data I have as per my supervisor. Besides, I also found someone here to transcribe for me. The scenario has changed in the past two days. I understand what you are going through, yr idea of changing to PT is also a good one. Good luck for yr write up.

Today, I am bit sad after coming to know that one of my colleagues in the department was not granted PhD. After working on it for five yrs, such a sad end result. Hope none of the PhDers here will have to suffer with this.