Progress report

This blog has been very quiet again, which, this time at least, is a sure sign that I am working on the PhD itself and not reflecting too much on the process. I'm no longer reflecting on the process because I am now heavily immersed in the process. I have learned some things about myself as a researcher, the complexities of even a conceptually simple research project, and the value of literature... not new lessons overall, but new lessons at this scale. Theological education is not my area of undergraduate (or even post-graduate!) work, so it is a new learning curve.

The research question, methodology and overall structure of the thesis are firmly set now. I have ethics approval, I have identified my sample and the initial quantitative survey goes out in April. At the moment I am reading, reading, reading... I have drafted the complete methodology chapter (which looks reasonably full-bodied) and I'm now working on/revamping my literature review. Current reading (for the next four weeks, in fact) is on theological education. I have just finished reading and taking notes from Cannell's Theological education matters: Leadership education for the church, which confirms some of the reading I have already done for my proposal on the subject of theological education. Leastways, the same names and concepts keep popping up. This gives me confidence as I know I have tapped into a promising vein! I have a healthy diet of reading lined up consisting of twelve books and twenty journal articles (the latter yet to be prioritised - it could be more).

Phew. I am enjoying the journey, but the destination seems sweeter for now...