Hi Cortex

Not that I'm an expert by any means, but judging by my relationship with my own supervisor...

Someone who has some interesting ideas, who has some get up and go, who has investigated the field at least a little, who has some concrete ideas they wish to pursue and an idea of what's involved in pursuing them, who is able to communicate these things and who has a hope of making themselves understood/useful in an academic setting. On top of all that... personable, knows what I'm doing as their potential supervisor, can see how their interests link with mine, has ideas about how we can work together. I think, though, that the most important thing is being able to communicate what you want to get out of PhD study and why you think that supervisor can help you get there.

Hi chrisolinski

Your post did make me smile. Don't worry about who cited what before you - what does it matter - that's what citation is about - it's what you make of the cites that matters. Cited material is about framing your ideas... look these people say this, that's interesting... this is what I have to add... more interesting. *chuckle* Argument is all, believe me.

Never mind, cc, if it makes you feel any better - I didn't even give mine to my supervisor... I just surrendered myself and told myself my latest chapter wasn't good enough and digitally 'ripped' it up... ohoh... data, data, data! Deadline Sunday!

I just last week promised myself a trip to China. *grin* And just to make it all the more enticing, that was the day after I resigned from my job! Ho! Ho! Still, ever the optimist as things always come in threes... that's - new job, PhD, trip.

Hi chrisolinski

Don't worry about how it feels or what it looks like, just write. I often have the same problem... just remember its much easier to rewrite something that has already been written than it is to think of something to write in the first place. The shape will come about in its own time. Sounds like you have some ideas for content... just go for it. Set yourself goals... say 500 words tonight...

Hi Sylvia

Better to let them down gently now than to go, feel miserable, and leave later, I think. As Goods says, they'll have time to find someone else. Also, these things inevitably happen and its best just to be honest about the situation, even though it's bound to be uncomfortable for you.

Before you get too excited... bear in mind that you'll have to teach the Dragon to 'think'... and 'speak'... *chuckle* Good luck with that!

This is what comes of trusting in machines... the above in simple Chinese:

在您得到太激动... 之前记住, 您将必须教龙' 认为'... 并且' 讲话'... * 微笑* 好运气与那!

Retranslates as:

Obtains in you too excitedly... before remembers, you will have to teach Long ' to think '... and ' to speak the '... * smile * good luck and that!

I think our compulsory quote is 30 hours a year. There are compulsory research training modules you have to cover in the first year full-time, or couple of years part-time but these can be counted in the 30 hour quota. In reality, I probably have done 2 to 3 courses a year, mainly research training with some academic practices classes (writing, preparation for conferences, publication, upgrading, viva etc.) thrown in.

I don't think a Masters is compulsory, even in social sciences, although a good Honours degree is, e.g. 2:1 or above. I started my PhD without a Masters.

On the 1+3 - this, as said above, is for MRes (1) + PhD (3). The +3 is generally for students who already have an MRes and want to move straight into the PhD. Under new rules, Research Methods training is compulsory for most funded places - so, even if you have a Masters in something else - you need to go for 1+3 to cover the MRes (Masters in Research).

[part 2]. And, besides, would postponing a year really help you? More time, same fears potentially. Also, you may not be successful when reapplying. Other possible option - could you split residence, 4 days at uni, 3 at current home? Probably not so easy on funding. Main thing is, you do have options... you just need to decide what's most important to you at this moment in time. The PhD or time to sort your life out. Go for it, and good luck.

Hi f0xie

Sounds like a case of the jitters to me. I say just go for it, if a PhD is what you really want (as seems to be the case - viz reapplying next year). There seem to be two questions here - how to prepare and how to afford. If you have a scholarship, presumably that means funding, live simply (then afford) - of course, doesn't work so well if you have dependents. As to preparing - you have one/two months? Could you store your belongings somewhere? I did this at short notice (amongst friends) - even a sofa... lots of lofts out there.

Ha! Ha! Joao. You sound like you're enjoying that whisky. *grin* As for me, I'm enjoying a nice glass of wine, the Princess Diana concert and trying hard to get over the fact that I've just burnt my last bag of popcorn in the microwave.

Goods,

Well, sometimes, it's a choice of pay your way or don't do the PhD - full funding isn't all that common in areas like the social sciences/humanities/education, etc. I pay my fees (part-time) and work full time as a teacher (going to 4 days next year because I'm struggling to balance work-study-living sufficiently right now). I'm happy to pay the fees because I want to do the PhD. I don't think I would want to do one full-time on a stipend (not after having worked on full salary for several years). And getting funding for a part-time PhD - you might as well forget that.

Hmm, okay, visited the site (interesting, by the way, thanks) you mentioned being a community member of - so it looks like you're really interested in the Development angle more than other things. The CAL 07 conference held earlier this year in Dublin had a Development section - here's the website - look at the presenters and you might find some useful connections:

http://www.cal-conference.elsevier.com/

The Mirandanet community also has interests in Global Development - and you might be able to get some advice/help there:

http://www.mirandanet.ac.uk/index.htm

You might find these sites a useful starting point:

http://partners.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=rh
http://www.lkl.ac.uk
http://www.futurelab.org.uk
http://www.childrenyouthandmediacentre.co.uk/

Unis I know of with an high level of interest in technologies:

King's College, Goldsmiths, Birkbeck, UCL, Brighton, Sussex, Exeter, Bristol, London Knowledge Lab