Is it possible for you to bring together a focus group or two of relevant people to explore some of those issues that have come out of your interviews in more detail? It's a relatively short time investment for a useful outcome. If you used some of your previous interviewees it would also constitute a means of checking back if you are in fact interpreting the findings appropriately - a brownie point for your methodology section.

I think it’s important to remind ourselves regularly what a privileged position we’re actually in. Let’s face it, doing a PhD is hardly a career move these days, but much more a labour of love. To have the luxury (especially when funded) to indulge our personal interests and spend 3 years exploring, experimenting, attending courses and conferences, having intellectually stimulating exchanges and experiences – not many people can claim that for their everyday job! And not to forget the flexibility and freedom to suit ourselves in terms of working hours, planning and progress (well, for most of us anyway…). And did I mention the odd bit of interesting travel we get to do? Yes, it’s a bit of a slog some days, and a pretty rough ride on others, but overall – come on people, how lucky are we!! 8-)

My external at the first year transfer review made quite a good point about this. She basically reminded me that the difference between a PhD and a general research project is that a PhD is a 'Doctor of Philosophy'. So it's not like in a generic research post where you mainly work on some sort of practical level, but in a PhD you are also actively engaging with the PHILOSOPHY of research. And so she said I need to make sure that I contribute not just some practical nugget of wisdom with my research, but that I make a clear link to the theory (be that theory in relation to my topic, the methodology I've used etc) and show some sort of extension to that. So I would think about your project not just in terms of the obvious 'facts' you have uncovered, but also how your findings and/or your particular approach are contributing to the bigger theoretical picture in this area.

Well, like has been said somewhere here before, 10 tomatoes doesn't sound an awful lot when you convert it to 5 hours of work time, but I tend to find I work in a much more focused way with tomato pressure :p than without it, so it probably equates to a good 6/7 hours worth of 'work' on days when I don't use it. Also (and what I find a little annoying about it) is that my amount of tomatoes doesn't always reflect the actual time I've worked, because sometimes I let the tomato run on (if you know what I mean) til a task is finished, and it still only counts it as 1 tomato, even though I've gone way beyond the 25mins. It would be nice to be able to manually manipulate it sometimes to get a better overview of the time I've actually done. I try to aim for 10 (easy done but hoping I'll do more), and then feel super proud about anything above 10. Bit of a little psychological game I play with myself ;-)

Cool, glad all that garbled stuff made sense 8-) So when you said that 'I' is frowned upon in your discipline you really meant that? Nobody uses it? Wow. Makes things a bit awkward right enough. Could you replace the 'I's with things like 'the author' or 'the researcher' then? Makes it passive again of sorts, but places the perspective firmly with the one person and not some anonymous public out there. Have you looked at some other theses in your discipline to see how others have handled this?

Hi Sneaks

I would understand your sup's comments to mean moving away from statements like 'it could be argued', 'as has been demonstrated...' or similar passive, generalising phrases to you giving your descriptions/critiques using more personal statements like 'I agree/disagree with XY et al. as regards...', 'In contrast, I would argue that...', 'I favour the latter approach on account of its ability to...' or 'In considering my options, I rejected X method on the basis of...'. I guess what your sup wants is 'YOU' and your own opinions much more easy to spot and understand, so they can see where your coming from in your work.

Think of it as a written viva conversation - you are essentially writing up your arguments and decisions as if you were having to explain them to the examiner opposite you. Or think of it as writing a diary entry where you explain your considerations and decisions on an issue to yourself. Or, if you've kept a field journal or research journal of some kind throughout your study... this is the tone of voice you'd want to adopt.

You may be short on time but it's probably just a matter of rewording some of your statements to come from a personal 'I' perspective rather than using a passive voice, and/or adding the odd statement or paragraph clarifying your personal opinion where appropriate.

Does any of this make sense??

Come on Runner, you can do it! Steady does it and all that. And yes, I'll be checking back for a report at the end of the day 8-)

Now off to stop procrastinating and do some work myself...

Being in my 2nd year of my PhD I did tons of concentrated reading until not long ago and I couldn't believe the amount of blatant plagiarism I came across when reading journal articles in the some topic areas. We're talking whole paragraphs, not just sentences. In multiple papers. I was really gobsmacked (and mildly annoyed). Like you I'm surprised that people get away with it to such an extent as well, and some of them are well established people in the field. The worst case I came across I actually got really angry when reading the article, as it was literally a collation of paragraphs lifted from other papers and books I'd already read and which I therefore recognised straight away. I felt almost offended by the cheek! I wondered how you would go about naming and shaming such a paper, but then it's clearly gone through a clearance process to get published, so if nobody cared at that stage then maybe this is just something that happens generally in academia, and it's just us students that they enforce plagiarism rules with! I'm not impressed though.

Rant over.

======= Date Modified 12 Aug 2011 11:00:15 =======
Hello, I’m looking for a bit of advice! I’m doing my social science PhD in the medical field. My sup, who is a clinician, wants me to publish a lit review in a clinical journal. He himself is not an expert in the particular topic of my PhD, but he does work in that general field. The area I’m researching is still pretty ‘untouched’, so getting something published on it would really establish that person as the current expert.

Now, he’s asked me to give him all my references and reading notes so he can write up a paper, as he feels that with my background I wouldn’t be able to write a clinical paper myself. This makes me feel a bit cheated, as I feel I’ve done all the hard work and he’s just helping himself to my stuff to get his name out there as the leading person researching this topic (although I’m sure I’d be acknowledged as a co-author of sorts).

My question is: am I just a bit paranoid? Is this an ok thing to do at this stage (seeing as I’ve never written a paper before)? Should I be grateful to be getting my name out there, even if it is just as a co-author? Or am I being used here? I’m not sure about the argument that I couldn’t write a clinical paper myself. I mean, I’ve done all the reading, I can surely write a lit review on this whether I’m a clinician or not and match it to a journal’s guidelines?

I’d be grateful to hear what you guys think as it’s really bugging me…

Congrats Dr KB!! This must be an awesome feeling!!

8-)(up)(gift)(turkey)(up)8-)(gift)(robin)

I'm back guys! Have been away from the world of tomatoes for a few days but I'm needing them to get me back on track today. Unfortunately I've got something on this afternoon which will take up much of the rest of the day, and I'm feeling a bit rotten to boot, but I'm setting myself a target of 8 tomatoes until then. So, you've heard it here first. 8 toms it is. Must achieve... Must achieve...

I'm going in folks! Wish me luck. (robin)

Calling it a day after 13 tomatoes! I'm loving this accountability thread. Never been this productive in ages!! Thanks guys :-x

Morning y'all

Back in from the gym, showered and breakfasted and rearing to go. Not. Ah well.

Aiming for 10 tomatoes today given the late start, but hoping for 12 if I find the energy from somewhere. Here goes...

Happy to report back that I managed 12 tomatoes today. Very pleased with myself, especially as all my work was related to epistemology and all this bamboozling theoretical stuff which tends to put me to sleep if I'm not careful :p

Right, I will be using this thread today to keep me focused and MAKE ME WORK. I had a shocker of a day yesterday, got sod all done, and am feeling really guilty about it to boot even though it wasn't all my fault. Well, maybe it was, but then we all get days were it just doesn't want to fall into place. Don't we? (please say yes :$)

So, today is a new day and I will work and work and work and work until I can work no more. Target is a minimum of 10 tomatoes, which I know isn't really that much but I've got something on in the middle of the day which will steal some of my time. And if my little brain can cope with a bit of late night working then I'll aim to get waaaaaaayyyyy beyond 10 tomatoes (we could really do with a little tomato emoticon...).

There. I've said it. Off I trot to do some work now. Wish me luck!! 8-)