======= Date Modified 16 Sep 2008 14:49:22 =======

Hi Tricky, Thanks for your reply. I have a progress meeting coming up (probably why I'm beginning to panic) and I'm worried that they will be disappointed that I have no concrete primary research plans and don't really know much about the different methodologies. I've been looking at sample Transfer Reports and they seem so detailed in comparison to what I have. I think I've been spending too much time reviewing the literature when I should have been looking forward.

Hi H, thanks for the reply. Yes, I've written most of my Lit Review and just want to keep adding to it. My area is social sciences and I'm a bit scared to get out of my comfort zone really. I could just keep adding and adding to my Lit Review when I should probably be thinking about where to go now. I'm finding it a bit scary to actually get my own information instead of using other peoples. I'm also not 100% sure what stage I should be at because I'm getting conflicting information from people.

I'm now a month into my second year and I still don't really know where I'm going - is this normal? What stage should I be at?

I've written a thesis structure and I do have an idea (ish) of where I want to go, but I just don't know where, or how, to start going about it. I'm worried that I'm going to do something wrong and disappoint everyone.

What should I be doing at this stage? Should I be reading about different methodologies? How much should I need to know about these methodologies before progressing with my primary research?

I feel really disorganised and unmotivated, and I don't know how to get myself out of this slump - any ideas?

Thank you.

I'm really enjoying my PhD but I'm worried about post doc-ing or lecturing afterwards. My department is a mixed one but my subject matter is being pushed out in favour of other ones. There is now less and less demand for my subject and less classes to teach as a result of one over-zealous department leader. I am now worried than my PhD will be a waste of time, because what I really want to do in the future is teach and there doesn't seem to be any stability in my subject area, at my university.

Does anyone else have this problem, or have any advice/suggestions for my predicament.

I'm sorry, I don't want to go into too many details about my subject area because this is, essentially, a public and traceable forum.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Ok, you've all shamed me into buying a new book

I managed to get a hold of one cheaper than I though, yippee! So I'll hopefully receive it in the post in a few days and will replace it with the slightly water-logged one.

Thanks for the replies.

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm plodding away at my own pace but feel like I should have a firm grasp on my thesis, which I don't feel I have at the moment. I suppose that comes with time. Writing an overview of my thesis is a really good idea - I think I'll do that today.

Yes, my name really epitomizes how I'm feeling at the moment!

Thanks for the reply

Argh! A professor at my uni, not my supervisor, loaned me a book recently. I was planning to give it back to him this week but accidently spilled a glass of water over it yesterday. It is still in good condition but the bottom of it is obviously water-logged. However, the damage is superficial. Do I:

a. Buy a new one, even though it costs £40, which I can't really afford at the moment
b. Come clean, offer to buy a new one in the hope that he'll say no
c. Give it back and not say anything

I'm swaying towards b. - What do you all think?

Hello all,

I'm six months into my full-time PhD and I'm wondering what stage I should be at? It's a Humanities research project so mainly reading and writing at the moment. I've been trying to make a dent in my Literature Review but it's mainly a background/context.

What stage should I be at? How much should I have written? Should I be being critical at this stage? What stage are you/were you at, at this point?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated - I feel like I'm really not doing enough.

Thanks

Does a pile on my bedroom floor count?

Hahahaha, I was going to say the 10% discount at Top Shop and not having to pay council tax...

Boo hoo, the exact same thing has happened to me!

Too much time sitting on my bottom and FAR too many cops of tea and chocolate digestives. They should be banned.

I have started walking to uni though, not sure if I notice a difference yet...

I'm feeling the exact same way, but have started to get some things down on paper, so to speak.

I keep meaning to write a diary but never get round to it - does everyone else find this very helpful??

My ideas are just a jumble of notes at the moment.

Chocolate digestive with cups of tea
Cheese on Toast
Pizza
Bacon sandwiches
Banana on toast
Porridge


This seems to be my diet at the moment, oh dear.

Hahahaha, glad to see some fellow daytime telly watchers. My secret shame

Daytime telly and the internet are both work of the devil :D

I just seem to while away hours with both and achieving nothing.