Hey

I think you know what you want to do, but you are finding it difficult to say a yes or no (I know it happens to all of us I guess). Maybe talk to some people who know you closely who can give you insight on your particular situation.

Good luck with whatever your choice

Hello

I just started my PhD around 3 months ago and am also 24. I had been working for 2 years (whilst doing my MSc part time). I was in a similar situation. I was given notions of being able to move up at work (but no definite how and when and nothing set in stone). Starting a PhD meant moving away from my family and bf and getting used to a whole other country (although not a pay cut in actual terms, due to different standards of living in the countries it means much more money going out). I liked my job, but it got a bit boring after some time...although really interesting it does get boring a bit since I did not get to explore what I wanted to explore, just the company's issues and how to solve them in the immediate future.

I think that doing a Phd for the money is not the actual way to go. If you want money better to stay at work (I was in a junior management position at work, so it was quite stressful, but not as all consuming as a PhD, where the project is yours and you are constantly thinking about it). However certainly do a PhD if you like the area of research, you actually like doing research and you are interested in learning more about the subject.

I do not know if the PhD will end up giving me a better job at the end (but I certainly hope and believe it will do), As you say, the decision is ultimately yours. I kept having doubts until I caught the plane, with wanting to quit before even coming out. But till now I am still enjoying it (maybe cos I am still in the honeymoon period, but would like to believe I will be like those people writing in the thread a little way back about enjoying their PhD).

It is your decision but I am sure you will do the best one. Whatever you decide stick with it and work hard at it :). You will be a success whatever path you choose.

I have recently started a PhD and am having issues with when to reference. What is common knowledge and what is not? For example I am working on nitrate contamination. Do I need to find a reference that says that elevated nitrate leads to eutrophication? Or that elevated nitrate in drinking water can lead to the blue baby syndrome? These should be well-known...and if I cite people who said them I could find loads of references. So at what point do you stop?

Thank you

Hello...I have just been through this in getting referees for applications, and have been lucky in being successful in getting a PhD so maybe I can send my 2c worth. I think the referees are not necessarily there to see ability in a particular field. Some applications do ask for academic references. For those look at perhaps the head of department where you did your masters (did you help out in demonstrating work they were responsible for, helped organised a seminar...do they know you exist?...try and find someone high up...perhaps an examiner for your MSc, or a collaborator to your supervisor who you have gone to for some queries in your MSc). I did go back to my Bachelor lecturers. Most did not see me do any research, but they could say things about how I ranked in their classes, my English capabilities, how I participated in class, interaction with others.

Alternatively look at perhaps job experiences. I was doing my Masters part time whilst working, so I went to a manager at my job location...my job was not at all related to my PhD studies. But PhD work is much about project and time management, so she discussed how I handled the projects entrusted to me at work, how I worked in a team (yes a PhD is a sole project many times, but it is also team work...you help each other out sometimes, and you must work well in a team). Sometimes I feel that references are not there to see how well you can use a particular technique or so (that is through your CV, and your previous research experience), but they are there to learn a bit more about you...how well do you pick up new techniques/methods, how well can you assess literature, etc

Hope this helps a bit :)

Hi

I just have a short question. I just started my PhD in October, and have not thought of this. However I am still not sure where this helps. Could you please explain what the benefits etc are for this? I am doing a science PhD...are you in ascience too? Thanks

Hi, I have just started a PhD about a month ago and have a question. How do you approach contacting other researchers and how far do you go? I need to select analytes for my project and my supervisors cannot really help in it (I am sort of joining 2 areas and they have experience in the other). I emailed a Prof at another Uni who has considerable experience in the area. I asked some simple questions on some papers he published and he replied back, and said he would be willing to help further.

I am really tempted to ask him for help/guidance on analyte selection based on his experience. Has anyone been through this? By telling him I will certainly get some much needed support, and good insights. But I am not sure how far you should go with telling others what you are doing.

Any advice?

Hello. I have just started my PhD studies a few weeks ago, and would like to ask whether anyone has any experience in setting up a project plan. I have gone into a funded PhD, where the project has been 'defined' by the supervisors. There is however very little planned (about half a page worth of information available) and therefore I am quite free in where I want to take the research. I do not know much about the specific area, but I believe I can get the hang of it and I am really excited about the topic. My problem at the moment is what to put in the project plan (I was thinking of doing a Gantt chart or something similar). What level of detail should I give? I do not know much about how long the different things should take.

Could anyone perhaps give me any tips?

Thank you

Hello GinandJazz

Do not know if I can be of much help. I just started my PhD 2 weeks ago. I am also attempting an LDR. I do not know how far it is for you to travel back and forth. My bf and I have planned to meet around every month, where one of us travels to the others' place. We are around 4hours away by direct plane ride, and we only get those around twice a week or so. Next weekend is the first visit (it is for 2.5days only but I'll take whatever comes). I think you should ask if this is possible. In my case I do not think it will be possible, except in the write up stages (but that is so far away).

Till now we have been coping with Skype. However I do not know how it will go in the future. Please tell us how you get on. I feel better to know that other people are in the same situation. I hope you are settling in in your new place. I have been trying to get to know people and make friends. This has made be a bit more forward than usual. But things seem to be getting on OK.

Best wishes

Hey,

I just started 1 week ago, and am getting into things. I had to move across Europe and am surprisingly settling in quite well. I am in environmental chemistry too Jock :)

Hey

Thank you for your replies...my things are now packed :D...and tomorrow I will be off (it will be a 3.5hour plane ride or so away...so quite far away)...however we should be meeting once a month, which is not too bad. He is very supportive...everyone is. I think the enormity of it all has just gotten to me. This morning I also printed my final copy of my master's thesis, so I have had some good things too...but it is very emotional...It is really strange...thinking with my rational mind (I am a scientist after all), I believe all will be OK...I have the support of everyone around me...but sometimes I am just panicking...it is absolutely not something I generally do, so maybe that is why I am a bit scared...but thank you for your replies...I will go tomorrow...have the best 3 years of my life and in 3 years time I will be a Dr (haha...positive thinking), have a great boyfriend waiting for me at my graduation and will start missing the place I would have been calling home for the previous 3 years.

Thank you again

OK here goes,

I will be moving away from home tomorrow (for the first time...have gone on holidays etc, but not for 3 years)...different countries etc. I am leaving my boyfriend of 5 years behind as well. I am now not sure if I want to do the PhD, leaving all this behind. I need some support.

Thank you

Thank you for your comment...I (think) I actually would have preferred having been ripped up before by my supervisor...rather than having been told that all is OK...I will probably be really up to it in a few hours/days' time...it was just that it was unexpected...but anyways! I have much more to learn...and PhD here I come!

Hi...I should be starting my PhD in October, and have just finished my masters. I was really excited about starting my PhD but have been having lots of doubts lately. Basically yesterday I had my master's degree viva...and it did not go too well. The comments were mainly that scientifically it was very good and they could not fault it...however they had lots of editorial issues...where things go...some referencing (although they were impressed by the list of references...one examiner who is an expert in the field said I had referenced all the contributions he knows of in the area, they had some comments about some mistakes in the references e.g. 1 incomplete reference etc), and a lot of places where they said I wrote too much detail...others where I did not explain myself that well..etc etc. I did not get a rewrite...however I have a number of changes I have to do ebfore final submission. Nevertheless the mark is out...I got a Pass with Merit...my supervisor said it was just 1 mark from Pass with Distinction (which got me more down). Now I am not sure I am all that suitable for a PhD. (as a side note I did not have much support from my supervisor since he was dealing with some health issues in relation to his wife, but nevertheless I still feel I could have produced better work!) :S

Hi, I have been offerred a funded PhD and will be starting it this October. How does it work with time off from University? Do you have a set days of leave? I will be moving away from home to a different country...would it be possible to arrange to be working at home (e.g. when you are writing up, or doing literature search for periods of time e.g. 2 weeks at Christmas, Easter etc or something of the sort?...(I understand I need to be at the University all the time during experiments)...What is the situation with yourself?

Thank you

Try

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