Making a contemporary contribution using old data: Reflections on delayed doctorates

It is not unusual for doctoral research to take a long time to complete – not only because of the work involved but also because of delays caused by other factors. This can apply to any research, but it is something that can particularly afflict a doctorate. Noting how an intended empirically-based contribution to knowledge sits between a changing world and changing literature, this reflective piece identifies and explores the issues involved when the age of the data collected might cast doubt on the ability of the research to make a contemporary contribution to knowledge. The article concludes with advice for supervisors and their research students.