I think you just need to have a search really, and look into what departments and labs are out there!

Just as an aside, since you don't have a specific place of study in mind yet, have you considered looking beyond London? It's just that the cost of living is insane in London (as you no doubt already know), and you might be a lot better of financially if you moved up North for example to study at a uni up there. That's not really your query, but just thought I'd mention it!!

These would be minors. Just note them all down in a list so that if the examiners mention them, you will be able to say something like yes, I am aware of that and will get it fixed. My friend found 37 errors in hers. I don't know how many errors I will notice in mine, as I haven't dared look at it since submitting!

Good luck with everything!

Hi Ilse, I did read this a few days ago but didn't post a reply because I wasn't quite clear on what the issue is (it seems there may be multiple issues?). Also, I wasn't sure if it was a reflection / rant, or if you were looking for advice in your situation. It sounds like your supervisor is verbally abusing you and what he is saying is inappropriate. This will of course have an effect on your self esteem, confidence, mental health likely too - not to mention your work. In any other context (other than academia) I'd say go straight to HR. Are you able to work with someone else instead?

Ideally, your friend / client should make their own application and not pay for / have someone else do it!

I think I recall one of my qualitative research lecturers talking about their research with children in refugee camps that had been set up in or near war zones. Hope you've managed to find more out.

Hi Zhan,

Maybe you could seek advice from someone in your field? Any approachable lecturers in your current department? Nothing you've said is leaping out at me as not serious enough or problematic. But I am not in your field of study, so I really cannot offer a great perspective! Talking to someone who is more informed in your field / area of research could help you get some validation for your ideas and give you some direction in narrowing them down.

Hope this can help!

Tudor

Thanks so much Jamie! And I really hope so re corrections :-)

Don’t blame you for not wanting to spend half of the day commuting! Your current set up sounds good! Continue to enjoy!

Very best wishes
Tudor

Ps. The tennis sounds amazing! This has made me want to start playing again! Vintage tournaments sound very fun (but I think I'd be laughing to much to actually play)!

Haha@ eating up time! Actually pm133, perhaps I had better take your advice here, as I am notoriously extremely short/straight to the point in my verbal responses, so if I consciously tell myself to be minimal, we may get down to one word answers!

Don't worry. In all likelihood, yours is different somehow (and thus has some originality). Read the paper carefully, see how yours differs, and maybe have a go at coming up with some ideas about how you will take the project forward - perhaps in a slightly different direction than first envisaged. Your supervisor should be able to help with this too (it could be discussed in your progression review). To be honest, this kind of thing happens. I think the main thing is to see how yours differs (did you get the same results? use the same methodology? same measures etc?) and to make the plan going forward...

I'm not sure what this letter is. If it's something you need to share with him then it shouldn't be a problem to do so?

Possibly the reviews have been completed and it is now sitting with the editor? It's funny because usually then it would say "with editor". So maybe the editor hasn't officially picked it up again. You could chase but I'd leave it a bit longer so as not to annoy.

You could also do a few lab visits (maybe 2 or 3 if you can manage it) and casually "interview" your prospective supervisors and their current students and postdocs. It might sound extreme but this is the sort of thing I wish I'd have done before starting my PhD, and I would never take a postdoc without doing this now. You'll probably just get a sense of which one you want to be a part of over the next 3-4 years of your life (and that one will probably be the one that would lead to the best outcomes). Good luck!

Amazing! Thank you for sharing - I will apply 1) , 3) and 4) when I have my viva :-)

CONGRATS!!!

Hi Justaverage (and I'm sure you're not!)

I think a lot of people feel like this during their PhD. And it's about overcoming that feeling and just carrying on. So I would say don't quit, keep at it!

It sounds like you're concerned though about how yours is going. So maybe arranging to meet with your supervisor and just being very up front - asking him if he genuinely sees it being enough for a PhD - could be the way to go. You could downgrade it to a masters instead most probably if you wanted to. And it would be better to have that conversation now, and initiated by you, than later on (if you really suspect that it isn't going to be enough for a PhD). Also, it sounds like you're not enjoying it much, so maybe this is the route to go down anyway? (That is if it is how you feel about it and that feeling isn't changing). Whatever the outcome, you'll probably feel a lot better after having an honest conversation.

In response to your final paragraph, I don't think that any of those things would be issues. People change their plans all the time, and that is OK. Even better if you can come away with something to show for it (e.g., a masters or a paper maybe).

Hope this helps somewhat. I'm sure others will have good advice!

Tudor

Hi J_W

Yes, I submitted on Friday!! And I have a 1-year fellowship starting shortly after my viva (early July), which I’m really excited about (the fellowship that is, not the viva). I am bearing in mind that corrections are the most likely outcome of the viva though, so I know it will be a few months after that when I can fully put it behind me.

Your life at the moment as you describe it (tennis, etc) sounds pretty satisfying! I do understand though about the need for challenge and for your own progression. It sounds like you would be well placed (especially in terms of the publications) if you did decide to pursue a postdoc. Maybe you’ll sort of reach a point of saturation, where you can’t take the hum drum anymore, and that'll prompt you into looking at possible postdocs! : )

I am so sorry to hear about your mother. It sounds a tough situation. I hope things improve now that she is starting to recover.

Best
Tudor