======= Date Modified 05 56 2009 16:56:46 =======
Hello. For my (slightly late) three month review I'm preparing a report to be circulated to the review panel of my tutor and two other faculty members. The report structure asks me to detail my "Projected deliverables at the end of first year" ...

I have no idea what I can project to deliver at the end of the first year... so how do I answer this question without looking clueless?

I'm studying a certain aspect of architectural education, so I'm definitely more humanities than sciences. I'm building an impressive array of secondary research, but at this stage I'm only just beginning to think about first steps....

Will you have a literature review ready? Even an approximate one? What about a plan for what you will be looking at in the second year? That could count as a deliverable too :)

Lit. Review - definitely. I think I have to have that for differentiation from Mphil to Phd after 9 months.

As for a plan for Y2, yes. I suppose they want to see that I'm planning ahead and marking key dates etc. I'm just reluctant to commit to anything on paper beyond what would realistically help me achieve the project, without yet knowing what that might be :D

======= Date Modified 05 Aug 2009 18:27:53 =======
I think you need to put something down to satisfy them, but you can include some words to express that it's all subject to change depending on what you discover in the research etc. Also in your plan I wouldn't worry so much about giving specific dates, but perhaps instead giving a list of (vague) things you'd like to look at / start to look at in the next year. That gives you lots of flexibility for when you do it, and whether you do different stuff, while still having something down in the form of a (albeit vague!) plan.

I needed to produce a timeline for the whole thing, so i used excel to produce it. along the top I put the months and down the side I put the headings of the chapters, and sub headings where I know them, for example one chapter has labour process as the main heading and in that chapter were sub sections, theories of main people in the area - historical and modern, class issues, union issues and so on. At the end of each chapter heading there were the headings for things like reading, first draft second draft, final draft . Once the framework was in place I worked backwards, starting from submission (Yay)  and final write up blocks and I then put in first draft, second draft etc. for each chapter. The final draft for each was rather a fetching shade of yellow and was at various places on the grid, the others were shades of grey - to reflect the angst maybe :$ . You could produce this, and perhaps one a bit more detailed for year one and attach it to your submission? My lot were impressed anyway. Needless to say I have not kept to it, but never mind, the thought was there!:-)

Your supervisors should be helping you with this - they should be letting you know what's expected of you in your first year. Having said that, the other posters are right - you would probably want to have your lit review done in your first year, and also have a plan for the rest of your PhD. You should also probably have a detailed proposal done by then too. The plan It doesn't need to be as detailed as Joyce's though. Work backwards from submitting - building in drafts, giving occasional conference papers, data collection in year 2. Impress them by knowing which conference you'd like to present at, and work towards that too.

======= Date Modified 06 Aug 2009 08:33:41 =======
======= Date Modified 06 Aug 2009 08:32:19 =======
By end of first year........

Be well into literature review. You should be writing summaries/critiques of each paper/book as you review them so you will have a volume of work to show them.
Have attended at least one conference/seminar with a view to presenting in later years. You will be able to write up a summary of the proceedings with advice notes for yourself when you come to present.
Definetly have a plan for next year. This shows you are looking ahead and are in control of your research program.
You will, of course, have the plan you set for your first year before you started. You can critique this and say where you fell down/did well. This shows you are capable of self-analysis.

So, easy deliverables:

* Collection of summaries/critiques of papers reviewed.
* Summary of the conference proceedings.
* Set of notes for when you come to present.
* Review of first year plan whith HONEST self analysis.
* Plan for next year (which will be so much better than the first year one due to the self-reflection).
Note: Especially important to include in your plan any special resources you will need i.e. equipment.

If you are worried about over committing then why not put down a reasonable target and also an ambitious (stretch) target.
You should not set down easy peasy targets as this will not give you anything to aim for.
Remember, you are going to be lacking motivation at some stage in your course and guilt is a very useful tool.
Take the time and trouble to come up with a good, useful, detailed plan.
Life will be so much easier and less stressful if you KNOW where the goalposts are.
It seems like one additional task you could do without but, believe me, a good plan will save the effort it took, ten times over.

Thank you everyone, your input is greatly appreciated. I've emailed off the document now; the review itself is a week on Monday.

I did indeed get the chance to discuss the report with my supervisors, however (as sod's law would dictate) one is now abroad for the summer and the other is on annual leave. However before she left she contributed to my first draft on Google Docs (forget Microsoft Word, my friends, this is the way to write documents!) so I was able to build on her recommendations.

I've realised that I've begun to treat this forum like I use my membership on another (Allotment gardening) forum, only showing up to ask for help when I need it. I promise to be a more conscientious contributor :)

Thanks again!

And thank you for Google docs info - looks very promising!