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
Featured Posts
Latest Posts
How to Write a Qualitative PhD Research Proposal
Learn how to structure a qualitative PhD research proposal, including research questions, literature foundations and methodology.
Is a PhD worth it? 5 things to consider before starting a qualitative research PhD
Thinking about doing a PhD? Here are 5 essential things to consider before starting a qualitative research PhD - from motivation and time to finances and mental wellbeing.
How to narrow your qualitative PhD topic without getting stuck - a clear approach using the PIC strategy (people, issue / interest, context)
Narrowing your qualitative PhD topic isn’t about finding the “perfect” title. It’s about giving your thinking enough structure to move forward. This post shows you how to use PIC (People, Issue, Context) to develop a focused, workable topic without closing things down too early.
PhD by Publication vs PhD by Research: A guide for qualitative researchers
Trying to decide between a PhD by research and a PhD by publication? This guide helps qualitative researchers understand the differences and choose a path that supports deeper, more meaningful work.
How to Write a Qualitative PhD Research Proposal: Structure, strategy, and what reviewers look for
Writing a research proposal for a qualitative study? This guide walks you through a simple four-part structure (introduction, foundations, methodology, feasibility) and shows you how to make your research problem, approach, and contribution easier for reviewers to say yes to.
I’m guessing you’re here because you’ve chosen to do a qualitative study for your PhD but things have started to feel a bit… slippery. You like how qualitative approaches value people’s lived experiences and you’re researching something you genuinely care about so that’s why you felt drawn to it. However, recently you seem to have unlocked a whole new level of confusing and it’s all gone a bit Alice in Wonderland.