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Tricky situation
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Many thanks to you both for responding. I'm not giving up, and I'm in good form, but while I have faith in my ability (aside from the statistics issue) I've no real faith in my supervisor. There's no stats help available to me within the department apart from my supervisor. It would be great to have a stats department to approach but there isn't one. I can't go into detail on the forum but I can't approach my internal as I feel they'll tell my supervisor. I feel terrible for saying this but I don't rate my supervisor as a researcher and they designed the project. I'll get something sorted. Thanks for the kind words and support.

Tricky situation
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Some of the statistics I'm doing are beyond me. Time and again I've asked my supervisor for support (they designed the project), I get it but don't feel they're entirely sure about what they are doing. Some of the work has been picked up as wrong (after I've followed my supervisors advice) and when I've checked with my supervisor after revising things and got their OK it's still flawed.

There's no-one I can approach in my department. I'm reluctant to be associated with research I'm embarrassed by. Thankfully, I'll soon be able to break ties with my supervisor. I wish I'd dropped out just prior to submitting but obviously have to follow through on the corrections or else I'll fail.

Any advice?

ANOTHER...viva q (sorry!)
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As strange as this may sound, I think you're trying too hard to prepare. I'll admit my experience was different to most but my viva was such that I couldn't have prepared answers as they asked questions I didn't expect. Try not to over prepare as you're one person in this process and it is the examiners who will dictate the course of the viva. Know your thesis as well as you can, understand why you did the things you did and the decisions you made. Know the 4 or 5 things examiners look for (originality, contribution to knowledge etc etc bilbo often talked about these) and try to highlight these and try to.......relax.

ANOTHER...viva q (sorry!)
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It didn't register with me that I'd passed, I knew they'd told me but I don't think I reacted in any way. Sneaks, how long your answers are will be guided by the question. This should become apparent on the day. Try not to stress too much about the viva, simply because the stress isn't at all helpful but that's easy for me to say.

Tables
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Thanks Sneaks that's great. All the best with the rest of your revision.

Tables
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There was a post about this some time ago but I can't find it and so apologies in advance for the question.

What formatting, settings should be clicked to ensure the tables print out as examiners would expect? What is the expected format to meet the set requirements?

Another viva question
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Don't bring it up but make sure you are able to talk about it should they. For example, the differences, similarities, why you didn't include it etc.

Can I officially use 'Dr' title?
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If the corrections have been passed and you have a letter stating this, or something like this, then you can call yourself 'Dr' Congratulations.

Viva corrections
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You could be right. They seemed a lot more knowledgeable about the contents of my thesis compared to my supervisors (yes, I'm being serious) but all the questions in viva revolved around methods and results and no typos were highlighted and I had no rewriting, just some additional writing. Ian, I've sent you a PM and hope you can answer.

Can I accept more than one PhD offer (initially)?
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I can only go by what I was told to do a few years back and that was to accept the offers and wait to hear about funding and then make a decision ASAP and inform the institutions. It was a department that offered me a place but couldn't confirm whether they would fund or not who told me to do this. They were my first choice but as it happens they didn't award me funding and so were fine when I declined the place on knowing that (after first accepting the place).

Viva corrections
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Thanks Bilbo, you are very reassuring and talk great sense in times of stress. I won't Ian, as much as I'd like to. What she wants isn't a big deal (it doesn't make or break the thesis) I just think it doesn't need said again but appreciate she may not realise I've already made a similar point elsewhere in the thesis. I just think the thesis is now repetitious in places, which I hate. However, the bulk of her suggestions do improve the thesis.

Viva corrections
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======= Date Modified 22 Jan 2012 19:55:20 =======
Biblo, you're right of course. I'll see if I can approach her about it as she may not realise I've already done it.

Viva corrections
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It's just I've already done what has been suggested elsewhere is the thesis (before viva) and I'm being asked to do the same in a section that has no relevance.

Viva corrections
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If you don't agree with a correction but know it would not be well received to question it, can you put it in, let the examiner see it but remove it prior to binding? At what stage do you get the final letter saying the corrections have been approved? Before or after binding.

OK, seriously, tell me...
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Quote From screamingaddabs:

An easier option in academia is to become a lecturer or just a research fellow (though preferably on a permanent contract) and then not really aim to move any higher. Sure it'd be stressful to start with, but you'd soon get into the swing of doing enough to keep your job and having time off.


Research fellow on a permanent contract would do me just fine...