So the last couple of months have been all about continuing to refine down the actual research project. The theoretical framework seems to have clicked into place, then after I’d got some of the ‘how’ sorted I switched to looking a little more at the ‘what’. After all the reading to broaden out the research topic, it was time to hone it down again a little bit, as this was shaping up to be just about the most ambitious project in the known universe! Managed to limit down to a specific research theme or topic, so the next step has been to start thinking about the practicalities; methodology, recruitment, that kind of thing.

Now I reckon PhD students can broadly be divided into two categories. Those who just can’t wait to get out there and start thinking about the research itself, and loathe the thought of picking up another book and making yet more preliminary notes on some obscure theory, and those who love immersing themselves in the literature but are a little more hesitant about taking the plunge and thinking about how they’re going to actually DO their own research! I definitely fall into the latter category. I’ve pretty much been banned from reading anymore journal articles and making my ridiculously long draft literature reviews any longer. It’s time to face up and start thinking through how I am actually going to do the fieldwork. Who do I want to recruit? How will I recruit them? Am I going to use focus groups? Qualitative interviews? Both? Neither?! These are the questions that currently plague my every waking second. Well… perhaps not every waking second. Most. Some….

In other news, my ethics application was submitted initially at the end of February, it is easy to underestimate what a lengthy process this can be. After getting some feedback at the school level and making some amends in March, it has now been approved by the school and gone up to faculty level. Had a few more queries and now made those amends and sent it back, so fingers and toes and everything else crossed that it gets the final seal of approval now! Will be exciting to be one step closer to actually starting the research project.

Although that still seems like a fair old way away, the latest activity occupying the bulk of my time (bar avoiding thinking about the research practicalities and trying to resist going to the pub) is preparing for Annual Progression in May. This is the meeting I’ll be having with a panel of two members of staff (not my supervisors) so we can talk about my research, my progress, any obstacles or barriers etc. Then they’ll assess my progress, make a recommendation and hopefully agree that I can continue into the second year of my studies. So lots of documentation and evidence to pull together for that, hopefully it won’t be too terrifying!