Doctoral Thesis Piloting Comes to an End, Tomorrow

The piloting I have been doing as part of my doctoral thesis is wrapping up tomorrow, when I am scheduled to interview one final person.

It was suggested that I pilot test my semi-structured interview questions, and while this is extra time when I should be looking for participants, I do see a great value in the process. Up until now, what I have wanted to ask to get to my research questions has made perfect sense to me, though that does not necessarily translate to working with others. The piloting has helped me to see some gaps in my questions, as well as some places where I can combine things to ask about them in a more targeted way.

Granted, I am engaging in semi-structured interviewing, and while my discussion (what I call the interview) with my participants develops and adjusts along the way, I really like having a bunch of questions, often asking about similar ways in slightly different ways to help trigger the discussion and clarify my research purpose, that have been “tested” with real people. In “testing” them, I mean that I am asking real people real questions about their experiences (as per my research design), and then having a discussion about the experience and how the discussion (interview) fits with my research questions. I am not planning such a debrief after the actual interviews, though this step has been valuable right now.

My supervisors have been very helpful and supportive of this process, and while this piloting is also another check-off I can make on my thesis process, I do know it is serving a valuable step as I am on the verge of data collection. What an exciting time so long in the preparation.

Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2011-07-20

  • Finally just caught up with my ironing. First time in a week and a half that there is nothing in the apt that needs ironing. #
  • @aeratcliffe Welcome to #BERA as well! #phdchat #
  • @scottwdavis @aspatriarca That reminds me of Laurel Richardson's work on Writing as a Method of Inquiry #phdchat #
  • @alexdenhaan Not sure I am following what you are asking. Can you describe it a bit more? #phdchat #
  • @aeratcliffe @dbaQ8 Agreed. Attending alone does not a community of practice make. #phdchat #
  • @ndcollier Agreed. #Scrivener is so powerful that its potential is much more than we may expect from a "writing" program like Word #phdchat #
  • @aeratcliffe Welcome to #AERA May your experience be more personal than mine for my first year! #phdchat #
  • @savasavasava How quaint. #
  • @ZabarsHouseware French Italian for a paper cone filter is my option. I buy and grind 4 pounds at a time. Fantastic coffee. #
  • @lindathestar @savasavasava Thanks! #
  • We just had a poster accepted for the Gerontological Society of America conference in November. #
  • Off to Zabar's to get the best coffee in #NYC #
  • Well, time to off to work. #
  • @DrEd101 @aeratcliffe Alas, once we lose the idealism, all is lost. #
  • @DrEd101 @aeratcliffe In theory, yes. In practice . . . I can only wish. #
  • @webnemesis Sounds like wonderful progress. Good for you!! #
  • @Toffeemen68 I really like your avatar. Among the more interesting ones I have seen. #
  • @ai1sa Goodness, where did the real Ailsa go!? #
  • @ScholarAtLarge @aeratcliffe As long as we anonymize them 😉 #phdchat #
  • @aeratcliffe @dbaQ8 Delicious to see the world as areas for further research, rather than problems to be solved, ehh? #phdchat #
  • @dbaQ8 @aeratcliffe However, I am here thinking about hash # uses on Twitter, such as #phdchat and not Twitter in general. #
  • @dbaQ8 @aeratcliffe I do not see #LinkedIn as a CoP as I understand its focus to be about jobs and networking = self-focused use #phdchat #
  • @cambgirl @kiwicito @aeratcliffe @NSRiazat @lizith Post away. #phdchat #
  • @cambgirl @kiwicito @aeratcliffe @NSRiazat The wiki http://bit.ly/oByy0Q was created by @lizith as a service to the #phdchat community. #
  • @DrEd101 @aeratcliffe Agreed. However, change is a shifty thing that is at times quite painful in its implementation #phdchat #
  • @kiwicito @aeratcliffe I rely on Twitter for the little bit of contact I have with the larger world, and #phdchat is my support connection. #
  • @andycoverdale Thanks for sharing that. I vaguely recalled hearing about it, though could not locate it. How did it go? #
  • @Zimbarama Change can be good. #
  • @kiwicito @aeratcliffe I know I would not be this far along if left to my own devices #phdchat #
  • @Zimbarama Did you change your avatar? #
  • @Zimbarama @RogerShave Welcome to #phdchat We look forward to hearing about your research. #
  • Just saw a commercial for DiGiorno Pizza and Cookies in the same box. Now I am not a health nut, but come on folks . . . #
  • @christiepooh No liquid lunch for you tomorrow! #
  • @kiwicito @aeratcliffe No oops; we are all busy people. This #phdchat sharing is what community and support are all about. #
  • @savasavasava Ouch. #
  • @kiwicito @aeratcliffe #phdchat has one; it is a wiki – http://bit.ly/lOsQrF #
  • @LeadKJWalters I suppose so; additionally, it allows for elements in the rest of life to proceed. #
  • I have just not been able to focus on my research this evening. I think I needed some down time. #
  • @aeratcliffe Great quote from 3 folks I admire (along with their work). #phdchat #
  • RT @chronicle: So long, Elsevier: Why libraries abandon megadeals with publishers in favor of individual journ… (cont) http://deck.ly/~A2GB2 #
  • @mark_carrigan Yes, that is an easy career move after all??? #
  • @LambdaLiterary Goodness, that seems somewhat harshly stated. #
  • RT @nprnews: As Leadership Changes, So Could Afghanistan Strategy http://n.pr/q3Yjru // What a surprise? Of course leadership changes things #
  • @savasavasava Tell me, were you ever able to figure out why the Queen of England is still on the Canadian currency? #
  • @MikeStorrings Most excellently stated. Alas, I will need some of that cheer I suppose. Mulled wine tastes good at any time of the year, eh? #
  • @savasavasava Welcome back to the land of freedom and safety. Goodness; almost had you on that one! #
  • @savasavasava Fly safely. Hey, are you Tweeting from the air? #
  • @savasavasava Flip side? #
  • What happened to TweetDeck for iP@d? It is nowhere to be found. #
  • @qui_oui Alas, those are the days before critical theory. #
  • @qui_oui Everyone "else," you mean! #
  • @MikeStorrings What mood do you have to be in to wear red? #
  • @MikeStorrings Blue. #
  • @aeratcliffe What factors do you think are involved with it? #phdchat #

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