PhD social science research paradigms made super simple
Research paradigms - they’re actually fairly straightforward. Here’s a useful way of thinking about them…
I haven’t finished my PhD yet, should I apply for a full-time academic job?
Should you apply for a full-time academic job when you’re still doing your PhD?
PhD Annual Review coming up? Here’s how to not be a hot mess express!
Is it that time of year again?! Here’s how to get through it without losing your mind and perhaps even enjoy it!
Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis for Beginners
What’s IPA all about, and should you consider it for your analysis?
Mixed methods research designs for beginners
Scratching your head about mixed methods? Not for much longer, keep reading…
PhD literature review structure, how to tidy it up!
Can’t bear to look at your literature review because it’s such a mess?! You’re in the right place, keep reading…
Method vs Methodology
Aren’t method and methodology exactly the same thing? Does it make a difference which one you use in your thesis?
How to find a research gap
Ahh, the elusive research gap! But, what is a research gap and how do you identify one?
PhD Motivation Crisis: Should you quit? Should you carry on?
PhD life can be tough, it often feels like you’re not making any progress, or even moving backwards. So, should you just quit?
Thematic analysis coding - how to code qualitative data using Braun & Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA)
Wondering if you’re coding “properly”? Keep reading, and learn more about the Braun and Clarke approach to coding in Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
PhD Planning for 2025 - ready to have your best PhD year yet?! YES, you are!
Ready to make 2025 your best PhD year yet?! Let’s go!
How to write an annotated bibliography - a beginner’s guide for new PhD students
Got to write an annotated bibliography? Clueless about what that is, or where to begin? Keep reading!
Writing a PhD research proposal
Writing a PhD research proposal, or trying to?! Let me give you a hand with that - here’s an outline that might be helpful…
How to use critical realism in your research - answering your FAQs!
Critical realism, is it the same as critical theory? That’s just one of the questions that often crop up around this paradigm. Keep reading for the answer…
How to reduce the wordcount when you’ve written too much!
Gone over the wordcount again?! Here’s how to cut it down without losing anything vital…
Qualitative Researcher’s Dilemma: Which quotes should I leave out?! Five ways to decide
Qualitative researchers often struggle in deciding which participant quotes to incude, and which to leave out of their findings chatpter. How do you choose?! Keep reading…
Positivism vs Post Positivism
What’s the difference between positivism and post positivism? How might a positivist and post positivist study on the same topic differ? Keep reading, because I break all that down in this blogpost.
“Do I really want to do a PhD?!”
Should you do a PhD? What factors do you need to think about before taking the plunge and applying? Keep reading!
Constructivist Grounded Theory - A simple introduction to Kathy Charmaz’s approach
Constructivist Grounded Theory - what’s it all about? How is Kathy Charmaz’s approach different from traditional Grounded Theory? Keep reading…