Well, the weekend was not productive. The plan for the week goes as: edits on my previous submissions, write up methodology chapter for transfer report, edits on preliminary findings, develop draft transfer report, entry of books/articles into endnote, read 2 books.

Hi there,

It's nice that Phdbug has started this thread...we really need it at this point. I am also in second year...recently completed my Pilot test and presented my analysis. Lot more work to do and as Phdbug said I too want to complete in 3 yrs...but as we all know there are several factors that affect us. Let's hope for the best!

Hi there,

I am also doing DA. Some of the books that I found useful to start with are:

1. Analysing Text and Speech: Content and Discourse Analysis by Fran Tonkiss in Researching Society and Culture, ed. Clive Seale.

2. Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis by Robin Wooffitt in Researching Social Life, ed.Nigel Glibert.

3. Chapter 12 by Alexa Hepburn and Jonathan Potter and Chapter 13 Critical Discourse Analysis of Ruth Wodak in Qualitative Research Practice, eds. Clive Seale et al.

4. Conversation Analysis:An approach to the study of Social Action as Sense Making Practices by Anita Pomerantz and B.J. Fehr in Discourse as Social Interaction, ed. Teun A. Van Dijk.

Hope it helps.
SS

Hi there,

It is tough to get funding in Humanities and Social Sciences and my experience in this field says that it is not impossible as well. I am doing PhD in Media/Communications with full funding...so there are brighter sides as well :)

SS

Hi there,

First of all congrats for the PhD offer. I was also in the same state like yours 2 years back. I had the same feeling. I got the offer for full time but changed to part time as I had no funding. Once I got the offer for part time, I still could not start as cost for the part time too was not that easy for me. Luckily, I got the full scholarship later. I only joined last year. So, changing full time to part time or part time to full time is possible and I know many who have switched from part time to full time or vice versa depending upon the circumstances.

So far I know, there is no difference in PhD value whether you do part time or full time...So far I know from others, part time PhD will take longer than 4 years. Even finishing full time in 3 yrs is not possible for all. My be you will be clear by other's posts later on. Good luck!
SS

WOW...congratulations to u. Great news!!!!!!

I am wondering whether I would be upgraded from MPhil to PhD even in 12 months!! I am worried now. I wish I get some nice comments for my submissions as well.

Hi all,

Just thought to drop some lines. Hope to get some replies which will boost my confidence.

I have been writing since the 1st month (started in Oct 08) and have written more than 20,000. My supervisors seem happy till last month but suddenly my last submission did not go well and I have been spending lots of time making corrections. So, must say working on my third draft this time...ohh god how time consuming it is going back to same stuff. I just wonder how all your writing goes. Sometimes I feel, I am very bad at writing. Sometimes I wonder whether it is normal to have lots of comments? Ohh...it is making me really worried.

I agree Sneaks...I am just wondering if anyone can suggest planning for so long - I mean a year or even a month! I cannot plan more than a week and mostly I get stick to daily plans...and hardly be strict on it as it gets changed by the end of the day. Would be great if anyone can suggest on diary or logs development...Today, I developed monthly progress of Oct to Feb and looking back to it, its nice and decided that I would develop for every month now or just update on my column format. But, wondering for any proper planning tool to keep myself in a track!! S

Hi all,

I just thought to check this thread again to get updated on how u all are doing.....no updates from long!

I was really happy when this thread was started by Phdbug....I think it will be good to know what's going on with the other co 1st yrs...To tell about me I am here with full of questions...just wondering when I should be developing chapter skeleton, methodology etc etc...As initially I thought of using mixed methods for analysis...now getting confused for planning my methodology...dunno which will I be adapting! Theories? Better than 4 months back but not conceptually clearer on exactly applying it to my own reasearch...uhh....full of confusions.

Until now, 2 submissions given to supervisor of 6k n 7k words....a bit relief...

Thanks Phdbug!

It's been really useful. I did the same for my second submission, mostly caught up with debates and gaps in the field. After reading what u said, feeling bit confident and positive for response from my supervisor...otherwise its been many nights I spent sleepless with tension.

I tried to find amanda=stressed discussion but could not figure out....will u make it clear what the thread title is?

Exactly Stressed....I agree with u.

In my case, rather than being critical I tend to flow with what the literature says...have not overcome with it yet.

I was just reading on the link about the literature review - what to do n what not to!

http://www.uq.edu.au/student-services/linkto/phdwriting/fr_phsta.html

Hope, will be useful to someone like me who is struggling with the ideas...
:-)

Thanks Jinio for such a prompt reply. I will bear in mind what u have said..

Hi all,

Ughhh...my supervisor said that I am not being critical enough in my first submission. l get confused what exactly 'critical' in terms of writing means? Have not heard for the second submission and worried whether I was critical enuff or not? Having hard time thinking...and writing..

Hi all,

I am in Sociology...started oct. 08. I have been writing and writing...already written 14 k and submitted but not sure if I am writing my thesis! My supervisor says that part it is going to be into my chapter.

As its been a while that I left academic line, struggling a bit with academic writing and of course look things critically. But, I think its good to write to be focussed...at least my ideas are together now..though its going to change...

I was very confident while started (with many yrs of experience in the field)...but slowly losing confidence....:-s

Hi,

The same problem here...

I started with 'sir' as in my country teachers are respectfully called as sir or maam. Later, I sometimes wrote using Prof. & surname. Now, I have two supervisors. One is a lady supervisor. To address both of them together, I really struggle as surnames r quite longer! Finally, dared to address both with names....really feeling odd. No idea how would they react? Have not heard so far....:-( I am just wondering whether my mail caused disappointment!!