I agree that as a final year student finishing your thesis is a priority, but you also need to think about career development and in that sense the other stuff isnt entirely 'random'. If you want to do a post-doc you'll need other skills, and being able to say you have trained/supervised/managed other people will be good for CVs/applications.

I'd agree with writingup. It depends on how good your proposal is, and whether your proposed project fits with ESRC research priorities. A 2.1 and a masters are prerequisites for applying for +3 funding, so you would have the same chance as anybody else.

No wonder you're feeling pressurised.

Will the faculty let you intercalate? Well, you can but ask. But you haven't exactly got a strong position to bargain from as you're going against the requirements of the degree programme by working. TBH it doesn't sound as though you have much commitment to the PhD.

OK, now I am confused Giny. You're working P/T and doing a full time PhD that doesnt allow you to work?

How about 'doctoral researcher'?

not that I am likely to get a business card.

Hi Giny. I suppose there are a few who sail through never doubting their ability to get a PhD, but I for one have multiple ups and downs, often in the same day.

But really, for you it sounds as much practical as anything. If you are working 80% plus coping with a new baby I'm amazed if you are managing to fit a PhD in too.

I take it you are doing the PhD part time? Have you looked at the possibility of intercalating? taking some time out from your PhD? I had a friend who did this last year, for financial reasons. Allowed him to concentrate on work and saving some money. Of course he didnt completely stop the PhD work, but he wasnt expected to be producing anything so it took the pressure off. It would be a shame to quit if the research is actually going ok.

Beshoy, that is just uuurgh! It has completely put me off my breakfast!

That's good advice from H.

It sounds as though you've got a crisis of confidence. I think your comment about not having 'the originality/spark to produce a great thesis' is illuminating. I mean, we all WANT to produce 'great' research, but you only NEED an 'OK thesis' to get a PhD. I think part of the PhD process is adjusting from dreams of changing the world to realising that our research is only going to make a very small contribution in the overall scheme of things.

I suppose what I am trying to say is our motivation/enthusiasm changes, so you don't necessarily need to try and recapture the original spark, but look for a different ways of keeping going. I keep a couple of papers handy that, IMHO, are rubbish, to remind myself that if that can get published I should be OK - which is a petty way of motivating myself, but I find it helps!

Go and have a good holiday/birthday, hopefully a break away from it will help.

Hi deiseal. Can you say a bit more about why you are thinking of quitting?

If it is because you have decided research really is not for you, then there is no shame in stepping out of a PhD now. But if you are going through a 'down' patch and worried about lack of progress, that is par for the course and not something you need to quit over.

Dont you just love journal titles.

have just come across these:

Journal of Sandwich Structures and Materials
Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus
Journal of Fire Sciences
Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting
Journal of Vibration and Control

am trying to imagine what sort of PhD research you'd be doing to get published in any of those.

what's your fav. journal?

Phew! Good luck with the ethics stuff - but you'll be fine. I did it on my own because my supervisor had no idea it was required and no idea how to go about it. But at least they appreciated the work involved and the time implications!

at least you have a supportive main supervisor. Least you have to do with the other one the better I reckon!

It's not just outrageous and unacceptable. If she is telling you not to bother with stuff like getting ethics approval because she can't be a***d, that is really worrying. What happens in your viva when your examiners ask you about what ethical approval you got? Or if you try and publish and reviewers ask? It could seriously compromise your future in research. You really have to address this by taking it up with someone more senior. Sorry, dont mean to sound too heavy about this, but you really can't be ignoring stuff like ethics (or any sort of regulations) because a supervisor says so.

Road to Nowhere, Talking Heads. If anyone else is old enough to remember.

No tips, but lots of sympathy. and, if you'll permit, a little bit of gloating that thank god the transcribing is behind me. You're right, it is a nightmare. And I think a lot of the tips about writing up work well - do it in small chunks, focus on what you've done not how much there is still to do, make sure you have somewhere comfortable to work. I also found (and dont tell my supervisor this) I soon started to worry less about being completely accurate - as long as I got the sense of what people said, that was enough for the sort of analysis I was doing, tho now when I am writing up if I want to quote something I go back and check the original tape.

If it is really important to you to have a desk, then yes, you need to ask about before you sign up to do the PhD. Where I am it varies from school to school. Seems to be more likely that sciences students get a desk. For the humanities, some have a desk in a shared office, some have access to a computer room reserved for PhD students, some have nothing ...