Hi Tudor_Queen - that really helped me! Thank you so much for your kind words!

I am 6 months into my PhD and feel as though I havent done much...

The literature review itself feels like a daunting task! Can you please give me some advice on how you approached it..? How many books did you reach each week? Do you hand write your notes or type it up straight away...? Do you read cover to cover or selective reading..? Do you keep a log...?

Please help.

@ Mattfabb – Many thanks for your email. When you were reading about your topic did you used to read books from cover to cover or did you used to do selective reading…? And if you don’t mind me asking how many books did you used to read each week…? I am a part time student and do selective reading from about 5 books but I have found it exhausting and quite challenging as I like to spend more time understanding what I am reading as opposed to just reading for the sake of it but at the same time I feel as though I am not doing enough….!! Any insight you can give me on how you approached your literature review would be very useful to me. Hope you can help. I’m finding it a daunting task!!!

@Tudor_Queen – I really enjoyed reading your detailed response. Thanks very much!

As a part time student, I started in April and so far I have completed the Group A Courses, the student registration form and also the ethical approval which I need to submit this month but reading wise I haven’t done that much which is why I am completely panicking! How many books do you read a week…? I feel as though I haven’t done much for my literature review so quite stressed out!

We don’t really have a 3 month literature report, I have my annual review in April 2017 though which I am also stressing over….

Any advice??

@infinitycat
Any advice?

@enmaki - Wow..!!!!! I'm really impressed! I work 8 hours a day so wouldn't be able to fit 6 hours of phd everyday, maximum is 3 hours hence why I work on the weekends. Do you have any tips.?

So you invest 30 hours a week, howe did you approach your literature review.? How many books did you read every week.?

Hi Infinitycat - Many thanks for your email. Were you also a part time student? How many hours did you do each week...? I do like your idea of taking off a week leave. I just feel I havent done enough in the first 6 months and it's really bugging me...

As a part time student, I would really like to know what you achieved within the first 6 months?

And as a full time student too please...?

I am 27, part time PhD Student and in a full time job. My hours are a little crazy. According to the code of practice I need to invest 12 hours a week as the base minimum into my PhD. So far I have been doing two hours each day religiously after work from 6pm – 8pm and do 8 hours on a Saturday and 8 hours on a Sunday which totals to 26 hours a week part time on my PhD.
I tend to work better in short bursts as I don’t lose momentum. I am panicking because I haven’t done much since June and I am already 6 months into the PhD..!! My annual review is in April 2017 and I am just panicking because I don’t think I have made much progress! I am exhausted, tired, have pretty much no social life and working my guts out. I worry constantly that I am not working hard enough. Any advice?
What did you guys complete in the first 6 months of your PhD?? Please help!