I feel like I won't be able to make it.

[Adelaide9216]

I have to submit my thesis (final version) for April 15, 2019. Currently (October 2018) I have 9 interviews of 1 hour each + 1 focus group of three hours to transcribe. I can't hire someone to do it for me for a number of reasons I won't list here. I have to use grounded theory to analyze my data but have zero idea how to begin and what are the steps. I feel like I won't be able to make it for my deadline (it's a master's thesis).

[PokePsych]

Talk with your advisor.

Think about ways you can maybe work more efficiently.

[Meraki]

First: Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and repeat. It sounds like you just need a little direction. I'm sure everything will work itself out once you find your way and can dig in to your data.

There are a few different perspectives in grounded theory, such as Glaser & Strauss, Strauss & Corbin, Charmaz, etc. I'm not sure how much you know about GT -- are any of these researchers familiar to you? They are all sociologists. You should ask your advisor if they have a preference or recommendation for which perspective you should pursue, or speak with other students doing qualitative work to see what sources they have used. A quick Google search can also help clarify these different perspectives if the choice is left up to you. There are other GT approaches as well, but I think those three are the most commonly cited. I wouldn't stress about learning every single GT approach and trying to choose from a dozen options; see what comes up most in your area of interest or what faculty or students recommend, and then decide which of these options makes the most sense for your project.

Next, I would make a stop at your library and see if they have any books by these authors. Many books will have visual examples of the coding and memo processes which are extremely helpful; journal articles are great too, but they don't usually provide many, if any, visuals.

Once you feel comfortable, you can start practicing your coding. I recommend practicing on some other text, not your interviews. When I first coded, my codes were confusing and messy and you could see the quality changing over time. Find a short text (maybe two pages) and practice doing different order codes and themes. It would be great if you could find someone to look over this and provide some feedback, such as whether you're staying close enough to the data, if your themes make sense based on the codes, etc. If you can't get feedback, compare what you've done to the examples you've found in books or online and you'll have to make a judgment of whether you feel ready to apply your skills to your data. If you are pressed for time, pick a shorter piece, or start directly with your interviews. 

Organization is going to be the most important part of this process if you want efficiency. Think about how you will code (handwriting? on a computer?). How will you write memos (Post-its all over your wall? In a notebook?). How will you lay out your documents so you can keep moving back and forth between them (on your bedroom floor where you can leave them lie? In the office where you might have to keep putting them away after every session?). If you have a space at the office or home where you can lay everything out, put stickies on the wall, etc. and not have to clean up each time, that would be best. Otherwise, have a system in place so you can clean up and spread out quickly each time you dig in to your data.

These are just some ideas that have helped me. I strongly encourage you to speak with faculty and students who may have books to loan you, or know exactly where to point you based on your project. Transcribing will probably be the worst part if you have to do it all yourself. I find coding to be fun, challenging (in a good way), and even relaxing; you might be different, but just know it gets better with practice. 

[Adelaide9216]

Yes, these researchers are familiar to me since last week (I did research on grounded theory in the last couple of days).I asked to meet with my advisor, but she cancelled on me again (she's so busy). But I went to the library and took three books on grounded theory, it's from the authors you've mentioned. I'm still trying to figure out how to concretely analyze my data, like a step-by-step thing. I feel confused. Plus, I am going to have a workshop on how to use NVivo (I bought a license) which I don't know how to use yet. 

[Adelaide9216]

thanks to both of you for your answers btw.

[PokePsych]

Are there any other grad students you can rely on to some extent (i.e., other people in your labgroup)? Could people at the library be of help (sometimes they have support for analysis or certain programs, etc.)?

And if you just want to vent - just PM me - I've been there. Maybe still am, constantly feeling I'm not doing enough really!

[Adelaide9216]

Not really because in SW, at my uni, I am the only student doing a thesis option at the master's level on a cohort of 30-40 students. Everyone else graduated last year because they were doing a field option... but I am part of some groups outside of my department, I can definitely reach out.

Thanks!

[juilletmercredi]

Try working backwards to create a timeline for yourself. Let's just call it early November; you have 5.5 months to transcribe, analyze, and write. That's plenty of time but only if you're focused and do a little each day.

You can transcribe interviews yourself. It's a pain in the butt, but honestly, it's a good skill to practice/have and it helps you get really close to your interviews. You may want to consider buying a transcription foot pedal from Amazon (it allows you to stop the recording with your foot while your hands finish the thought; you make fewer errors that way).

Let's say that if you've never transcribed before, the interviews will each take you a full day's work - so 8-9 hours - to transcribe. Then that's 9 working days on the interviews. Let's add a little time for each hour of audio for the focus group - since you'll have to separate voices and such - so let's say that will take you 4-5 working days to transcribe.  We're at 14 working days, which let's say is about 3 work weeks, excluding the weekends. SO let's say it'll take you to the end of November to transcribe your interviews, particularly if you take time off for Thanksgiving.

Then the analysis. It's a little harder to estimate how long that'll take you, especially given that you're new - it depends on your data and your thesis topic. My opinion is that you don't have to practice on other data first; I don't think there's anything wrong with practicing on your interview data. Your first set of codes and themes is supposed to be messy - that's true whether you're a whiz at grounded theory or brand new. Most researchers take much longer to code the first 2-3 interviews and the codes are messy and sprawling, and then after they get into a rhythm, they revisit the first 2-3 interviews and recode/fix/whatever based on what they've learned. There's not really a set of hard-and-fast rules to it, and they're going to kind of evolve anyway depending on the data, so my choice wouldn't be to work on another set of data. But everyone learns differently.

Given that you have 4.5 months left after subtracting about a month for transcribing, I'd say try to compress the analysis to 2 months so you have 2.5 months to write and turn in your thesis. That's a very tight timeline, and it depends on how long your thesis has to be. But it's doable.

 

[Adelaide9216]

Thank you. My supervisor also thinks it's doable. I hope I'll be able to finish this for April 15. 

[Warelin]

32 minutes ago, Adelaide9216 said:

Thank you. My supervisor also thinks it's doable. I hope I'll be able to finish this for April 15. 

I think the important thing to remember is that your university wouldn't have accepted you if they didn't believe you could handle their workload. There are more people applying that are qualified to do the work, but they chose you. They believe in you. You should too!

[Adelaide9216]

I just learned that I need to submit my thesis in Early February instead of April 15.  (the initial version which is kinda of like the final version). FML. That leaves me 3 months to transcribe, analyze and write the last chapters of my thesis. 

[TwirlingBlades]

8 hours ago, Adelaide9216 said:

I just learned that I need to submit my thesis in Early February instead of April 15.  (the initial version which is kinda of like the final version). FML. That leaves me 3 months to transcribe, analyze and write the last chapters of my thesis. 

Why the change in deadline? Masters defenses are usually in April for a May graduation (unless I have your timeline wrong). Or is this a committee decision?

[Adelaide9216]

It's because of administrative deadlines and to allow time for the external examiner to correct the initial thesis. The final version has to be submitted April 15, but the initial one is six weeks before that  

[Adelaide9216]

It's an institutional decision, I got no power over it. 

[Adelaide9216]

 

Originally, I was planning on using phenomenology for my master's thesis as a qualitative method. Turns out that grounded theory appears to be more appropriate and more align with my research goals/questions. The thing is that I have realized that AFTER I recruited my participants for my study (n=11). I am near the end of data collection, I have two interviews left out of these 11 participants. I am not familiar with grounded theory but as I am reading on the topic, I am realizing that my sample is too small for a grounded theory study. I am reading that you need 20-30 participants. The thing is that I cannot recruit 20 participants because I need to finish my thesis in February. What should I do now? (I am meeting with my advisor to discuss this, but it's in two weeks and I feel anxious in the meantime which is why I'm asking here). 

[PokePsych]

12 hours ago, Adelaide9216 said:

 

Originally, I was planning on using phenomenology for my master's thesis as a qualitative method. Turns out that grounded theory appears to be more appropriate and more align with my research goals/questions. The thing is that I have realized that AFTER I recruited my participants for my study (n=11). I am near the end of data collection, I have two interviews left out of these 11 participants. I am not familiar with grounded theory but as I am reading on the topic, I am realizing that my sample is too small for a grounded theory study. I am reading that you need 20-30 participants. The thing is that I cannot recruit 20 participants because I need to finish my thesis in February. What should I do now? (I am meeting with my advisor to discuss this, but it's in two weeks and I feel anxious in the meantime which is why I'm asking here). 

Stick to what you got approved. No study is perfect. Learn from it and do it better next time. There's not been a single study that I've been involved with (which has been at least 10+ as an RA) where people did not have a 'hmm we should have done/included this' sorta feeling.

[TwirlingBlades]

On 11/1/2018 at 8:59 AM, Psygeek said:

Stick to what you got approved. No study is perfect. Learn from it and do it better next time. There's not been a single study that I've been involved with (which has been at least 10+ as an RA) where people did not have a 'hmm we should have done/included this' sorta feeling.

Agreed. I finished my masters in May, and while I am in a different field, these feelings are universal. My committee and I were happy with my final thesis, however I do have things I wish I had done differently, many of which stemmed from the short timeline. I also wish I had more participants, however I had a very respectable amount for the single competition season I was looking at (I am in exercise sciences/kinesiology). Talk to your advisor and remember to breathe!

[PokePsych]

I think I'd probably have ran totally different experiments if I could for my MSc thesis and pushed my advisor farrrrr more back on his ideas. But well.. I got a really high grade so whatever  I think it would have just taken a lot more time to 'debate' him, which I basically also didn't hvae haha