Hi,

yes! Had spicy red snapper and plantain in the end from a South African takeaway place, so my comfort-eating/ cyborg hand at least chose well...

Oh - and, thanks for the 'good luck' wishes...will post an update after my meeting tomorrow (come rain or shine)

x

p.s. now checking my email to see exactly what food I've ordered for myself...I'm not kidding!

Hi Natassia,

Thanks so much for your reply! Yes, I remember reading many of your posts when you were doing your dissertation, too... Well done for passing with a great mark, and for starting your PhD!

To answer your question, it was only my BA from Oxbridge; my MA is from a leading institution in the social and educational research and I consider my main (potential) supervisor to be well-published and active within industry research etc.

Obviously, as you say, this will only help me so much! At least I'm coming from a place of low expectations, given my circumstances, so I will be happy just to get accepted onto the PhD - which is, at least, looking promising...

On another note, I really can't see how I can do this while working 5, often 6-day working weeks and there is no possibility of going part-time where I work (they have also stopped some staff from taking on courses/ MAs etc - I slipped through the net!). Therefore, without funding, I don't know what I'll do financially. I know some people on here have completed PhDs successfully while working full-time, but I really don't think its a viable option for me...

Natassia, hope its not too personal, but can I ask how you manage financially - do you undertake teaching or other work, or have support from elsewhere/ family etc...do you find it managable?

(Gah! Feeling so wound up about this, I've just managed to order dinner on Hungryhouse.com without even noticing I'd entered my card details...and THAT'S why I will struggle to self-fund!!)

PP x

Hi there,

It's been a while since I posted, but back again to pick some doctoral brains!

After completing my MA in september (just missed a distinction, but was working (more than) full time, and with other issues so I'm still pretty prod of that), I've developed a research proposal which I sent to my former MA tutor, and also another institution who are also informally interested.

My main issue/ question is this: how much influence does a potential supervisor (or team of) have over the decision to award a studentship? Particularly in the case of ESRC, if it makes a difference?

The reason I ask is, I am confident in the quality, novelty and timeliness of my proposal and also benefit from some quite strong professional experience over the 5 years since my BA. The downside, as I've mentioned before is my 2:2 (just from one very poor module which I failed to submit on time - everything else got a 1st - or lowest, 69 - this was from an Oxbridge Uni) coupled with the MA pass. As I've also mentioned in previous posts, I've struggled with depression (actually BP Disorder) which explains why I isolated myself so much during my BA and crashed during my finals...but my recent record shows determination in overcoming these barriers, with all the work and extra-curricular studies and projects I've managed to hold down.

I'm aware studentships are ridiculously competitive. However, my former MA tutor (who obviously knows my MA mark, and SHOULD remember my BA mark from the original applications) has invited me to meet with her and a colleague (potential co-supervisor?) tomorrow to "discuss the proposal further." If this meeting convinces them, I assume my chances will have greatly improved. But, will I ultimately be knocked back down by the final decision-makers who will not see past my grades?

If the department wants me, can they argue this to the internal ESRC rep (if that's how it works). And, finally, should I tactfully remind my former tutor about my 2:2, in case she feels deceived...?

Sorry for the rambly post - I just hate remembering the 2:2. I forget its a barrier, as I've worked so hard to cancel it out, but realise now that it won't go away :-(

Thanks Sneaks! Will check it out now....

(up)

Hello,

So, although I don't work in an academic institution as such, I've got the opportunity to develop a journal. Its basically about developing a critical arm for a niche area within the sector in which I work (i never know how much to say about these things here, but its broadly in the field of creative practice and education).

I need to produce a proposal/ business plan for this, and while I can discuss the basics like target audience/ aims etc, I wonder if there is a guide available about this sort of thing. It's all a bit new to me. I'm quite certain that this will be a non-peer reviewed journal, as its led quite clearly by my org, with more informal correspondence with sector peers.

Can anyone help at all, or point me in the direction of any websites about this? It will be a predominately online journal, with a limited print run and e-book/print-on-demand service.

Many thanks :-)

PP

OOps! Another article needed if anyone can help?

'Touch, and the Limits of the Rational Museum or Can Matter Think?'
Author: Candlin, Fiona
Source: The Senses and Society, Volume 3, Number 3, November 2008 , pp. 277-292(16)

Thanks in advance x

And thank you DWK, too! :-)

What lovelies you all are, here!

Thanks so much SBCC - I just PMd you (up)

Hello everyone,

Hope you're having a good saturday...

Can anyone access the following article, which I desperately need for checking my citations:

Candlin, The Dubious Inheritance of Touch: Art History and Museum Access, Journal of Visual Culture August 2006 5: 137-154

Many thanks xx

Ok, quick question:

I've resorted to abbreviating names of organisations that wouldn't usually be abbreviated, and have included these in alphabetical list at the beginning. Do I still have to introduce the full phrase/ name within my main body, or is the list of abbreviations self-sufficient?

Also, what's not acceptable to do this with - e.g. book/ exhibition titles?

I've already hacked a good 2000 words of content :-s
Am hoping to cut even more superfluous stuff so I can put some of it back, in as I'm hating my dry, unembellished writing now!!!

Any thoughts?

Thanks, PP x

Woohoo. Got a 3 week extension! This will make life much easier!!!!

Only thing that left a slightly bitter taste was the tone of my sup's email, which made it sound like "you shouldn't be flailing around with 'too much data' as your research design should have accounted for this..." - or, basically an implication that I was stressed because of poorly-managed research, making light of the fact that the main problem has been having to cancel my booked leave for doing the data analysis/ write-up. I hope I'm just being over-sensitive - probably am - cos, otherwise, I've given her the impression that I don't know what I'm doing, which doesn't bode well for the PHD transition...

Oh bother.But YAY-EXTENSION! maybe will see it in perspective tomorrow...

PP (up)

Hi Natassia,

I just wanted to reiterate what the others are saying, in that I don't think you should worry about this - if you're lead supervisor is so encouraging and supportive, hopefuly everything else should follow! I wish you the best of luck finishing your dissertation/ journal submission..

I also wanted to thank you as you're post inspired me to finally ask for an extension (for a similar reason to yourself - see my Venting Stress thread). I just realised from reading your post that I was worrying needlessly too. Why do we always make decisions like this hard on ourselves? There's nothing wrong with trying to organise our lives to work a little better for us, is there!

ANyway - thanks for the insight xx

Ok,

Just impulsively pressed 'SEND' on the draft email to my tutor that's been sitting in my inbox for a fortnight. I've attempted to test the water re: getting an extension...though, to be honest, I feel I've downplayed how difficult things are/ have been...

I also took inspiration from Natassia's post in another thread, and cited that I wanted this work to be in a more resolved state than I can get it right now as I want to develop my PHD proposal in the same topic. Hopefully, she'll respect that as a reason, and empathise with my point. So, thanks Natassia for stating what I needed to put into words!

Now, I've just got to wait and see...can't take it back now ;-)

Hi again,

Well, didn't do so great....

Goal 2/3 still half done. I did one precis instead of 3.

Goal 4: couldn't face my discussion....ended up going back through all my literature notes and selecting MORE resonant quotes/ ideas. This is all very well, but I was told I've more than enough secondary lit in my draft....

well, I think I can achieve sitting in a hairdressers chair, at least. (Now that I've said that, no doubt that I'll probably come out with a bowl cut or something equally inappropriate/anti-social - sorry to anyone sporting such a barnet!)

Sneaks - yes, if I'm honest, it's probably more like 12/13 months for me too. Wouldn't even bother now if i hadn't got distracted by a 'special offer' with which to reward all my 'hard work'.

Good luck everyone else...x