Hi Gidget,

I just logged on to PGforum to start a thread along the lines of "thesis topic - help!!" as i, like you, am trying to decide upon a topic to research and write a proposal around, but every time I think BINGO, I do a little google-ing only to find it's been done already :( I was quite relieved to find your post to be honest (I know that doesn't help you but it's nice to know I/we are not alone in our concerns).
My field is Women's Studies - coming from a postmodern angle and i want to research around Cyberculture as this is what I focused on within my MA. I too really, really want to do a PhD and I was advised to do so after my MA so it's something I am really passionate about. I thought I had got the subject decided upon and have started the proposal, did a little more literature searching this morning to find a bloody book that looks and sounds like it has come out of my own head :-s
The only thing I can say really is that although the subject may have been looked at previously, you may find that you are coming from a different angle/perspective or perhaps you could 'tweak' it a little? I know this is difficult, the book I found this morning looks as though it's written from the same perspective as mine would be - it's very disheartening isn't it? And i feel like I am driving myself a bit crazy - obsessing over finding this unique, undiscovered topic that doesn't seem to exist!

Are you able to speak to your MA tutors? I graduated a few years ago now and am trying to get in contact with one tutor specifically but can't seem to - which again, is frustrating and disheartening.

Something I find quite useful is to brainstorm (mind-map, whatever) my research interests onto a big sheet of paper and look at threads attached to each topic/area - or questions I would like answered. This helps to remind myself what my interests and passions are, and also helps me to re-focus on the subject after hours of going over it in my head and transgressing so far away from the original subject I lose myself in it!!!

Well I don't feel like I have been much help - but I *do know* how you feel ;) let me know how you get on;-)

very interesting! This goes very in-line with my research interests involving identity and on-line communities/creation of on-line identities. Hmmm?!! I love the idea that many of us will be (probably) making complete assumptions about each other's gender by what we write/how we respond to each other. There's a research topic right there ;)

Good poll Jinkim :)

excellent. nice reply Ginga ;)

bit harsh me thinks?!!

really, don't beat yourself up about it - I agree with comments below that you probably have the hang-over horrors still and therefore these things seem far worse. I totally understand why you are feeling like this, but it seems you are feeling bad because of the academic setting? Well, you were probably the most fun, honest person in the room - so you don't like opera, neither do I and I think it's best to be honest about these things!!! The alcohol probably hit you more because of the situation and anxiety - but remember, it did help you to speak to lots of strangers too!!
Hope you're feeling better soon

this may just be me, but I remember - when writing up my MA diss - being at my most productive whilst listening to drum&bass - I agree, I can't listen to anything with lyrics as I find it too off-putting, but somehow the beat/bass was very motivating! I have a VERY diverse taste in music, so it's not just that I am massive d&b anyway... but I do understand that d&b isn't to everyone's taste. Also, I found having a supply of boiled sweets or mints to suck on helped with my concentration - I always had a bag of murray mints on the go in my undergrad years too. strange.

great replies - thanks :) and it's so nice to hear from other WS (or similiar) students.
I focused my MA diss on alternative pornography, cyberspace and alter ego's - which I really enjoyed, got completely obsessed with and because of this got a great mark. Therefore, I think I should continue with the cyberspace/alter ego theme - I *think* I have decided on something (ha ha)... but am likely to change my mind in about an hour!!
Thanks again for your replies - keep in touch (up)

Hello,
I am still trying to decide on a topic for my PhD research. I really want to get a proposal done SOON :-s but think I am putting too much pressure on myself and over-thinking it.
Anyway, I did my Undergrad and MA in Women's Studies and just wondered if there were any fellow WS researchers involved in this forum :-)

yes, I didn't mean this by waste either - I totally agree with the above :)

ps, have you spoken to your current tutors about this? They should be more than willing to talk it through with you...

Hey,

I self-funded my part-time MA by working full-time and am now just putting a proposal together and funding app for my PhD. I think if it's something you know you're good at, and something you are passionate about then go for it - there are several funding options out there (I'm afraid your subject is not my subject so I can't give you any specific advice!)... but I totally empathise with the 'what a waste if I don't do this' thought :) Good luck

Hi,
I got 87% in my Women's Studies MA... whilst doing a full-time job at the same time. (I did the MA part time over 2 years). I would agree with all of the above - I would add that personally, I was so, so passionate about the subject I had chosen and felt this was a huge part of my success. I thought about it every minute of every day - not sure if that was healthy or not but it worked! I also managed to find a 'niche' that hadn't been looked at before, so that helped in getting me over the threshhold for original thought, along with some theory development.
Good Luck (up)

I did my MA part-time and worked full time along side it - it nearly killed me! (because I did put a lot of pressure on myself to get a good mark - it worked ;) ) and now I have a one-year-old... I don't think I could cope with a part-time PhD, work & child - which is why I, like you, am so reliant on funding! Good luck with the AHRC :)

whoops. I replied to Natassia about a million times, and I'm thinking of a PhD. Pah!

Thanks Button, this is really reassuring! I hope to continue along the same lines as my MA diss, so hopefully that shows a level of commitment! Congrats on getting funding, that must be such a relief - and means you can get on with your MA without worrying about the next stage (I hope?!).
I will certainly call on you if I need any advice - thanks for the offer.
Good luck with your MA :)

Thank you Natassia - that sounds like good advice. I am not currently at Uni but have been in touch with my supervisors from my MA. I am indeed in the social sciences field.
Your topic sounds great - I currently work in supported housing, in a Women's mental well-being project so I am aware of the IAPT teams and am eager to point our clients in their direction! It all sounds like a really positive idea so I hope it works out. Very new, fresh and extremely important so your research sounds like a fab idea. Good luck :)