Congrats Dr Pineapple :-)
Like many others I was checking the site all day to hear from you! So happy for you esp. after all that you were through. There is nothing as bad as being in limbo and not having a date and then the very recent negativity from your sups. Like many have said you're an inspiration. You're obviously very driven and great news about them suggesting you convert some chapters for journal articles. That is fantastic. Have some well deserved bubbly (up)

I've often wondered whether supervisors ever ask this, Ady! I just convinced myself mine would be too busy to ever want to listen to my recordings or anything. But I did forward some transcriptions, complete with all my awkwardly phrased questions and poor grammar a few weeks ago to my supervisor at the end of a document about my methods. I would say there's really nothing to be worried about Ady. I’m not sure why he’s asking but you've got your write up to concentrate on so I guess just send it on and get on with your work and don't give that a second thought because no-one speaks properly (that's one thing I've discovered about myself and virtually everyone out there while doing these interviews!). I would highly doubt he’d ever want the recordings. Hope someone else can give you more insight :-)

Hi Joyce. Thank you very much. Yes, that is a good point that the short amount of time left should make one more worried about potential plagiarism. I have contacted my supervisor saying no to sharing my work but yes to talking to her. Thankfully supervisor seems understanding about it and has just suggested that I might be able to point the student to some useful readings so I am ok with that. I'm glad I said no. I am also not overjoyed to hear that someone is doing something similar but maybe it's not that similar. I imagine it's going to be that the student doesn't really know what they're doing and I'll have to just suggest texts and so on. I hope that's it because I really don't want to be giving anyone information that took me so long to acquire and work through. My research is new and I want to get it out there first!Thanks both for your replies. You've been really helpful.

Yes! The earliest days were the worst (and I expect the final days will be extra tough too). I am somewhere in the middle now and have worked hard over the past year to sort out my physical and mental state. I have taken up regular exercise, healthy eating, more socialising, organisation to my work, get more sleep, calm down and realise that tomorrow your PhD will still be there tomorrow (if you have saved it to a million places and printed a hard copy of course ;-)) and so on. Hard to maintain that but it has helped. I was a wreck for the first year. I really thought I was having a breakdown. I've never felt like that in my life before but then I had never done a PhD before and I had never stood in front of a big group of students in a lecture hall to teach them before. I think it was that gap between the isolation of research and then having to stand in front of a group of people and be bubbly and energetic that was playing havoc with me!
But I came to accept that being up and down is just the nature of the PhD. I have chatted to other postgrads who feel precisely the same. This is the way it is but it's the way you deal with it that matters. Be good to yourself. Health is so important both physical and mental and both are connected so everyone needs to remember to mind themselves. Put on some Bob Marley 'Three Little Birds' and chill! I've got Abba on at the moment!
Lacking confidence? Feeling like an imposter? Just pretend you are a confident person. Acting works because eventually the act can become the reality. Other people start to read you as confident. Etc Enough of my waffle ;-)

Pineapple - I have read your story and I wish you strength and support. Don't give up. You have come so far so take the time to recharge your batteries and psyche yourself up for that final hurdle please. You can do it. :-)

Doodles, thank you very much. That is really good advice. It’s a difficult situation because I am afraid if I say no to the written part it would damage relations with my supervisor but maybe I’m getting carried away there. Yes, part of me feels that it is a compliment in a way but the other part is just worried about someone copying ideas. I think I’ll contact him and just let him know I am very happy to talk to the student but a little bit uneasy about sharing my written work because I have not published or presented it and so perhaps it would be most useful for the student if I spoke to them and also highlighted the key areas of my chapter rather than give them my actual chapter. I did help an MA student of his last year, talking to him, giving him useful articles and reading and commenting on his work so I could suggest doing that again. The undergrad thesis is due in a few weeks so I think a chat would really be more useful for her at this stage than my written work. There, I have convinced myself! Thank you very much Doodles. I really appreciate it. It put my mind at rest knowing others would feel uneasy too as I thought I might be overreacting. :-)

Hi everyone. I am a long time reader but I must admit I have posted very little. This is my first thread so here goes: I know this sort of topic has been discussed before but could any of you advise me on this particular situation. I am 2 years into my PhD and my supervisor has asked if it would be ok to send one of my draft chapters to an undergraduate student who is doing a thesis similar to mine. I am a bit cautious of saying 'yes' but I don't feel like I have much choice. Can I say 'no' to my supervisor?! Should I even be worried about this? It's just I have not published or presented yet and I am afraid of this person copying my work especially if it is a topic similar to mine. They have also asked is it ok to have me talk to the student. Now I don't mind that part but giving my written work is something I am worried about. Thanks guys (and thank you for all the threads that I have read. This is a really helpful community :-))

======= Date Modified 10 Feb 2011 16:25:16 =======
Edit: Double post

I’m in the same situation. Structured PhDs are pants if you ask me. I’ve been forced to do one too. One has no choice here anymore. They have enforced structured PhDs full stop. However, I have got out of having to do some of the modules like Sneaks as I had done them before but I think I will have to do another few modules at some point just to get credits. It is upsetting to the point of tears. I understand completely that feeling that your time is being wasted by these modules when you really are itching to get on with your thesis. I feel your pain but like you I don’t have any solutions. I too complain and complain and complain to my sympathetic supervisor but no-one has the authority to reverse it as far as I can see. I hate the kind of rubbish that your head of dept. is saying. It's nonsense. People just want to work on their thesis. I am looking for more ways of getting out of doing the remaining courses. The course I did last year was actually useful but that was in my first year. After first year I really think we should be free to work on the thesis. Between teaching and trying to do these modules I don’t know how anyone is expected to get work on their thesis done. As you say your social life and relationships end up suffering as there just isn't enough time in each day. I hate it too to the point that I have considered dropping out but it's so futile because I LOVE my thesis but hate these pointless modules I am forced to do.
Are you in the position of just doing modules to fill your credit obligation not cos you actually want to do them? It sucks completely. If you can get any of the modules waived it’s worth a try.

Hey Stephanie, I have definitely have felt like this before! I am in a similar situation to you. I spent quite a bit of time in the college in my first year but now in second year I work from home all the time and find I have been much more productive. I found the department I’m in quite bitchy (postgrads, not staff) and also there was no quiet work space in the college. My supervisor knows I work from home and he even encouraged me to do so but still, like you, I face smart comments from other PhD students about how I am never in and that I don't seem to care about the PhD but these comments do tend to come from the gossips so I don't care.
The truth is those making smart remarks to you are probably guessing that you are getting lots of work done at home and are probably even envious that you are disciplined enough to work from home while they spend all day chatting, making tea, and going on long lunches (like others have said).
I understand what others are saying about not disappearing off the radar altogether and so it might be an idea to attend the odd seminar or perhaps there are opportunities to teach in the department and so on but I don't think you have to do this for the whole duration of the PhD. Like I said, I did a lot of this in first year, now I'm working from home, and next year I might go back and involve myself more in the department.
Finally, I think if you’re feeling unmotivated it can be good to just go for a walk, go window shopping (if there are any shops nearby), or do what I do and turn up the music and dance around the room (with the curtains closed ;-)). Then at some stage you just have to sit down and make yourself write something! Seriously, if you do something active it can get the mental juices flowing and you can perhaps work better then.