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Hi all,

I started my full-time (scheduled for a 3 year finish) PhD in January 2010, and while my sups seem perfectly happy with my progress so far, I'm still not sure. Without any peers or colleagues doing a PhD it's hard to know myself how I'm actually  doing. My PhD is qualitative (grounded theory) using interviews and some observation. So far I have:

- Written 25-30k lit review, and large chunks of methodology 7k words (though realise may change).
-Obtained ethical approval (got that last week)
- Submitted my lit review as a commentary to a journal (submitted last week, it still say' s 'with editor' under the Elsevier tracking thingy)
-Downloaded trial version of NVIVO 8 to play around with.
-Conducted 2 'pilot' interviews and transcribed them, and done some coding, memoing etc
- Reflected on interview style
- Reading loads on GT, Quali, interviewing and my subject matter (was completely new to qualitative research, can now say epistemology without splattering people in the face with spit :-)

I expect to begin 'real' collecting data in october/november. Does it seem I'm on track? I really have no idea what others on similar projects get through towards the end of their first year.

Would be great to hear other 1st year-er's and the 3rd and 4th year war hardened veterans who laugh in the face of panicky first years like me ;-)

Wow, I'd say for 8 months in you're going great guns, you're in a different area to me but have done a fair bit more than I had I think by that stage - your lit review is HUGE! I didn't have any kind of methodology written up until around 10 months in from what I remember so you're going well :-) No worries there I wouldn't have thought ;-) And lol at the hardened veterans, we wouldn't laugh at you so much as look back and say awwwwww... remember when we still loved it :p I'm about to start my 3rd year and I wouldn't say so much hardened as neurotic, jumpy, vaguely depressed and demotivated mess lol lol lol. Keep up like that and you'll steam through it :-)

sounds like you're doing really well! I 'm in first year too, but did a qualitative project for my MSc dissertation, and found it quite slow-going. You've written loads which is great, and it'll also be really helpful for you to have done those pilot interviews and had a bash at analysing them. I think you've definately done a lot for the first 8 months! i've seen a few students do purely qualitative phds, and it can be quite slow progress, so i think to have that much written and to be collecting your data by october/november is really good.

well done!! i've finished my qualitative project and still can't manage to talk about or really know anything about epistemology!!!!

if you keep this up, you'll have nothing to worry about!

I echo what everyone else has said. You're making exceptionally good progress. Make sure you have some 'you time' and relax when you can. Well done!

Wow, thanks all for such enocouraging comments!

I'm aware of 'burn out' so have/will ease the foot off a little bit, and try and enjoy whats still left of the glorious british summer time (snowman)...

======= Date Modified 11 Aug 2010 07:14:37 =======
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxuHYVmWlmU&feature=related