I've just officially started the third year of my PhD, and I wondered if anyone on here is at the same stage, how you're feeling about what you've got left to do, etc. I'm feeling pretty daunted - the time doesn't half fly past! One thing I've already decided is that it's time to focus on the actual priorities and get rid of as much of the 'additional' stuff as I can - trying not to take on much in the way of conferences, attending extra stuff at uni and so on this year. It would be interesting hearing from anyone else who's at this stage and hearing what your plans are for getting to the end!

Hi Chickpea, I'm in my third year too :) Shall we make this a support thread?

I am doing nothing extra - no conferences, no teaching, nothing! Just focus, focus on finishing! However, I did submit a journal paper based on one chapter (not doing that again!), so I'm currently working on major and minor corrections for that.

I still have one study left to do, thankfully I already have ethics for the study and its pretty much designed, so its a matter of getting on with it (once the journal paper is out of the way!)

I have been writing as I have been going along, but I still have to write my literature review. So after my final study is finished and written up, I have 5 more chapters to write (intro, lit review, methodology, overall discussion and conclusion)!

Gosh I better get back to work! How much have you written so far? And where abouts are you with your studies/data collection?

Hey me too. :D I have to do some duties because of scholarship. I'm an invited speaker at a conference in Nov but other than that it's all about the write up.

I have My Methodology and conceptual framework though both need revision. I'm mid way through a first revision of my first analysis chapter. I have all my data in the bag and everything transcribed, analysis is ongoing. I'm planning on a first full draft by Jan. Then polish, polish, polish.

I have a plan to work from and hoping to stick to it. I'm looking at completing a chapter every 3 weeks in rough form for feedback then revise it.

I'ma qualitative study in Education. :D

Hi both! Yes, a support thread would be great :)

I'm still recruiting and collecting data - I am recruiting from a very specific group of people and it has been an on-going nightmare for more than a year now! I am pushing to get that completed for Christmas plus analysing a qualitative study I've already finished.

I'm hoping after Christmas just to focus on writing. I did write a big chunk of stuff during my first year, including the literature review, which will need to be updated towards the end. I'm just about to draw up a plan for the year too, wowzers, as I think I need to see it all on paper!

I am still doing a small amount of teaching this semester, but I'm teaching one of the methodologies I'm using, so it's not like I need to do a lot of prep for that. Apart from that, I'm going to practise saying 'no' a lot :)

3rd year here as well, in engineering field. How time flies.
I'm remaining with about 20% of experimental work which I hope to finish next month. I have to write two journal papers and I'll be attending a conference next year. Haven't done much in terms of thesis writing but hoping to start the ball rolling once all experimental data is at my disposal.

Sounds like a few of us have similar amounts and things still to do. I can't believe how the time has gone in - you start off thinking a few years to concentrate on one topic is a luxury (which it is), and then suddenly you're in third year and it's all needing finished!

Today I have re-wrote the introduction to my first results chapter. About 4 paragraphs!

Good job!

Good stuff wowzers!

I've had a participant cancel for tomorrow so I need to make the most of the day and not just think 'yay, free time' - think I'll get working on the plan for the rest of the year.

well done wowzer! I have a supervision coming up soon and I'm dreading the feedback on one of my chapters. Every time I hand in work, all I seem to get is a list of critical comments :( They are mainly constructive but it is so hard to take; I know we are in training, but I can't wait do a 'normal' job where I can shine and excel very easily ;)

I know what you mean - I've always been confident in my work outside of academia, and it takes a bit of adjusting to the feeling that you're never getting anything quite right and there is always more to do! I guess the thing is that if they're giving you constructive comments, then they are taking you and your writing seriously and are engaging with it. Good luck with the supervision :)

Thanks chickpea! :) I feel like my inner-confidence has been bruised (and I was and still am outside of academia highly confident). I wonder if that's normal for most PhD students or is it just me? I feel like we should receive a praise for every critical comment. I try to think of all the sentences they haven't commented on - those are the hidden positives!

Also, how often do you have supervisions now that you are in your 3rd year? More or less?

I would imagine all that critical feedback would affect most people's confidence!

I get more supervision now, but it's because my original supervisor left and the department decided to be extra-supportive by giving me more. I'm not complaining because I know so many people have issues with hardly seeing their supervisor at all! What about you?

I have also just begun my 3rd year- It has gone so fast!

Like Wowzers, my research is also a qualitative study in education.

I did vow not to take anything extra in my third year after my second year was crammed full of teaching. Yet, I have agreed to teach for the first semester and I am presenting at a conference in a few months time (and applying for another). Though, I am doing the conferences now as I had little time in my second year due to my teaching schedule.

Writing wise, I have five chapters drafted (as like others here, I wrote as I went along) but they still need revision. I have just begin writing up my findings, though it is going very slowly! I am currently applying major corrections to a journal article which is incredibly time consuming :/

I am aiming to have a full draft for next summer :)

Zutterfly, wow you seem to be on target with 5 chapters drafted already! Best of luck :-)