wondered if it is worth looking in a hard copy of the journal? I know *everything* is on the web these days, but poss if details were very sketchy there might be a bit more info in the actual paper journal - even if only a clear address to send submissions to (AFIK it is common to send to the editor at their address (eg uni department) rather than through publisher)

good luck with it!

Yeah, me to, as I've achieved nothing this week and want to get draft of this chapter done by the end of next week.

I think I might have a small glass of something to get the creative juices flowing though.

where I am the requirements include stuff like:

- having been an active researcher publishing consistently for at least seven years.
- material submitted is part of a larger body of work
- material submitted is 'a thesis' i.e. 'an argument' (not diverse bits of research).

probably different in different places tho.

"my drafts to editors and receiving feedback is a good supervision"

... and coming on here and getting advice. i hope bobby is going to get a credit in your thesis

Like the others have said, smarter for talking to people where you want to come across as professional, otherwise (if you are going to be in the library all day or something) whatever you like. I did some interviewing of clinicians and wore a skirt for that (I am female BTW). but also did some phone interviewing and i have been known to conduct an inteview on the phone from my sitting room in my pyjamas

I hated the liquid nitrogen tank as well, always used to try and get someone else to fill the dewars (not doing a science PhD but used to work in a lab)

Also ultracentrifuges

And very expensive chemicals that had to be made up properly or you ruined them.

Mind you at school I was scared of lighting the bunsen burner.

I think maybe I was never really cut out for science

I really don't understand what the problem is.

Grow a spine - it's your decision

Hmm. Does sound like you and your supervisors need to talk – but it doesn’t have to be a confrontation unless one or other party makes it. All you are really looking for is clarification. At this stage anyway, if you are not seeing eye to eye the arguments may come later.
Have to say I disagree with Zelda. I am someone who followed their nose and ended up using a very different approach from the one my supervisor takes. All through I have been thinking my supervisor didn’t have time to comment or offer criticisms or even suggestions of things I could read or literature I might have missed. Now I realise it’s because the sup just doesn’t know anything about the route I chose to take. And now I am writing up I realise I really do need someone who is familiar with the approach to provide sound criticism. So I would suggest caution over taking an approach that isn’t something your sup knows about. They ain’t going to learn it just for you!

eeewww! Valentine's is for lurve. exchanging pressies with someone you don't want to exchange bodily fluids with is weird, like me giving my brother a valentine's day pressie, no it's yukkie.

though as i dont have anyone to lurve i think the whole thing is a conspiracy of the gift industry.

I found the same as shelleyanne, when you find the stuff you are reading refers to stuff you have already read you have got to 'literature saturation'. But that isnt likely to happen till towards the end (in my experience).

If you are starting it is vital to get stuck into the doing stuff and to carrry on reading at the same time.

Yay! congrats fluffymonster

I think it depends what sort of person you are. Rothamstead is pretty isolated so (although there will be other students) if you want to carry on a real 'student lifestyle' with access to other uni things like sports clubs it might not suit as well as if you are happy to treat it as a first job. From what i have seen (other institute though) they do treat students well, with less hassle in getting equipment and stuff, and less distinction between 'student' and 'staff'.
Also note that there won't be opportunities to teach/demonstrate - not necessarily a prob, depending on what you want to do after and what your finances are like!
Which uni would you be registered at? worth checking out what they provide in way of generic training etc

"Spain or Italy where a woman in her thirties is often seen as an old lady"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that's spain and italy out for holidays for me then!

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeofpractice/section1/postgrad2004.pdf
see p11

I would still go and talk it over with someone in an advice centre if you have one, or someone in the SU. If you have an agreement it is a contract, even if it wasnt anyting 'formal'.

If you were offered a place and funding you have a contract with the University which they can't just pull out of. Did you get anything in writing? Is there a student advice centre at the uni? I would go and talk to them, i am sure there is some legal obligation. It is the same principle as being offered a job, they can't just turn round and say 'sorry' without offerin compensation.