Your supervisor might be nice - but honestly, if he's not giving you opportunities, he really can't be that good. That said, yes, just tell him once you have a job offer. You'll have a difficult conversation, but then you'll be free! Imagine how good you'll feel! I have a restless employment history, and always hate telling the boss that I'm leaving, but they get over it soon enough. Your supervisor might then find someone who wants to do his original project. You have to do what's best for you and you can't go on doing something you hate.

And you have to publish from a Masters? Wow, we don't need to do that in Australia.

Yes, I'm also doing a serious topic - on collective workplace bargaining for family friendly working arrangements. But would love to do one on the portrayal of women in Phantom comics!

I'd plan on going - it's a few months away, after all. Some conferences do refund fees - it should be spelt out somewhere on the registration page.

It is possible to do a PhD part-time, although it's really hard. In Australia a part-time PhD takes a minimum of 6 years - don't know what the UK minimum is. I did my PhD part-time that for a while, and was studying before work in the morning and at night. It's difficult to get a block of time to really concentrate - I found that I'd just start getting into it, then would have to go to work or to bed. One of the hardest things is doing field work while you're working full-time. Depending on your methodology, it can be difficult, if for example, you need to interview people.

That said, I don't want to put you off. My employer gave me a bit of study leave, and I purchased an additional day's leave a fortnight, which meant that I had a day during the week to study and was still getting paid OK. I got a lot done in three days a week.

Oh - and you will need to plan for a chunk of time where you don't undertake paid work but just write your thesis - a few months will be needed.

Mostly it's worth it - although I can't say that at the moment as am going through a rough patch writing up!

Good luck.

Hi

I'm doing qual research in social sciences, based on interviews. I had the option of getting funding to get the interviews transcribed, but decided to do it myself. Even though it's slow - it takes me about 3 hours to do 40 minutes of interview, I find that it gives me time to think and analyse. I make notes on the transcription as I go, so then over time I can see themes developing. I get ideas as I transcribe, and get to know the material really well. Transcribing interviews myself works for me.

I'd send it off as it is, and not explain about the word limit and just see what they say. They'll probably come back to you and want some changes, so deal with it then.

Hi, I'm also doing a qual PhD in social sciences. I think you'd be pushing it to get this all done in 14 months - but it depends how long your field work will take. My field work took a year, and I was writing background chapters throughout this time, and now have 9 months to do the writing up and get it finished - and am majorly stressing about that. Even if you can get your survey out and back again quickly, analysis takes longer than you think, and then there's the writing...

So realistically, I think it could be difficult. But good luck!

Before the PhD took over my life, I used to volunteer at a community radio station, presenting a show. Which was great fun, and I got to be creative in a different area of life, and listen to music I love. No time for that anymore though...but as others have suggested, exercise is good too. If I had more time I'd like to volunteer at an animal shelter.

I also go to the gym as well as play tennis - very nice running about in the sunshine with others...

OK, two currently useful tips:
1. Don't wear track pants if you're studying at home a lot - you can't tell when you're getting fat! You need jeans, so at least you can keep an eye on your waistline as you make all those distracting trips to the fridge, 8-)
2. Obey the 80/20 rule - if making something 20% better will take 80% extra effort, don't do it.

You've doe two years - seems a shame to waste all that work! But I agree with the other poster - I do't think it would be possible to turn your thesis around, using a new theory in the last year. Can you add another year? Think carefully about taking the job - would be awful if you took it for short term relief from your thesis, and for some income, only to regret down the track that you didn't get your PhD...

It will get better! Don't give up - and don't cry!

It sounds like you've taken on a lot, and moving is always horrible, you know, one of the most stressful things in life, up there with divorce and public speaking. You will meet people. Work on your thesis on campus, talk to other students, go to seminars, even if they're not in your field. Check out your new city - I love finding out about new cities! Join some groups, take up a sport - put yourself out there! Take action, even making that first phone call to organise something new will make you feel better. And plan a trip home, put it in your diary, and work towards that.

You'll feel better once you get your proposal written, and hopefully, will be consumed with desire to get into it! And don't worry about working 10 hours a day (uni admin and supervisors all say we're supposed to do that much!). Work as much as you feel you can - it comes in waves. Some weeks I spend less time on my thesis and it doesn't go well, then other weeks it flows and I'm happy to do 10 hours a day. Don't put too much pressure on yourself.

Use this forum too. It's nice to think that all over the world, at any time of the day or night, there are PhD students similarly sitting alone, working. It's a hard life but does have the occasional bright spots.

Good luck!

Yes, working a few hours and doing a PhD is a good idea - not only for the money, but also to talk to people and think about something different for a bit. Be wary of tutoring though - doing all the reading and lesson plans can really suck up your time. I'd recommend doing something less onerous that doesn't require unpaid overtime.

I don't know about your subject area, but in terms of doing a PhD while working full-time, it is possible, although you need to be really driven. I was doing this, and found that I was getting up at 5am doing a couple of hours studying before work, then more again at night. Every day. So, you really need to love your topic, and know about the sacrifices. It's hard, but doable.

Yes, you've got to take a bit of time off. Don't worry about finishing, you'll get it done. And can you finish a little later anyway? And you might want to think about seeing a counsellor - a good counsellor can be a life saver. This sounds too hard to deal with by yourself.

Thank you for your thoughtful response. Yes, will take on board some of her comments, but not all. Have decided I'll spend one more day on the article, and that's it until the reviewers come back to me again. And will have a talk with her about her approach to reviewing my chapters, and see how I go.

Took some advice posted elsewhere, had the afternoon off, am not going to work tonight, and will tackle the beast again tomorrow.

Cheers