Overview of Hugh on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of Hugh

Signup date: 12 Mar 2010 at 9:38am

Last login: 24 May 2017 at 8:31pm

Post count: 1264

Recent Posts

Final year support thread

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Goal2016:
Thanks Hugh.
Working on the paper this weekend, hoping to at least get the results and discussion sections done, as the discussion section will allow me to prove that I'm capable.
Did you manage to get your corrections done and start the next chapter?

That sounds good! I got distracted from next chapter and instead decided to re-write a previous chapter and prepare it for publication. I'm hoping to get some work done on it today too. Wishing you the best of luck with it :)

I'm torn between trying to publish now or finishing the thesis and then publishing. I just feel I'd be much more confident going into the viva with existing publications. But I know its going to take time and energy to do!

Do any of you have just one supervisor?

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Zutterfly, thanks. He says he will have time so I'm hoping it'll be OK.

Do any of you have just one supervisor?

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

I'm just wondering if any of you have one supervisor only?

I'm in the final year. My second supervisor is taking unexpected leave at the moment (she doesn't know how long), and I'm wondering whether I should insist on getting another supervisor on board in the meanwhile?

Is it too risky to go along with just one supervisor?

Final year support thread

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Goal2016:
Hi all,
I am also in my last year (aiming to submit around December). However, I have my annual review in a couple of weeks, and am genuinely concerned that I will be thrown out of the university. So, until then I am working on a paper (the main results of my theses), it's all I can do at this stage. If it's not enough for them, maybe it's time to quit.

Hi, sending lots of good wishes to your side. I hope you'll be OK.

How's everyone doing? I'm working on chapter corrections this week, and hoping to get the next chapter started by the end of the week. I hope everyone had a productive day!

Qualitative or Quantitative or MIXED?????

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

It sounds like a mixed methods case study, though there is no need to do this:

"i plan to convert the qualitative data from interviews and class observations into quantitative data by assigning scores to the categories."

you can synthesis/interpret qualitative and quantiative data together without having to convert it to one type. Mixed methods allows this.

Who is really enjoying their PhD.

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

I feel scared to admit the enjoyment out loud!

Relieved but still terrified: minor revisions

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Everything what gwen said, and congratulations, you are almost there!

Final year support thread

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

NBurger, that sounds like a horrible experience. I hope your viva goes fantastically well!

Final year support thread

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Zeejet:
I'm also a final year (or final semester at the time of this post) PhD student in chemistry. I know I can finish my thesis and defend on time, but my greatest fear is not being able to publish my last chapter (I only have two papers from grad school) and leaving with a publication record that is not competitive in the job market. I'm also light on awards and breadth of technical skills. I guess things could be worse, but right now I'm struggling to maintain focus when depression sets in everytime I try to work.

You have two papers published already! I would be happily celebrating :)

Is this possible?

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Hi, would it be possible for you to pay someone to transcribe your fieldwork? And then you can then get on with the analysis. You do have a lot to do, but if you worked full time on it, I think it's do able. It would be a shame to give up when you are so close to the end. Best of luck :)

Final year support thread

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From chickpea:
Sounds like quite a schedule, Fled!

How are folk doing this week? I keep finding myself crossing things off in my head these days and saying, 'Well, I'll never have to do that again....', which is possibly a sign that I'm destined for a life of non-academic pursuits! (although I have had the same narrative running through all my studies and have always gone back for more eventually!)

I can relate to that :) I do love academia but there are some things that annoy me too.

I've had a really slow and unproductive week sadly. I've noticed when I am writing I am more focused; reading on its own makes me procrastinate. So I think I need to do both at one time.

I hope you had a more productive week than mine?

A question about viability

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Aldermere:
Hello.

I have an idea for a PhD topic, which is to see if it is possible to do something with regards to data lakes. The idea is to create an architectural model that solves a specific problem, but there is a very high likelihood that this is not possible.

My question is, if I can show how and why it is not possible to create the output, would it still be considered a viable project at the end? I would hate to go through everything and then lose out because the idea was too ambitious.

If it helps the research question would be along the lines of - Is it possible to create an architectural model to solve (the problem) in data lakes?

I hope this makes sense as I'm trying not to give too many details at the moment as I'm still ironing them all out.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

I think that would be fine as a PhD, because that it is still a finding. However, it may be discipline dependent. Could you ask a senior academic in the area your research sits?

From Secondary Teaching to PhD...

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From bewildered:
Don't drift into a PhD as an exit from teaching - unless you are doing it for the right reasons you will probably hate it. The lack of money and structure will be hard to adjust to, You want full funding and a topic that really excites you. You also need to be aware that an education-based PhD is no longer a path to an academic job as it was in the past. AS the government cuts teacher-training places in universities may education depts are downsizing.

I would second that.

Viva done!

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Congratulations! and Good luck with your corrections! It is surprising how nitty picky examiners can be, and the experience can vary so much, with some experiencing it more like an overall chat, and others being taken through the thesis page by page.

which program?

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From v2gls:
Univ Bonn is the strongest university for maths in Germany (according to the ranking tables).. I can't decide between it and Imperial..
Bonn seems to offer a more complete program while Imperial's is less flexible.. However, indeed, Imperial has the reputation

Are costs an issue? London is very very expensive!

I don't know about Bonn because I'm in the UK. I've found German academics to be very strong academically in what they do.