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Photo by Matthew Henry<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Does the world really need another piece of qualitative\nresearch? (Answer \u2013 yes it does!) Do you really have something to say? (Answer\n\u2013 absolutely, you do, you total badass!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re struggling to carry on with your postgrad\nresearch, here are five tips from PGPR to help you get back into the swing of\nthings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Take a break <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Put your pen\/laptop\/tablet down and go outside. Look up at\nthe sky (as long as it\u2019s not raining of course). Read a good book, watch some\nreruns of Jane the Virgin. Gather your mates or your kids and go for a pizza.\nWhen you\u2019re in the thick of a PhD, it can feel all-encompassing, but a good\nfirst step to tackling any research problem is to get things back into\nperspective. Other things in life can bring you joy \u2013 take a week off and go\nhave some fun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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There is very little a pizza party with friends can’t solve!
Photo by Matthew Henry<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n- Try reading around the problem <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whatever issue it is that you\u2019re facing, you can bet your\nbottom dollar (whatever THAT is) that someone else has had the same problem.\nWhether it\u2019s a logistical issue or an analytical one, have a poke around on the\ninternet, do a Google Scholar search and see if you can read a bit about how\nothers in your situation have solved similar problems. Postgrad research can\nfeel pretty lonely, but there are many other people out there doing what you\u2019re\ndoing, and we can all help each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Academic Twitter is (in my experience anyway) a pretty darn supportive place, so it might be worth asking a question on there. Trying using the hashtag #AcademicTwitter or tagging @AcademicChatter<\/a> and hopefully, both answers and support will come along shortly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Break the problem down into steps and tackle\nthem one at a time <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Challenges can feel overwhelming if we try to solve them all\nat once. Try instead to break the problem down into small, manageable chunks.\nCan you face the first one? Great \u2013 do that, then have a bit of chocolate.\nLeave part two till tomorrow. Rinse and repeat until the problem is dealt with.\nBy the time you\u2019re into the swing of it, I bet you it won\u2019t feel as\nunsurmountable as it did to start off with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Indulging in a few choccy treats as a reward for doing a bit of work is a-ok in our book!
Photo by Michele Blackwell<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n- Make a list of the successes you\u2019ve had <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Another problem with \u2013 well \u2013 problems, is that when we have\none, we can make it mean something personal about us. I couldn\u2019t write a great\ndiscussion section the first time around, so I must be a failure and a terrible\nperson. Try to stop thinking like that, because trust me, you are not a\nfailure. Anyone who is doing postgrad work is a superstar and a brainiac to\nboot. This work is meant<\/em> to be difficult, so the fact that you\u2019re\noccasionally finding it difficult means that nothing has gone wrong. And it\ncertainly doesn\u2019t mean that you are anything other than amazing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re finding that hard to believe, try making a list of\nall the successes (big and small) you\u2019ve had since you started your research\ncareer. Include everything from acing that undergrad exam to being accepted\nonto your master\u2019s to recruiting your first four participants. You could also\ninclude cooking a lovely dinner for your family last night and mastering that\nimpossible-looking posture at yoga. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Once you’ve mastered your research, you can do anything!
Photo by Oksana Taran<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you managed all of those things, you can definitely\nmanage this one too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Book a PGPR VC <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re still feeling stuck with any element of your qualitative postgrad research project, a great solution could be to book a video consultation with PGPR<\/a>. In these VCs, we spent an hour looking over your work and notes before the session, and then another hour talking the problems through with you via Zoom or Teams or whatever platform you like. Discussing the issue with one of our friendly team of qualitative experts is a great way to brainstorm, gain confidence and beat whatever issue is stopping you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get in touch with us via the button below to book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Book a PGPR VC <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Make a list of the successes you\u2019ve had <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Break the problem down into steps and tackle\nthem one at a time <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Try reading around the problem <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n