One of my frequent collaborators has had some interesting - bordering on exasperating - experiences while she has been on a survey spree. She took the trouble to distil the essence of her acquired wisdom in order to provide insights into what to anticipate while gathering data for your thesis and pointers on how to manage exigencies. This should be extremely valuable to doctoral students, PhDs-in-the-making who are embarking on this venture.
While it helps to be structured and have a robust plan of action, you should be prepared to encounter uncertainty and bucket loads of frustration on a near daily basis. The key to not go insane, while watching your non-progressing Gantt Chart, is to be flexible and keep your eyes on the prize. Big picture. Perspective. Hold on tight to your copy of Murphy's laws.
Read her views at
http://mitushispeak.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/data-collection-woes-some-dos-donts/
While it helps to be structured and have a robust plan of action, you should be prepared to encounter uncertainty and bucket loads of frustration on a near daily basis. The key to not go insane, while watching your non-progressing Gantt Chart, is to be flexible and keep your eyes on the prize. Big picture. Perspective. Hold on tight to your copy of Murphy's laws.
Read her views at
http://mitushispeak.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/data-collection-woes-some-dos-donts/