thanks for your reply swantje- but how do you find out about such conferences?

I know that phd students are supposed to do the whole networking thing by themselves but i'm completely stuck. I have emailed several academics whose work is important for my project but none have replied back. I know its my job to sort stuff like this out but even if my sup could give me one contact, i'd be happy- i just need a starting point. Will he think i'm totally hopeless if i ask?

go for the work experience....phd is one of the hardest thngs you will do in your life so you need to be 100% certain....if in the future you do want to do a phd, then you can, there will be opportunties i'm sure.

oh, and i like drinking wine. Postgraduate study and alcohol....that's asking for trouble

hey all, my research is in indian policing during British rule- i'm looking at the impact of British forms of policing (changes that were introduced etc) upon traditional indian forms of policing.

I'm 27, started my phd at 23 but took 2 years out and am now returning. I don't know if a phd is now possible but i'm going to try my best, even for an Mphil.

Other interesting info about myself- ummm, worry alot ( as you probably guessed), like going to gym, doing yoga, going for long walks and......think that's it really

And remember 'originality' as pugh states has different meanings- for eg, it can mean looking at an old problem from a different perspective (there are other definitions it's all in the book!). Finding this out helped me because it made me realise that you don't have to singlehandedly change the way your field is perceived (phew!!). At phd level you are just teasing out gaps etc, you can leave all the 'groundbreaking' stuff till after the phd. Anyway, hope this helps.

have you read 'how to get a phd' by pugh and 'working for a doctorate' by verma- they offer excellent tips on how to get started with research questions.

Ask yourself 'what is the problem i am trying to address?'. Then there is the issue of uncertainty- in the existing literature you are reading are there any gaps/ uncertainties that could be examined further- ask yourself- 'how can i fill this gap or reduce uncertainty?' and from that formulate themes, ideas and so on.

Another question would be (yes, another one) i would ask you guys is- how many of you speak the 'academic language' well? I'm not a confident speaker at all, lots of terms i don't understand- i'm surrounded by well spoken people and feel like an idiot most of the time. It would be nice to find that i'm not the only one and how others deal with it- i wonder if universities offer courses to help students with this, need to find out!!

If i leave, there will always be regret and anger at the fact i let my insecurities get the better of me....even if a few months down the line it starts to go downhill, at least i will know i tried my best. I am in a better place personally than i was before and i have a better idea of what a phd actually involves so i am going to try hard not make the same mistakes again, hence my thread about how to network, finding places to stay in London (thanks for your suggestions guys).

Hey guys,

A while back i posted a thread about whether to stay or leave my studies....after giving it much thought I've decided to give it a try ( i'm mad i know). I'm not happy with my reasons for quitting...the main reason why i did badly first time round was more due to confidence/personal issues rather than anything to do with my academic ability

thanks for the tips and suggestions guys, i really appreciate it

thanks for that liminalplace- this site really is a godsend! I'm going to research in London in July, until then i am running around like a headless chiicken trying to figure exactly WHAT sources to look at- hence the need to contact other academics. Its really tough, don't want to procrastinate but there is so much stuff to think about- i've spent the past two weeks just thinking rather than doing. Does anybody else feel like this?

Silly question, I know. i have my research questions and themes all sorted but have no idea how to network. I'm a (very shy) history student, so meeting other historians who know about my area and can guide me to the right material is very important.

Question is how do i get in touch? Just email them? My supervisor has not said anything about this so i am guessing he wants me to figure it out on my own. Anyone going through, or has gone through, the same thing?

if you think about the phd 24/7 then that feeling of dread will never disappear- add as much activity and routine into your day as possible- do different things not related to study and set aside a specific time for 'studying'- this time should not include 'worrying time'- i always give myself an hour to 'worry' about my study, then i try to figure out a solution, then i try to study---take the studying in small steps, if you look at it as one big piece you will ofcourse feel overwhelmed and dread it. So i would recommend short small bursts of study- and yoga, it really works!!

hi beverly....yes, I am familiar with that wonderful feeling of dread everytime you try to study. One thing i have noticed that has helped me is joining the gym- i know you probably can't be bothered, don't have time, money (as i told myself at first)- but, trust me it really does help. I was practically anti-physical exercise in the past but i've noticed all that exercise actually destresses me, gives me more more energy and lets me 'put things into perspective'