Welcome to my PhD blog
Worried you're doing your PhD all wrong and someone's about to find out? You're in the right place. 😂
In this blog, I cover all the stuff you might need help with. Like writing your literature review, doing your qualitative data analysis, developing your discussion chapter, and trying not to go completely bonkerpants in the process.
I'll help you work out HOW to do all those things everyone keeps telling you to do.
Expect practical PhD advice, based on the unspoken truth that nobody's PhD is nearly as neat as their finished thesis makes it look.
Have a nosey at the latest posts below, or browse by topic to find what you need.
Qualitative Methods | Literature Review | Methodology | Planning and Organisation | Writing Up | Supervision | PhD Mindset | Paradigms, Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks
How to connect theory and data in your PhD discussion chapter (without making it awkward)
If your PhD discussion chapter was a buffet, where theory and data were awkwardly eyeing each other from opposite corners of the room…
PhD researcher doing qualitative data analysis? You're the family tech support now. Sorry.
Qualitative data analysis during your PhD can feel a bit like trying to untangle the cables behind your TV. “Wait, what's this one for?”, “Where does this go?”, “It's not even connected to anything!”, "Should we just call Tom?" (every family has someone who knows how to mop up a techy mess, ours is Tom, he's the law-abiding equivalent of Harry de Souza from MobLand).
Conceptual framework, methodology and analysis: what’s the difference?
Conceptual framework, methodology and analysis. Ping-pong, back and forth you go, wondering what belongs where and if you’re just going to end up with three identical paragraphs that will give your examiner a black cat moment when they read your thesis (Matrix analogy, sorry-not-sorry).
Read someone else's PhD thesis and now feel awful about yours?
People told you it was a good idea to read other people’s published PhD theses, so you could see what doctoral research “looks like” when it’s written up. It sounded like a sensible idea at the time, didn’t it? Then you went and read a few PhD theses.
How do you know if your qualitative analysis is good enough? Quality criteria to judge analytical work
Maybe you’re questioning your analysis right now. “Is this good enough?”, “Are my themes strong enough?”. One of the most uncomfortable parts of qualitative analysis is that nobody can give you a neat, reassuring answer to your question: “Is this right?”
Your qualitative analysis “needs more depth”, but what does that mean?
Maybe you’re writing your qualitative findings chapter and getting feedback like: “Needs more depth.” One of the most frustrating parts of this stage of the PhD is that nobody ever really explains what those comments actually mean. You can end up staring at your work thinking, “I genuinely do not know what else I’m supposed to be seeing here.”
Struggling to connect theory and data? A simpler way to approach your discussion chapter
Maybe you’re sitting down to write your discussion chapter and thinking, “I can’t see how this whole thing fits together.” You literature review might feel like it belongs to a completely different thesis entirely…
Why your qualitative PhD feels so uncertain - and why that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong
If your qualitative PhD has started to feel uncertain - like your themes might be wrong, your data isn’t enough (or somehow too much), and you’re not sure whether any of it is actually rigorous enough, this post unpacks why that feeling shows up, and what it really means.
Research ethics in qualitative research: beyond the approval form
Research ethics in qualitative PhD research is more than paperwork. This guide explores anonymity, confidentiality, consent, and defensible ethical judgement for serious researchers.
How to structure your qualitative PhD discussion chapter themes
Perhaps writing the discussion chapter is turning out to be harder than you expected. You might be sitting in front of your computer right now, the document open in another window, and you’re thinking, “For goodness sake, someone just tell me what this thesis is actually trying to say!”…
Reflexive Thematic Analysis: A practical step-by-step guide for qualitative PhD researchers
Staring at transcripts and unsure how to turn them into themes? This step-by-step guide to Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis explains how to code, construct themes, and write up with clarity and confidence.
Struggling with IPA in your PhD? A practical guide to analysing and writing up Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Collected your IPA interviews and now unsure what to do next? This post explains how to analyse, interpret, and write up Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with clarity and confidence.
Is qualitative research less rigorous? Debunking the myth in your PhD
Ever wondered if your qualitative PhD is “rigorous enough”? Let’s unpack where that doubt comes from and what rigour actually looks like in qualitative research.
Struggling with qualitative research? 4 common problems and how to handle them
If your qualitative data feels messy, contradictory, or impossible to write up, you’re not alone. Here are four common struggles and what to do about them.
How to build strong themes in Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis
Staring at 200 codes and wondering how to turn them into actual themes? This guide breaks down how to move from messy coding to clear, defensible themes in Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis - without second-guessing yourself.
Semi-Structured Interviews: A beginner’s guide for qualitative PhD research
Clear, practical guide to semi-structured interviews for qualitative PhD research. Learn how to design your interview guide, avoid common mistakes, and build a coherent research method.
Method vs methodology in qualitative research - a simple guide for PhD students
What’s the difference between method and methodology in qualitative research? Learn how to explain your research design clearly in your PhD thesis.
How to code qualitative data using Braun & Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA)
Struggling with coding in Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis? Learn how to code qualitative data step-by-step with practical examples.
How to choose participant quotes in qualitative research - without overloading your findings chapter
Qualitative researchers often struggle to decide which participant quotes to include in their findings chapter. Learn how to select quotes that support your analysis without overwhelming your writing.
What goes in a qualitative PhD findings chapter? Should you refer back to the literature, or leave that for the discussion?
Not sure what belongs in your findings chapter, or whether to include literature? This blogpost helps qualitative PhD researchers structure their findings with clarity and confidence.