Smoobles sums it up nicely, but I'll repeat the piece she posted in bold.

DO NOT MENTION THE ERRORS UNLESS THEY DO!!!

If you do, they may delve deeper and ask themselves what other errors they may have missed. You may be encouraging major corrections.

Correct the minor typos (commas, spelling, grammar, etc.) as you go through and wait to see what they list as more significant errors.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

I've been in the situation where that has happened. Shortly after I completed my PhD (which would have been a good time for me to present), my supervisors were organising the conference (to be held up in Newcastle) and due to location (it wasn't down south) it only attracted interest from a total of ~30 attendees including presenters. It may has well have been in Pyongyang in North Korea for the interest shown.

It was relocated to IOM3 in London so people didn't have to travel beyond London, but by then the damage was done and the conference was 'postponed' and never resurrected.

We'd put in a lot of work (including a paper from me for presentation and proceedings - colleagues similarly) so it was annoying when it finally folded. That said, when that happens, papers can easily be submitted to other conferences and thus the work does not necessarily go to waste.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

To add to Reenie's comments, you need to visit both and have a good look round. Meet you potential colleagues, advisors / supervisors and the facilities relevant to your potential courses of study.

Once you have a feel for these things, you'll know which to opt for.

As your other half works in Boston, this will probably influence your decision as Virginia means having to relocate or live apart. If you prefer Virginia Tech., you and your significant other will have some serious talking to do as asking them to move with you may be asking quite alot of them. Could you manage a long distance relationship?

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Do a little background reading in the subject area the PhD will be in. This will show your interest in the PhD on offer. Remember to show enthusiam for the subject when being interviewed. Questions you may face are why are you doing a PhD (i.e. I want the chance to conduct some original research that will produce data and finding new to the field I'll be studying. I believe the team and facilities here at XXX Uni. will provide me with the best opportunity to do that - remember to look up the Uni. on the internet and see what relevant facilities are available) and why have you applied for this particular PhD.

Also, where do you expect to be in five years time after the PhD has finished. How can you draw on your previous skills, qualifications and employment to make the PhD a success and what can you as a person bring to the project.

This should at least ensure you're not stuck on how to answer at least the basic questions in interview. As you've gathered, I'm outlining the basic questions you might face in any interview.

As regards the presentation, have you been given an outline on what you're expected to present? If not, aim at answering the basic questions you'd expect in interview. The point of the presentation will be how good you are at relaying information to an audience in a conference or talk, an important part of a PhD or any research-based job.

If this sounds a lot, don't panic. The potential supervisors should not expect the person they're interviewing to already be a world expert on the subject. If there are any questions you can't answer (be honest here and DON'T try to bluff), then the PhD is also an opportunity for you to learn - an apprenticeship in research if you like.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

It's fairly normal to have these mood swings towards the end and I went from thinking the thesis coming together to believing alot more work needed to be done. It did turn out to be the latter for me, but it was a doable 'alot more work to be done' (thankfully followed by a straight forward viva and very minor corrections).

Sometimes you feel in the zone, when you are just able to rattle through the work and others where you just hit a major mental block.

Various different approaches work for different people, however, if you timetable the work in such a way you have mini-targets (finish of Lit. Review, Methodolody, Results, Discussion, etc., breaking the bigger bits down further) it may not seem such a big ask after all. Giving structure to your approach may be a big help and many prefer a structure or plan to work to.

I note you're working fulltime. A PhD especially during write-up can be a fulltime commitment in itself. Can you not take a few months off to concentrate on your PhD or do financial commitments preclude this?

Not being allowed an extension because of work commitments is rough but a fact of life. Unfortunately, academia seems to forget that we need money to eat and pay the bills, etc. and life doesn;t stop on their say so. You could play the health card "due to stress" to buy time (but that didn't come from me - well it did, but you know what I mean).

'Keep writing' as per "mhmd"'s comments is a good one and thinking about it, that's what I did.

However, I will add whilst it will be nice to have the PhD, your children come first.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

I understand how you feel, but you know the situation better than anyone. Only you can gauge their probable response and it's your decision to make.

As regards asking them to be co-authors on a paper you submitted, I'd have worded that differently and instead asked them if it was okay to submit a paper using the data gathered under them.

I have no relationship whatsoever with the Prof. who was my effective line manager from my second post-doc. due to various issues I'll not go into again (to the point where there was no job reference from him). I know at best if I had to contact him there'd be a strained effort at civility at best and it would probably be regarded as an unwelcome intrusion.

If it was a really major falling out and the apology was never acknowledged, given my experiences, I'd probably leave well be.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

I was trying to encourage discussion on this point. Anyone?

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

At the request of someone on here, I've added a section to my blog on submitting papers, which is basically a quick run through the process.

There is nothing to stop you submitting papers yourself if you want to, though bear in mind you should ask your former supervisor as a courtesy as they are a primary referee for any jobs you may apply for in the future.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

In your last post, you say getting into a relationship would help you. If the relationship is right for you, then yes. However, getting into the wrong relationship can be even worse. If you go into a new relationship now because you feel you need to be in one, that would to me be entering a classic 'on the rebound' situation.

You were clearly very deeply in love with this man and it's coming across as though you thought you'd found "the one", the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. To me, you need time 'to heal' and perhaps finding a way to be happy on your own until you have healed is the best way forward. Can I suggest you invested too much emotionally in this man to the detrement of contact with others? Most of us make that mistake, especially in the early part of a relationship when we shut others out because we only want to be with this new person in our lives.

Your first step is to talk to a University Counsellor and perhaps a Doctor. I also believe you need to try to make friends at your University via one of the students societies so you are not alone. It may also be an idea to seek a possible suspension of studies, so you can go home for a few months and be with your family and friends back home whilst you give yourself a chance to heal.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)