My main supervisor is a Prof who is very abrasive. I've tried various approaches, the submissive student, the opinionated student, the keen student and none of them has worked. He still thinks I'm hopeless and tells me so regularly. Sometimes you just have to accept the fact that some academics are like this. You need someone who you can vent with - I have a colleague who is also a great friend and he sits and listens to me rant everyone time I see my supervisor or get an email. It really helps. You can always come here to rant :-)

Lecturing is much more fun and easier than completing a PhD.  For one thing you don't have to defend your work in front of experts. I occasionally get really smart students who push me intellectually but it's really fun when you do.  Most of the time they are really grateful that you're prepared to help them - we have many 'old style' academics who leave the students high and dry without good reason. Creating lectures is interesting because you get to share your interests with others although you end up looking like a sad geek!  Standing up in front of a class is scary but you soon get used to it. I get nervous when term starts in September but I soon get back into routine.  The department where I work is mixed in that we are expected to do some research but teaching is our primary business. You might get a different response from someone in a research-led department. 

On the negative side there's the internal politics and the complete doughnuts, of which there is always at least one in every department. Sometimes you may get a student who believes they know it all but provided you answer their questions and treat them well they can never get the better of you.  For some students, your best is never enough and the only thing you can do is shrug it off but these cases are rare at least in my experience.

I have changed my rather rose tinted view of academia since I have worked as a lecturer but it is still a very enjoyable job.
:-)

Thanks Dave, it's always good to hear positive news. My next one is in January so at least I get Christmas off (up)

Well done Aloha and Lara :-) I handed my re-submit in last Monday and I'm still catching up on sleep - I had a couple of all-nighters to get it done. It's great to not to have to keep thinking about it isn't it (up)

Lara, keep up the good work. I know how you feel with the writing. I am originally a mathematician but moved into economics - BIG mistake. I can write equations but not words and every paragraph seems like agony. I keep getting picked up on my 'odd' way of writing but I'm carrying on anyway. I'm submitting this week and I can't wait until the pain is over ;-)

Hi Lara,

I'm currently at the end of a year of working on my resubmit - I had my viva at the end of Oct 2007 and was given a resubmit with viva but fortunately no more research.  It was fairly traumatic to know that I had such a great deal of work still to do but I survived and my thesis is now much better. The one thing I have learnt this year is that exactly as Rubyw said, the world will go on much the same as it was before your viva and you'll still be you with the friends and family you have now.  I am much more relaxed about it this time round even though I have to submit at the end of next week and I still have a quite a bit to finish but that's what weekends and ProPlus tablets are for ;-) .

I know meeting your supervisors is a nerve wracking experience. I got an email from mine on the weekend and it made me feel sick, although it doesn't help that I loathe him yet still have to be pleasant because one my examiners is his mate.  But your supervisors will change your perspective on your work which is what you need because we all get too close to our own work.  

The very best of luck. (up)

Hairui and Rick, I really do feel so sorry for you both. My supervisor suggested a change of focus, but at least it was only half way through my research. I have since come to the conclusion that this was because he had been a bit liberal with the truth about the extent of his capabilities when he'd joined the team and couldn't actually supervise my original topic. With everything I have read on this forum and my own experience, I've come to the conclusion that the whole PhD process is a complete shambles. I work in a university and if our undergrads were treated like this, there would be absolute hell to pay and rightly so. I think the problem is that since we invest so much time, effort and money in getting a PhD, that we feel unable to complain just in case it jeopardises our chances of passing. It's a terrible system.

I was given a good piece of advice by one of my colleagues. He suggested writing a document outlining how you have addressed the comments you were given by the examiners and then submit this with the thesis, so the examiners know exactly what you have done. I was sent a Word document from my examiners with all the amendments I was asked to make, and so under each of their comments I have explained what I have done and where they can find the new material in my thesis. This also strokes the examiner's ego because it shows that you have listened to what they have said and done exactly as you were told. So hopefully they'll be in a good mood when they read your bright, shiny new thesis (up)

I don't know if anyone else has heard this but I read somewhere (can't remember where) that you should aim to have an odd number of chapters in your thesis because it improves the structure. It was implied that it's something to do with the way that our brains work that makes an odd number of chapter (or sections) seem right. I may not be explaining this very well but I was wondering if anyone else had ever heard about this. I've got an even number of chapters so you can understand my concern.

I am a full time lecturer and I know that teaching budgets in my department are usually very tight. I asked for help with marking this year but none materialised because my head of department couldn't afford to pay anyone. Have you considered volunteering to help with tutorials? I realise that you absolutely should be paid for your work but if they can't pay you right now, it would at least give you some experience. Plus, if you get to know the teaching staff, they will be far more likely to put your name forward for any jobs that do come up. I'd be thrilled if someone offered to help me and I would certainly do my upmost to get them paid teaching.

Juno, I'm laughing because that is exactly what I do. When I'm not worried, I worry because I'll be too relaxed to get things done. Deary me! :p

If you have some spare cash, you may want to think about proof-reading software. I've just bought Whitesmoke and whilst it's not perfect, it's better than Word. I bought the complete version which is pricey (thank you Mr Visa) but I figured it will be a good investment in the long term. It's proved pretty useful so far. It's a pity it can't write it for you though ;-)

I saw my supervisors about 3 times in 10 years and this is definitely not the way to do things. Even if they express no interest in seeing you, chase them when you have something for them to read or if you have questions. Even though the work has to be primarily your own, you must make sure that your supervisors take some responsibility for your work.

Angelofthenorth, I have to submit by 24th October. ARGH!

It still annoys me too because my research was fine, it was the lit review that was the problem and the examiners basically let me know that I was given poor supervision.

I don't think I'm wrong in saying that most of us have been through or are going through the "I can't be bothered with it any more" phase. I regularly go through it. I also go through the "I'm useless" and "I know nothing" phases too. Together with the "I will die if I fail" phase and the "I'll never finish" phase and the "I'd rather watch TV than write" phase and so and so on, you get the idea. My PhD is not in a subject that I'm passionate about (it's in economics) purely because I knew I wouldn't get a job with a PhD in space-time geometry (which was my passion). Nevertheless I'm nearly finished. Treat it like a job and make sure you take time out for yourself. Don't stress over your motivations for choosing to do a PhD because whatever your initial reasons, you've been dedicated enough to pass the upgrade and so you're well on your way to completion. Don't be so hard on yourself.