Doing a Masters degree or a PhD is tough, we don't always have all of the tools when we start to help us progress. I offer tuition based on my own experiences of writing a thesis, teaching writing skills to post-graduate students, and gained in a research career spanning twenty years.

Writing and referencing skills

I won the prestigious ESRC funding to do my PhD and have authored and co-authored chapters in books and articles. Despite this, I still find the writing process really difficult, and struggled with my thesis. I got through by making writing a central habit of my life. I have combined my own experiences of writing with those gained from studying under, and working with, many great  teachers, some of whom I have also taught alongside.

Another thing I struggled with was referencing – again, it was not necessarily the technical aspect of referencing that I found difficult, I just  lacked the habit of good referencing - I was lazy basically - I didn't take effective notes from sources, and I always left the referencing till the end. I ultimately paid for this laziness in time and energy. I designed this course so that you don't make the same mistake.

Thesis advice and guidance

I am also able to offer the benefit of twenty years of experience as a researcher in a range of fields and settings, and offer tuition and consultation on a range of research and methodological issues. I have studied and taught both qualitative and quantitative methods, and have used them in both academic and non-academic settings. This includes survey design, qualitative analysis, developing questions, survey management, data analysis including use of SPSS to a high standard, and, qualitative research skills, including interviewing and participant observation. I have worked as a social researcher in various fields, including pensions, ageng, ethnicity, law and criminology. I have worked in academia but also in the public and private sectors. During this time I have managed significant research projects that have had an impact on national policy, and have worked with academics, policy-makers and practitioners. I have also conducted a vast amount of fieldwork, including several hundred face-to-face and telephone interviews, over forty focus groups, and, over forty hours of participant observation.

I can provide guidance on:

• Writing and structuring essays, dissertations and theses
• Research methodologies
• Qualitative research design
• Qualitative interviewing skills
• Survey design
• Statistical analysis (using SPSS and R)
• Research ethics
• Research Impact