Thanks Zutterfly. I really didn't and don't think paradigm-wise, despite using one. (It's currently interpretivist but I'm not really thinking it makes sense. I've done some reading on pragmatic worldviews, but am unsure I can change this section in detail with 2 months to go). I just don't really understand how it really applies since I had to determine all of this about 2 years after collecting the data. My main concern is that there is no way to determine reliability or validity in either my qual or quan methods and I still have to explain how I did so, even though I didn't. That's my main concern right now.

My methodology chapter is a mess. I did mixed methods. but poorly. (I wrote a survey administered online to pupils and then did interviews with teachers in a second phase of research). There were no pilot studies or any other test retest type occurrences. I didn't follow a plan; I sort of just went off and did research and am now paying the price. I have no idea how to write up issues of reliability and validity as there I did neither in preparation for the research. I did no background work or checking, so how do I write this up academically? Can I? Am I doomed for the viva? I'm submitting in 2 months and am working around the clock trying to finish everything and feel like it's pretty hopeless right now. Any advice will be great!

The target demographic was parents. I was to use the website mumsnet to get mothers (and by extension) fathers (families) to tell me their stories in regards to my particular topic. I couldn't get anyone to respond with interest despite having people worldwide tweeting/Facebooking etc the link to anyone and everyone I could think of. I had wanted a targeted geographical area but after a few weeks we realised nothing was happening and I would have taken stories from ANYONE who wanted to share. Nada.

In hindsight I could have done it a different way and gone after parents in another manner, but it had taken 7 months to get this approved through ethics and I just didn't have the time/energy to go through all of that again, especially when I was doing data collection for another phase of research at the time.

I will take a look at parent recruitment and see how that works out for me, thank you!

They have requested that it go in there, as it was 7 months of trying to get it to work, otherwise I would have just ignored it completely. I understand the point, but trying to find anything in academic (that isn't clinical research) research that gives a foundation in how to explain failed research or research where there were a lack of responses seems to be nil (to me at least)!

I'm looking for resources for my methodology chapter. For a section of my research, I did not conduct it b/c I could get no one to participate. How do I write this up? I'm looking for examples or journal articles that I can reference to explain the how and the why besides the obvious, which is that no one was interested despite all of my attempts at recruitment.

Background: 3rd year PhD student in Scotland. I am a US citizen, and have a tier 4 visa to study here. I am funded on US loans.

I am approaching my 4th year- the write up year that I will need. However, in order to get to the 4th year, I need to get my loans. My supervisors are not willing to sign the paper that says I've made academic progress so I can get the loans- therefore no money and my fees will not be paid. They are willing to sign it saying I have not made significant progress with an explanation; I was unwell/depressed and am currently attempting to get assistance via disability services (something that NO ONE told me in the 4 years I have been here until 2 months ago). Idk if I will get my loans in this case.

I am currently expected to write up theory for my thesis during Christmas, the section I am struggling the most with and have received no assistance on, other than it is wrong.

I am unsure what to do, as I have spent 3 years working on this, only to be told last week; "I do not have a thesis." I did have some issues along the way; deaths in my family and the subsequent depression.

If they won't sign, I obviously will have to leave the country. This causes a lot of issues as I have a lease, bills, a flatmate, etc as I have been here for 4 years (I did a second Masters before the PhD).

I don't know what I am going to do as I don't have any family or friends that can take me in or pay for me to fly back to the US. I'm terrified I will be unemployable as I've been doing this PhD for 3 years and will have nothing to show for it.

Suggestions, ideas?