Make sure you record all failures from experiments and use photos to support it if doing any practicals. I was lucky as my proposal had zero literature review and I could blag my way through it.

Thank you for the replies. Mattfbb I've been thinking about this project for the last 2 years, I have the designs, layout, experimental testing and also ideas how to implement the technology into a wider range of buildings written on scraps of paper. @pm133, I never liked playing safe, to me if you don't push yourself above your boundaries then you don't what you can achieve. If you failed, then learn from the mistakes and move on, as they say, some of the best projects were due to mistakes Postit!

Enjoy the New Year and call mid or late January if you haven't heard anything.

I completed the research for my Master's and been reading up in the area I'm interested in ever since, again the proposal is soo niche that it falls under sustainable energy, efficient buildings, micro generation & DNG and electrical engineering. To answer you question on no previous research, I thought PhD was to research new ideas and proposals?

Just a generic question, I'm thinking about starting a PhD, but there is a lot of self-doubt as there has been no research/literature review in the field I want to study.

If you don't query the Doctoral Centers you won't know, just ring Administration and politely enquire how long does the process take. They'll be able to give a rough idea, then you know where roughly you stand. As for age, 28 if that is old, them I'm ancient.

Contact your local social services, community safeguard groups, school pastoral leader (handles welfare and abuse) and Police force, they will be able to give ideas who to contact. Beware it is a subject that people won't want to talk about.

All I can say is just go for it, find a supervisor and sell yourself in a positive way, what surprised me is that your workplace didn't give you the chance to study a Master part-time as most Universities are keen on investment in staff (cost them nothing).

Define the context, oral performance in which area? Linguistics, computer science, speech therapy, social science, engineering? You have asked a very broad question.

Meoverthere, if I were you take a step back ask yourself do want to continue on a PHD that doesn't interest you? Walk away, ask for it to be deferred if possible and clear your head. If not why not apply to ERAMUS and study abroad, pick topics that interest you.

Anyone going to it and why does it seem so secretive?

Hope that helps, first three are important.

you sure?

Forgot to mention Teaddict, if you are worried about your teaching practice ask a senior lecturer if they have time to observe you. You don't know if you doing great or poorly unless someone tells you.

Teaddict, you will be fine, teaching is a skill that can be developed. Just remember when you sat in the numerous lectures, which ones did you enjoy and the ones you hated? The chances are the one enjoyed is when the Lecturer added humour and information given was short and direct.