Yesterday we were told that this was ‘Day One’ of our research. So, as I’ve got some lecturing to do over the next few weeks, I thought I’d get stuck in. But first went down to collect and then deliver my student council tax exemption form. Knowing I don’t have to pay this for three years gives me great pleasure.
On a PhD in the UK, research students are given up to three supervisors, who are people that give advice and mentoring throughout the research process. I’m lucky to have highly qualified supervisors. I’ve met two of them once already a week before my induction (and before I got this diary online). We all got on well and I’m hoping our relationship will blossom.
We’ve been told that in four months we will need to register our research proposal. Registration consists of developing a research question, a methodology and a plan of work. So how do I begin? Where do I start with my research? I spend the afternoon on the web searching for some statistics that indicated web use in the UK, hoping also that this would give a breakdown of generational differences. One of my supervisors suggested I look on the Oxford Internet Surveys site and low and behold a 75 page 2009 OxIS report into internet use.
The site is linked to the Oxford Internet Institute and while having a good look around I noticed a lecture on Using the Web to do Social Science in Oxford on Friday 23 October, so book myself on it.
Then found an interesting online video of Jonathan Zittrain author of The Future of the Internet which I’m currently reading.
