Hi Sneaks, please don't think I'm stupid, but what exactly do you mean by theoretical review? Just a review of the theory underlying your work?

Here you will find commands you can use in stata to caluculate the centiles of a normal distribution:

http://books.google.com/books?id=jVTEmrenxTQC&pg=PA138&dq=statistics+with+stata+centiles+normal+distribution&hl=en&ei=x8vNTK7rGIWG4gbL3eTcDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Hi Phdtodo, I'm sorry to hear about you situation. I've been in a similar circumstances to yourself and am currently struggling to get by on zero income, as I write up. I can understand your resentment at feeling as though you've sacrificed so much for nothing. You've probably heard all about the PhD blues and how a lot of people doing PhDs experience what you're going through now.
I'm awful at giving advice, and it might not be helpful, but bear with me. I've been working on my PhD for over 3 years now, hate it, resent it for the reasons that you do (debt, no social life, etc) and, fxxk, am I so fed up with it! I'm going to press on with it and get it handed in though out of sheer stubborness, because I want something to show for it. I think that, having already done so much work, it would be a real shame for you to just walk away from it (you financial situation not withstanding).
Would it be possible to take a short break to clear you head? To see your doctor about possible depression? It might help you see things 'more clearly'. If you do decide that leaving your PhD is the right thing to do, could you talk to your supervisor about submitting for an MPhil or MSc? That way, you wouldn't be leaving without any recognition for all your hard work? Is there any financial support you could obtain from your university, like a hardship payment?
Best wishes.

Hi Harmony88,

I'm very slowly coming towards the end of my PhD (eventual distant viva permitting). Reflecting on what it was like for me in the first few months of my PhD, I think I was a bit like you are now - the enormity of the task, endless reading and note taking and learning how to do 'social' experiments. Unlike you, I've always worked away from my university, so it has largely been a solitary exercise. I think it's good that you've got to know people you can socialise and share your ups and downs with - that's half the battle.
For me, my PhD got better when I started to learn more about my field and gain confidence. From this point I, in a sort of way, gained ownership of what I was doing as I began to design and conduct my research. In addition, I got into the routine of doing the work every day and taking breaks at the weekend. I can tell you that after the first few months, time flies. I'd say you're still finding your feet at the moment and getting into the routine of things. Once you know exactly what you're doing and how to do it, you may feel different about things. You might not see it as sitting around, like office work, once you're fully engaged, so it might be worth just a few more months with it and see how you feel then.
If you really don't like your PhD at all then, generally, it is easier to leave earlier in the PhD process than later. Although rather sly, you could apply for teaching course whilst you are doing you PhD and then, if you're certain you don't like it, drop out to start the course nearer the time. You could try to get the requisite classroom exposure to apply for teaching in your spare time whilst doing the PhD.
I hope you don't think I'm being rude and you'll likely be aware anyway, but secondary teaching is a very difficult career to get into at the moment (like HE!). Last year, around 50 % of NQTs did not manage to get posts and there are no longer any shortage subjects. Supply work is equally grim, with companies only able to offer the odd days here and there.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
:-)

Yep, you read the above correct. Today, I was the happy recipient of free stuff from Merck. All I had to do was fill their registration page online, request a small booklet, pretend that my home address is a medical research laboratory (can't believe they fell for that one!) and bingo. The stress ball does look like it may split really easily, so best not get too stressed.

Maybe it's because it's late and I'm tired, but reading your post actually makes me really mad. You've done all the research and 'all' you have to do now is write it up. The last person to tell you to give up should be your supervisor. He/she is supposed to provide encouragement and support. It's just really bloody defeatist of your supervisor to say that. Besides, if you were to give up, it would reflect badly on the supervisor and the department at your university. I don't understand the logic in what was said by him/her.
As you point out, you have years to get the PhD written up, so plenty of time. Don't listen to your supervisor and think you should give up. It's your decision, your decision alone and you're not in a desperate situation.:-)

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[quote]Quote From ra24:

Recently we visited London and hired a car ........ (removed advertising)
Right...And what's this got to do with the price of fish?

I quite like Office 2010. There's not much difference between it and Office 2007, except for an improved ribbon interface, greater speed and a few new tricks. As for getting it by dodgy means, I wouldn't bother. Essentially, it has to be reactivated every 180 days by a Microsoft server so unless you have a good KMS activator, it can cause a few headaches. It is really cheap for students, so I agree with Sneaks on this one. I'd buy it.
However, if you're anywhere near as impoverished as I currently am (though I'm not currently having to re-use teabags), I do have a good version of Office 2010 that I use. I can upload it for you to download and install. :-)

I've become a creature of habit as I write up. I listen to LBC (even though I live nowhere near London) and podcasts on BBC Radio 4 during the day as I work. Friday to Sunday evenings, it's Stephen Nolan on 5 Live. Sometimes, I'll even listen to an audio book as I work. Very occasionally, I'll listen to music. These are the little things I do to get by and beat the tedium.

Does anyone else do anything like this? Perhaps have a TV on in the background, or watch funny videos on YouTube? I'd just like to know if I'm overlooking any other helpful strategies?

Out of interest, do you have the Tinkler and Jackson book? I have have it in ebook format. PM me if you think you'll find it helpful. Good luck with preparing for the viva. :-)

What's a 'differentiation working bibliography'?:$

Hello, Cherryblossom, and welcome to PGF. With my limited experience, I'll try and deal with your uncertainties on a point-by-point basis.


"I'm just at the end of my first year of a fully funded 4 yr PhD and am having serious doubts about continuing on to 2nd yr. i guess i'm just looking for advice from people who would have been in a similar situation as me previously and whether they stuck it out or left to pursue other things."

A couple of years ago, I was in exactly this position. The first year can be a 'baptism of fire' because you go from knowing very little about your subject area to knowing a little bit more but being very uncertain of everything. This is very normal. Many people would be liars if they said they didn't think about dropping out after the first year. I decided to carry on and I'm more or less glad I did. You have 4 years of funding, plenty of time to make mistakes and slow progress, so I'd recommend seeing how you get on in the second year.

"I feel like i want to leave but in the current economic climate the likely hood of getting a job is slim and i also worry what possible employers would think of me having a 'failed' phd on my CV but at the same time the thought of staying here another 3 years (possibly longer) really does not appeal to me either"

It is a compelling reason to stick with your PhD. Hopefully, when you emerge in 3 years time, things will have sorted themselves out. Plus, you don't really know what directions your research may take months from now. Excitement in a PhD waxes and wanes, I find. Sometimes, it's ace. Other times, it's just a grind. Ultimately, it's up to you, but it may be worth seeing how it goes.

"my PhD is in the same area as my undergrad degree which is science based, i've been struggling to get to grips with my project and find it hard to see the interesting side to it. the lab work i have done to date isn't really working out for me which i know can happen but i'm just finding that i don't get any help from my postdoc or my supervisor on how to solve the problem, my supervisor even suggested i read the manual to one of the machines to figure out why it wasn't working!! is this normal? i'm not an engineer i don't know how machines work!! "

Hmm, this can be a problem. I've been in the same situation. My supervisors are lovely, but they don't know very much about my research area. To get around this, what I did was network like mad. Find experts and e-mail them with my questions and problems. My research wouldn't have been possible without their help. So, why not try networking? Also, I have a lot of books about a lot of different things (I'm not saying I understand a lot of different things!) - so if you're having problems with GLC or MS, then send me a PM and I'll doubtless have a book on it. In addition, it might be worth telling your supervisor about the difficulties you are currently facing.


"at the moment i am supposed to be writing up my 1 year review report and i just cant motivate myself to do it, it's not like i have alot to write about as my lab work isn't really working out, couple of days hard work would get it sorted but i just cant do it i sit at my desk for hours just staring at the screen."

I could have written that! I'm supposed to be writing up, but the going is slow. Try breaking it down into little tasks and also consider the Pomodoro (sp?) technique, via my tomatoes. Many forumites on hear swear by it.

"I really don't know what to do and i certainly don't want to sound ungrateful for the oppertunity i've gotten by being given this PhD as i know other people who kill for the opportunity but surely if i don't like it should leave....right? i did this PhD because i previously worked in R&D in industry and loved it and thought a research PhD would be similar but the t

Haha, I'm not quite at that stage yet. I like how the cat sounds like a British version of one of the grocery store clerks. I've conditioned my mum's dog so that when I lick my lips, at any time of the day, she thinks I'm going to eat her dinner and growls and barks. That can bring light relief as I try and write up. I also rehearse what I'm going to say in my viva and say it aloud as I write - thank God, no-one can hear me.

Viva examiner (VE): So, how did your research come about.
Me: Well, bla, bla, bla.
VE: I'm a bit concerned about this areas here...
Me: Yeah, well, I've been sat a computer for 3 years, I've got no money and don't you think this bit is really good?

I've even had a lucid nightmare where the external examiner gave me a big book and it was a list of all the corrections for my thesis. I remember thinking and saying 'is it really that bad? How long I have I got to do these corrections?'
So, not exactly the same malady as yours, but on the same spectrum of madness.

I only want one thing for Xmas - my thesis done. It's just a pity that it's like buying your own present, since no-one else can do it for you.