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 |
AI and PhD Research | Paid PhD Resources
Featured Posts
Latest Posts
My supervisor says the thread isn't visible in my literature review. How do I fix it?
What do you do when the ‘thread’ of your literature review needs work? If you’re wondering what on earth to do about it, let’s break it down.
Your supervisor: "I can't see the thread running through this."
You: “Okay….” (Internal narrative: What’s a thread? Is this linked to synthesis? Critical analysis? Will they think I’m stupid if I ask them these things? Mmm, I’ll look this all up later….).
What Does Degree Doctor Sell? A Guide to My PhD Resources
If you've found your way to Degree Doctor through my blog, YouTube channel or social media, you might be wondering what I actually DO here. Apart from talking about the various ways a PhD can drive an otherwise perfectly reasonable adult human being completely bonkerpants, that is. 😂 I also make things that people can buy. Because, well, I have bills to pay and a cat who expects a certain standard of living.
PhD Supervisor Leaving? What to do when your supervisor leaves
PhD supervisor leaving? “We’ll find you another one.”
Ah. Lovely. Like replacing a missing member of the Sugababes. 😂
Except changing your PhD supervisor isn't always quite that straightforward.
Why your supervisor never gives you a straight answer - and why that’s probably a good thing
Has your relationship with your supervisor kind of...shifted recently? Maybe you sent them a draft, made all the changes they suggested, then the next round of comments somehow steered you back towards your original version. Or perhaps they seem to contradict advice they gave you six months ago.
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.”
Why your PhD supervisor keeps changing their mind - and what it actually means in qualitative research
When your PhD supervisor keeps changing expectations, it can feel destabilising. When you’re a qualitative researcher, there’s something specific driving this that you need to know about.
Critical analysis in a qualitative PhD: how to develop doctoral-level critique across your thesis
Struggling with feedback that your PhD “needs to be more critical”? This guide explains what doctoral-level critical analysis actually means and how to apply it across your entire qualitative thesis.
How to work effectively with your PhD supervisor (especially in a qualitative doctorate)
Supervision can make or break your PhD experience. If feedback feels confusing or inconsistent, this post explains how to communicate more clearly, reduce frustration, and work more effectively with your supervisor.
Publishing during your PhD: how to turn your thesis into journal articles (without the panic)
Feeling pressured to publish before you have even finished your PhD? This guide shows you how to turn parts of your thesis into focused journal articles - without panic or overwork.
Choosing a PhD Supervisor: What really matters (especially for qualitative researchers)
Choosing a PhD supervisor can shape your entire doctorate. Here’s what really matters - especially if you’re conducting qualitative research and need methodological alignment as well as personal fit.
Navigating PhD supervision as a qualitative researcher
Endless revisions are common in qualitative PhDs. Learn why supervisors keep suggesting changes and how to manage the qualitative thesis revision process.
PhD Feedback Anxiety: How to send drafts to your supervisor without spiraling
Sending a draft chapter to your PhD supervisor can feel far more exposing than it should. This post explores why feedback anxiety runs so deep in a qualitative PhD - and how to loosen its grip.
PhD Supervision - How to deal with critical feedback that makes you want to cry
Do you want to cry when you receive a chapter draft covered in tracked changes and direct, cutting remarks? You’re not alone!
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.