Sounds like he is looking for a skivvy, someone to do all his experiments for him - are you funded? Cos if not that sounds kinda like slavery!!! I would definitely talk to someone, you can't let that go on...

Hi Zelda, I personally don't mind being recorded, I have been asked at a couple of conferences and said ok... but you are perfectly within your rights to say no. In fact I don't even think you should need to give a reason - the very fact that they asked you in advance means they realise that not everyone will be comfortable with it, therefore if it bothers you, just say no! End of story... I seriously doubt they will come back and want an explanation, that really would be peer pressure!

I don't know how much data you have to collect/analyse, but I think it should definitely be possible! Last november I had just finished developing the instrument I was going to use but still had to collect and analyse all my data and I had NOTHING written. Now I am done and will be handing in at the end of next week, woohoo!!! So that is 8 months... Get that questionnaire out ASAP though because I would be worried about getting enough responses in that timeframe!

Doesn't Sean Connery do a lot of campaigning in Scotland in relation to politics? So maybe he does deserve an honorary doctorate? And I'm not just saying that because I lurrrvvvveeee him :-x Ok maybe just a bit...

As for the rest of them - yeah it's annoying, but at the end of the day, everybody knows it's not the same thing surely!?! I mean it's not like someone's going to go up to Vernon and say "well done on finishing the thesis mate, what was your topic?" I hope.

No it's not just you ogriv!!!! And how about the other one, Professor Lube? Tee hee hee!!!! :-)

Ah yes, the classic 'set-up' (faux problem) followed by 'helpful' solution containing plenty of links ;-)

You have WAY too much time on your hands, get back to your literature review pronto!!!!!

Anywhere on the 'ring of kerry' in ireland is beautiful, especially Kenmare, spent many summers camping there in my youth! The weather is not guaranteed at all though ;-)

Well done!!! That is some good advice actually, there are a few jobs recently that I haven't applied for because of thinking that I wouldn't get them - maybe I should have!

Bilbo's post just reminded me of something else that another supervisor told me once... There was this student that he had who had just finished her thesis and gave it to someone to proofread - they were from a different field and told her she had used the wrong methodology. The girl actually tried to quit there and then, without submitting (imagine, at the very end!) but the supervisor talked her out of it. Of course she submitted and it was fine, the methodology was totally right for her area. So in other words, be careful whose "advice" you listen to!

I know how you feel, this has happened to me soooo many times unfortunately!!! And yes it really bothered me at first! But you get used to it after 4 years lol... The thing is people who are not in your field may not 'get' what you're doing... I am guessing that a statistician thinks pretty differently to the way a psychologist does! My thing is (without giving too much away!) that my research is in e-learning - I'm from the 'techie' side and so are my supervisors, but I end up talking to a lot of people in education too as that's a big part of my research. The die-hard, old-school types don't get what I'm doing AT ALL... I came across one particularly nasty person that really made me want to quit back in year one. You just need to remind yourself that they don't have a clue about your area and therefore can be pretty narrow-minded!

Hi ACruz, I'm sure it is disappointing but I think you should keep trying! This has only happened twice, so I don't think you can say "always short-listed" just yet!!! It sounds like you were very close both times - I don't see why they would lie to you, if they are not offering you a studentship then they have no ties to you, so what could they possibly gain by lying to you? Imagine if you were applying for jobs, most people have to do several job interviews before they get a job, I think it is probably pretty rare to get the first job (or the first studentship) that you interview for.

So, chin up and keep trying - third time lucky hopefully!!!

Hi there Laney, I am not at that stage, still finishing up the thesis but I went to a seminar recently on preparing for the viva. The guy giving the seminar suggested going through the thesis and summing up every page in one line, then typing this up over a couple of pages like p.1 bla bla, p.2 bla bla bla and so on. He said it helped to know what all your main points are the whole way through and also so you could whip out the couple of pages and revise quickly at any time. Also he brought it into the viva with him, so when they asked a question he could look at his 'cheat sheet' as he called it, and say "well as you can see on p.156...."

He also suggested preparing answers to a 'stock' of questions that you know will probably be asked. I think there may be a list of these in that Rowena Murray book? He said make sure you know the answers to the basics e.g. what did you do, why did you do it and so on and hopefully the rest should fall into place! I know someone recently though who prepared answers to about 100 questions and wasn't asked anything like what she expected - so I suppose stick to preparing for the basic ones that will always be asked.

I'm female by the way so not too sure on the what to wear question, but I would imagine a suit would be good or if not then at least a shirt and pants!

Good luck :-)