Hi Button,

I used efax for a job application last year. Worked fine, however, do make sure you unsubscribe. I, rather foolishly, forgot about it and ended up with first 5 quid, then 10 qud out of my account every month. The procedure for unsubscribing was not immediately transparent and I had to root around for it. Maybe a good idea for you to do that before you sign up etc.

Can't help with the 10/11 digit problem sorry - maybe google for 11 digit electronic fax numbers... that's all I can offer you.

Best of luck x

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Hello Elissavet,

I don't feel I can give you actual advice because this is such a personal decision; however I can say that during my Masters and final year BA module choices, I had to take subjects which were not my first choice - in fact they had never even occured to me as topics. At the time I was very p'd off, but now I am very glad I took them. My research interest has gone in a slightly different direction, which is quite unique. I'm sure exposure to areas I knew nothing about and which seemed unrelated to my interests has helped me towards this. By breaking my path - which was a fashionable one at the time - I have been able to be more original in my thinking.

You may find people with the opposite story to mine. In fact I can think of a colleague who says that her PhD thesis was the conclusion to her Masters thesis, and that her Masters thesis concluded her final year undergrad dissertation. She was funded for both Masters and PhD - so sticking to the path has obviously worked for her.

This may seem a bit controversial but sometimes when I have a dilema like this I toss a coin for it. If I don't like the answer I get, then I know which way to go.

Best of luck.

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Yes Caitlin Falkener Square has been quite a professional, arty area for a while now. Although years ago it used to be the red light district. Where you a student in the city? Glad you had a good time here. X

It's quite odd that the 2011 riots didn't happen in the most deprived areas of Liverpool, rather, they took place at the scenes of the early 80s skirmishes in the South-central area. Things have changed a lot since then and now North Liverpool outskirts are the roughest end, not Toxteth (sorry any North end Scousers). It's where the gang activity is. In fact there was a fatal gang-land shooting on the night of the 2011 riots in the North, which got lost in the news because of the 'copy-cat' conflicts in the South. Makes me wonder.

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I knew you'd do it - standing on your head...

Well done, you are a star Dr. KB. 8-)(snowman)8-)(snowman)

sunglasses and snowmen, now that has to be super cool - just like you. XX

In Liverpool there hasn't been looting (that I know of), just rioting: a few hundred involved, gangs of men loitering and learing at police in a threatening manner, window smashing, setting fire to bins, the odd car, a van, a shop, the 'bombed out church' WWII memorial - not much to set fire to as you may guess from its title, and smashing the windows of a bar. It still scared me whitless though - I have stress knots in my back and a headache. Not sleeping properly. This situation relates to my research, so yesterday I felt as though my thesis were playing out on the news. Very bizzare.


Also, this rioting/looting business has pushed the Murdoch/Cameron/Blair/Police scandal to the back burner in a suspiciously effective manner. And it is somewhat perplexing that the police could pull the heavy on a bunch of protesting students after a couple of hours, but not on a load of violent looters for 4/5 days.

the Irish reporter on BBC news is having a break down.

the UK is having a break down

It's in my home town :(

I can't believe it's in CLAPHAM! MY GOD.

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No not in London, but praying it doesn't come to my beautiful city.

People have been saying this would happen for a while, I just didn't think this soon. Pressure.

Sounds like you need to get started on that voodoo doll KB x

Alice what a lovely sister you are, and how lucky you are to have each other.

I agree with the non-academic present, tickets for a musical after she's finished would be fabulous. I believe people can get a bit down then too, so it would cheer her up at a good time.

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Hi Little Penguin,

It's a shame you didn't feel you could leave your supervisor. I left mine for all the reasons you say you couldn't leave yours after a year of P/T study - I was putting too much time, money and effort into the PhD to have it badly supervised... where you funded, that would make leaving much more difficult?

Agan, I think any open blogging or website initiaive is way too easily open to abuse. There are already high incidences of shool pupils bullying teachers this way and ruining their careers, so unless that's you want for yourself in the future, I wouldn't go down that path.

There already are internal annonymous feedback services in departments. And they are acted upon by responsible and conscientious members of staff, but they're usually doing all right anyway.

I would urge anyone in this situation to find a better supervisor, withdraw funding from the department in question and tell the head of department why you've done it (giving plenty of detail about your sups failings) wherever possible. Not much looks worse than an academic with a record of PhD students bailing out because of rubbish supervision.

It is possible to find a good supervisor and there are clues, such as what is their attitude to their old students and how well have their graduates done? This is an area in which self funded students can really make a difference.

WOW that's wonderful. Well done and thanks for letting us know it does happen!

Congratulations

8-)

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Sneaks that's so funny. Earlier, when I posted this thread I had the following:

Conclusion:

first vague one word reference which I'd already discussed in the introduction and at several points in the chapter.

second (as above)

third (as above)

Also, my 'Conclusion:' was in bold. So possibly slightly in advance of yours...

Bilbo, that is really useful - to think of what is new and how it's relevant to the subject. Just reading someone else say that has got me thinking about possibilities.

I decided after posting this thread that the biggest step I could take to writing it would be to get off the internet and find somewhere condusive to writing. So I hit the park where I did some editing, then went to the park cafe for some fortifying coffe - and three short paragraphs flowed out of me in 25 minutes. Admitedly not a proportionally advantageous conclusion for a 16,000 word chapter, but at least it's something, and a start I am very proud of.

Thank you all. I feel I can build on all of the above, so lets hope our conclusions pan out well in future. When I told my sup how tough I find them he said I 'should work on it', so any more tips on this topic would be most appreciated.

Best, Eska XX

Conclusions are something I really struggle with.

I am about to write one - so if any of you have hints and tips in this area, it would be great to know what they are.

Or just mutual conclusion support would be fabulous too.


Thank you X