I use EndNote. I'm a humanities student so very few of my journal papers are available in electronic form. I have a filing cabinet at home full of photocopies, and a bookcase full of books. Early on in my PhD I started entering details of these into EndNote, using the keywords field in EndNote to summarise where the article/book/chapter ties in, and then typing up my brief summary notes in the Notes field. I can then search over the keywords field for things about specific topics, or search across any field for even more of a blanket "find anything about X".

Now I'm at the very end of the writing up, going to submit in a few months, it's been a real boon. I'd written my literature survey based on the core essential literature, but so many other articles and books were relevant in shaping my approach. EndNote has remembered them all for me, together with enough detail to remind me of what I read oh so long ago.

Not at all. You've plenty of time to catch up.

And to put that into perspective: I've managed to write up on typically 5 hours total a week, as a part-time (supposed to be half-time - ha!) student. And those were the good months. I had many many months over the 6 years of my PhD where I couldn't write a thing, due to long-term illness.

Good luck!

I've had to return to my PhD and thesis writing many times, with very low motivation. I manage by drawing up lists of things to be done. With a large chapter I break it down into small bits, and draw up a list of those. Then I start with the most appealing (or least unappealing?) and take it from there. Start small. Don't think of the whole thing to be done. Admittedly I also find deadlines mighty motivating myself, with me usually scared into action!

Good luck!

Good luck.

It's long after acceptance, after the article has been typesetted, and the journal is on the point of being published.

This is too specialised for me to offer detailed advice, but I echo the question about what your supervisor's views are. My research uncovered different things from what I was expecting originally, and my supervisor helped me to turn things around to make the most of what I'd found. Could that be possible in your case?

1. For the personal challenge
2. Because I love my subject
3. I stumbled upon a research topic which really interests me
4. It would be a nice achievement at the end to have a PhD
5. I had to leave a full-time PhD 13 years ago after falling long-term seriously ill. I intend to finish my second part-time chance.

I'd also recommend the iPod touch which does the same thing, without the phoning. Though you can use Skype if you're in a wifi area. I use it quite a lot. Works well. I have bought quite a lot of the apps, but have my fill for now. And many of the good ones are free. I also find the iPod touch (or iPhone would be just as good) great as an eBook reader.

Actually I'd really like a mobile theme for the postgrad forum, so I could read it on Safari on my iPod touch. At the moment it is too small/wide, and the interface not so good. Pretty please? :)

When I took a medical break (AHRC-funded) I was asked to get a doctor's letter at the start, and a separate doctor's letter at the end saying I was fit to return. Might they be asking for the latter, and the first one doesn't matter now?

When I last had a peer-reviewed journal paper the impression I had at the proof stage was that changes should only be 100% essential, and minor. I wouldn't have been rephrasing sentences at that stage, and would have left them as they were. The reason is that by the time it's at proof there is very little time left at the editor's/typesetter's end for corrections.

You should normally be able to select the file/folder you want to compress, then select "Compress" from the "File" menu on the desktop. Easy peasy.

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I'd recommend keeping going as well, but you need to figure out how best to use your various supervisors. If Sup A isn't good at written feedback then rely more on Sups B and C for that for example. Equally if Sup A is good at keeping you on track then use them for that.

As for finishing ASAP, you're only a third of the way through. If I was you I'd aim for coming in under the 3 year mark if you could manage that. Make realistic goals for writing chapters, and allow plenty of time for your Sups (especially B and C, the good ones for this!) to read your written work, and then for you to rewrite it.

But you must take care not to burn yourself out. A PhD is a marathon, not a sprint, even if you're aiming to complete in 3 years. Don't push yourself so hard that you can't keep going at that pace.

Good luck!