Well done!(up)

I'm writing up now but in general I have intense literature search and read sessions then go weeks without reading anything unless I need it for the analysis or whatever I'm doing. Rarely read books except for a few trusty maths bibles.

The writing has also gone in intense bursts with months in between.

I have great trouble getting my sup to read anything. I got him to read a chapter earlier this month - quite an achievement!

I do a version of Sylvester's system. I enter a code into an unused EN field that I use to file into wallets and magazine racks.

The subject bibliography function is also great for keeping summaries of your latest lit search.

A year :p

Of course you have time!

I'm writing up now. I see my sup about 2-3 times/year and we don't email except to arrange those meetings. No, I don't think it's enough but I've got used to it.

Self-funding is more common in some subjects. It's not common in science. There are quite a few people self-funding in my dept and it doesn't seem to interfere with their options afterwards.

2 hours of someone's time is a lot - patients usually get something to reimburse them for their time. With drs, it's likely to be more tricky. Glad to hear one of your supervisors has experience. That should help a lot. Good luck!

The equivalent document from my institution makes it very clear that it is the student's responsibility to manage thier supervision. It doesn't really make it clear how you are supposed to do that exactly though. I am over 40 with a professional career behind me and find that nigh on impossible. I can't see how a 21 yr-old is going to 'manage' a senior academic with a long-established habit of student-neglect.

Adhering to funding guidleines is one of the few things that gets a supervisor moving as the consequences of displeasing funding bodies, for the supervisor, are grim.

Can you apply for some sort of small grant in order to reimburse participants for their time and effort? My supervisor was totally clueless and unhelpful about recruitment. Has yours supervised a project that needs this type of recruitment before? Can you speak to someone who has?

Are there any support groups for the condition you are looking at? Perhaps they could circulate an email or carry an ad in their newsletter. Don't waste time undererstimating how tough this is going to be (like I did!). If it's mainly postal, put posters or leaflets in as many hospitals and GPs surgeries as you can regardless of distance. Be sure to 'sell' your projects as furthering the treatment/understanding or whatever of condition x even if that's only tangentially applicable. Remember that completetion rates for quetionnaires are never 100%. Some will have missing information that you will need to chase up because every case will count - you can't afford to lose any due to missing info.

For the poster - make sure the key terms can be picked out across the room - keep that bit very clear and simple. Some people put contact details in vertical tear-off strips along the bottom so people don't have to write stuff down (a major stumbling block!).

If the student population has potential, have a stand at the Fresher's Fair if you can (or share one) and sign people up - and have leaflets people can give to friends or family.

What incentive do participants have? How many do you need?

I had a hell of a time with this - and I had to pay participants in the end.

Have you thought about what you will do if you don't ever get funding? Will you be able to continue?

You are going to have to try and assess whether you have enough right now to complete your PhD and if not, what exactly you need. With only 4 mo to go you surely don't need anything really off-topic or new. Can you get a second opinion from a head of dept or graduate tutor? Have you told him what you just told us - only more tactfully? Does he have or has he had other students? When you have a supervisor who doesn't really know your topic you have to really take responsibility for these decisions yourself and/or get advice elsewhere. My supervisor was also keen to dabble in my area but never really got to grips with it. I have got brief but expert feedback from a couple of other people who are experts in parts of my topic to help me know when my project is actually ready to wrap and go.

She could potentially get in anywhere - including Oxbridge etc but the problem will be funding. I'd expect there to be more chance of getting a place that is already funded or due from a quota so that the decision is being made by the person interviewing rather than by a funding body. If she's relying on funds directly from a funding body e.g. research council then I think her chances are very slim (practically zero). Can she give any reasons for the disappointing MA grade? How supportive are her references likely to be? I do know someone who got a funded Cambridge place in exactly this situation - but they got the funding before the results were declared and it was not withdrawn (and she did a good PhD). If it were me, I'd give it a shot but be prepared for disappointment and I'd be looking for places where the supervisor already had funding.

Or, she could self-fund and go part-time to help pay for it. A first plus merit is definitley enough to be accepted (without funding) anywhere.

I was also advised to do papers first but I've found that impossible in the timeframe - I'm doing the thesis first and will then adapt papers. Papers are much more sharply focussed and leave out so much of your thesis.

You should contact your university counselling service and/or medical centre - there should be one - and see someone asap. Believe me, they will have talked to many students feeling as you do now - counsellors have heard it all and understand these situations. Or perhaps you have a graduate tutor for your dept or faculty that you can talk to. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I have felt like this in the past and got help either through the university medical centre or my gp. A PhD is not a person's life - whether it goes well or not. Here is another website that I have used in the past:

http://www.have-a-heart.com/

3 am is never a good time to think about your life! How are you feeling today?