I have been working towards producing the first draft of the whole of my PhD thesis for a while now…i am now writing the final chapter, not easy at all as it includes the various implications of my research, in ‘bolder’ terms – it requires that i am quite specific in my writing style at this section. It is the ‘mature’ phase of the ongoing and time-consuming meaning making process.  I then need to put it all together and start serious editing (!). I saw my supervisor today and we set specific goals according specific time deadlines that i shall aim for – i shall remain focus and look after my well-being too, given that my paid-work commitments take a lot of time too.  He seemed quite pleased with my progress but we cannot predict much yet, till both supervisors have a whole draft of my thesis to read thoroughly and set a meeting for feedback. I am struggling with holding the tension between staying with the demands of the ‘here-and-now’ of the process and all the hard work that there is still to do and visualing the ending point of completion: i feel anxious, excited, motivated, scared and impatient – all feelings together!

Well…long time again since i have posted a note in the blog…life has taken over and in terms of writing, the attention is on producing the Phd Thesis…this new year’s resolution: i dedicate myself in completing the Phd by this summer 2010…and then work on the new phase of my life, with new energy and new wave of creativity, where work-life balance is a priority…am looking forward to completion and having free-er time available!

I have managed to complete another chapter of my thesis (literature) within the deadline set between myself and my supervisor.  I just came back from supervision, where we discussed the draft of my chapter. I was pleased to hear his view about the quality of my writing; we went through the chapter together and discussed some critical points about the choices i have made. He has some useful suggestions that would improve this chapter, such as do some cleared signposting of the subheadings and include a summary at the end.

I have now completed drafts of all chapters of the thesis, apart from the Introduction and the Conclusion. The next target is to attempt to write those 2 chapters by around end of February time, in which case i will have a full draft of the thesis. The plan after that will be that both my supervisors read the full draft and suggest what is required so that the thesis comes together. If all goes well, i will be able to submit in late spring or early summer. The submission date is still unpredictable, until we have a full draft of the thesis. I am feeling very tired at the moment and i also have the commitments of my P/T teaching job but i am making all effort required to keep focused, healthy and complete the tasks. I also hold a lot of questions and uncertainty around my future, post phd…but it is best to focus on the here-and-now as it is quite demanding! This is my helpful mantra for now: STAY IN THE HERE-AND-NOW!

I just want to make a not on how useful it is to have certain peers available to read sections on the thesis and offer feedback. In Creswell (2007) peer review or debriefing is presented as a strategy for validation of one’s research.  In Lincoln and Cuba (1985) the role of the peer debriefer is seen as ‘devil’s advocate’  in an attempt to keep the researcher honest and ask the challenging questions that would “provide the researcher with the opportunity for catharsis by sympathetically listening to the researcher’s feelings” (Creswell, 2007: 208).  I am thankful to the peers that read my writins and offer such a creative, validation-checking process and further opportunities for sharpening my reflexivity.

Creswell, J.W. (2007 -2nd) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. London: Sage.

Lincoln, Y.S. & Guba, E.G. (1985) Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

It has been a while that i havent written in this blog. I am so absorbed into thesis writing during those last months of the PhD that anything else that involves producing text has been left behind…a have managed to produce a lengthy draft of the Discussion Chapter which is the ‘juice’ of the research, it has not been easy journey but am glad that i have done it. I am aware that many changes will take place, a lot of editing etc. I am lucky to have some people offering to read bits of my writing and offer feedback. Some even get so stimulated by my subject that ask to meet me and discuss their ideas etc. A university lecturer in counselling at a University in a city near by even asked my permission to use my writings (when complete) for training and supervision purposes. These are really nice reactions from those colleagues, they make me feel that my work is making a contribution and am full of ideas of what i want to do with it all when Phd gets complete…but, have to get it done first!! so…am now starting a new chapter tomorrow…it may be a while till i post something in this space…but, it will all gradually come together