Congratulations Dr Pineapple! I felt that you were going to be fine. Well done!!! I am so happy for you. It's the well deserved outcome for all your hard work.
I am on holiday, but I kept an eye on the web to congratulate with you on the brilliant result!
(gift):-)

Good Luck Pineapple! You are doing all the right things, and if it can be of any consolation, I am terrified too and I still have almost two months to go before my viva.
I think that it is better not to have supervisors around on the day. My sup has never been supportive and showed little interest along the way, so why would I want him around for the viva?
It is important that you keep calm and remember all the positive things that you have posted here. You have all the right cards, you only need to play them as best as you can on the day.;-)

Hi Dunni. I really feel for you. I have a date for my viva, but this has been arranged between my sup, the internal and external examiners. So, further to your thread I sent an e-mail to registry with the excuse that I am going on holiday and will be unable to read e-mails, but really with the intention to enquire on whether they had sent my thesis. It's a week now and I didn't receive any reply. I don't want to bother them, as it is exam time, but what happened to yours made me very concerned. I really don't know what to do - ask again or think "no news, good news?!"

I think that nowadays they rely so much on temporary staff that it's really good luck if things get done as they should. As in your case administration has already admitted that they don't know what happened to your thesis, they should offer some advice on how to proceed further and quickly, at the very least.

You can certainly ask if sending an e-copy to your internal/ external may be acceptable, but I doubt that would speed the arrangement for the viva. I would ask administration to get it reprinted at their own expenses, as they clearly didn't take the necessary care.
:-s

I think that you cannot really say anything until the viva has taken place. I saw people going through it and pass even though I would have not bet a penny on their thesis, and other failing or passing with major corrections because of bad supervision etc.

I also think that it is perfectly normal to feel as you/we do. I feel the same, although as I have a small child and some health problems at the moment, the focus is not entirely on the outcome of the viva.

My supervisor is very optimistic about my thesis, but as I don't trust him I expect major corrections anyway. I dreamt that faceless examiners shouted that my conclusion was inconclusive... So, as you can see we are in the same boat!

Well done Patseya! Very glad that everything went smoothly and that you are going to have your viva soon. I have mine at the end of July, so a bit more time to wait. Hope that you have a nice break in the meantime! (mince)

Hi Cornflower. This is something we all have to measure ourselves with. I do not share the completely negative outlook proposed by Sharkbait
though. Aside from politics and personal games, there are a lot of people who are doing their job well and who genuinely believe in what they do.

I have been lucky on this respect, because I had the chance to present at PG seminars in my department at the very beginning of my research, and as I was the only "expert" in my area, comments were only generic. Later, I presented at international conferences, with real experts in my field, and that was more frightening. But I have to say, that I never had bad experiences. It did happen once, that a member of the audience asked me a question that undermined my paper. This obliged me to do more research, and I developed an aspect of my thesis that I would have not thought of otherwise.

You occasionally meet people who want to sound "clever" and argue against your points just for the sake of it, but you can easily close these type of discussions with: "Thank you for this very interesting point of view. It is something I intend to look at in the future...". You are at the beginning of your PhD if I remember well, and you are not expected to have all the answers and all the solutions already in place.

Even established academics are subject to criticism, and I think that it is something that we should learn to perceive as enriching and not limiting. 

Hi Ailicec, you definitely need permission. You should check who is the copyright holder. If it is a published image it should be the publisher, but you may need permission also from the author. I would approach the publisher first and ask. I don't think that you can get anything reproduced without permission. Especially if it is a small publisher, they won't risk being sued for that. If it you are using the images for an academic journal, it shouldn't be too costly, and your department may fund this expense.

I agree with what it has been said by the others. I think that there are very few people out there, who can say that they had a smooth journey with their supervisors. I'd like to add that many other things come into play in that relationship, including politics and the department's own priorities. It may also be that your relationship was becoming too "personal" and he decided to mark the boundaries to avoid problems. We may argue over the method, but as someone else has already said, academics often lack people skills. I had a very difficult relationship with my supervisor, and it was very difficult to find an adjustment, but in the end I got to here, and I am now waiting for the viva. All I can say is that the PhD is a difficult process as Globe_trotter has remarked, and you need to find your own balance. Everything is going to be much easier if you have a supportive supervisor, but in spite of the hiccups and stand-backs, I found out that ultimately I managed to do pretty well by myself.
I know that it is tough, but you can make it if you are determined. Do not let this undermine your confidence.

This is great news Pineapple29! I am sure that having a date makes all the difference on your morale.
Just over three weeks to go! - I still have a couple of months before my viva, so I have plenty of time to get concerned.

Good luck, and keep us up-to-date!
(up)

At my Uni the word count includes Appendices and footnotes/ endnotes, but not the bibliography and tables. It can make a lot of difference, so I agree with bilbo, definitely check with your uni.

Hi Walmins... I hope that your internal is not deliberately trying to slow down your completion, but I know a few people, including my former sup, who would do that no problem, to suit their own agenda.

I would definitely speak to your supervisor if I were you, but I would also speak to a senior PGs officer at Registry and discuss the possible implications of this, and what are the alternatives.

If there are health issues she will be able to provide a medical certificate. I think that all the rest is fresh air. I really feel for you. Unfortunately we are at the mercy of people like this until graduation.

Also at my Uni you have to hand in an intention of submission form. That's no less than one month before your intended date of submission. After that the clock starts ticking...That also triggers the nomination of the examiners (here at least).

Dunni you have done fantastically well! Your family and children must be very proud of you! I know how difficult it is to balance things with 1 child, I can only admire you for submitting while caring for 3 kids. So this is the last hard step before glory.

I don't know if the system is the same in every Uni. Here your supervisors fill in all the paperwork for the nomination of examiners, and this is then approved by 2 PG officers. If the relevant paperwork was completed before your submission, there is more than a good chance that your date - at least a provisional one - has already been agreed. But it also depend on how much work your Registry office has at the moment etc.

I will do as you said. I will leave it aside for a few weeks and then will start to read it with fresher eyes (I cannot bear to look at it at the moment anyway!). 

Hi Dunni, is your sup in contact with your external? I knew my viva date before I submitted. Apparently my external is very organized and has already arranged for the hotel and return tickets! Still it will be a the end of July, so there is still a wee while to wait. Nonetheless, I agree that having a date set makes your life easier. I have a child too, and knowing that the viva is not going to be on the days when she is at home from nursery is already a big bonus.
I would definitely ask your supervisor, as Registry is usually the last to get back in touch with you.
Well done for being so organised! I am scared at the thought of going through the volume and find mountains of mistakes!

Thank you Ady and Dunni73! It is a nice feeling.
You are very, very close Ady, 2 months are nothing. You will be there in no time.

Dunni, you are even closer to becoming Dr Dunni! Both of you have been doing fantastically well, and your messages in this forum have been a huge help and support for me. So, thank you very much!

I should revise a couple of papers that should be published as part of edited books, and then I suppose it will be down to viva prep. 
But for now I think that I deserve something sweet and full of calories! (mince)