Signup date: 25 May 2006 at 3:26pm
Last login: 08 Aug 2008 at 4:34pm
Post count: 846
I've imported endnote into bibliophile, and used bibliophile to get full references from pubmed. I found a techie friend who managed to import the bibliophile database into OO (no idea how) and I can now add refs, and do the bibliography-via OO.
My techie friend also installed bibliophile, it might have required some fiddling I think.
I needed to find a webpage on how to do the bibliography as wasn't imediately obvious how to use it, but now makes perfect sense.
With temping agencies you have to be positive and point out what your experience is because they won't understand you can breeze the job. Maybe you could get them to let you try their tests as it will show how competent you area. They were surprised a clever Bsc (me) with no experience could do really well on their computer test.
You could try the university dare I say it, I don't know what your situation was. Some PhDs get extra money for a few months from their supervisor. One guy finished in 3 years and is still here kind of doing a postdoc. Universities in general respect degrees so there might be some temporary work that is better than your current job. Don't let your bad PhD experiences get to you or it's won.
I'm sorry you feel like that, you sound incredibly depressed.
Have you highlighted all the transferable skills from your PhD when applying for jobs, or seen a careers advisor?
You will be behind undergrads in the short time as you've not in the workplace, but you will overtake them in a few years and eventually on average be paid more.
My suggestions for jobs would be office temping while you found something better, and maybe changing job to one with different hours as it seems to be making your miserable. Is there anyone that could put you up on a sofa for a short while?
Don't give up hope, I was pretty miserable in an office job for 6 months before my PhD and lost the motivation to apply for jobs and PhDs.
Had you thought of supply teaching, I know people who have done that. They take on PhDs without teaching training in my area and it is well paid. The snag is that you would be sent to the really horrible schools who need teachers.
1) That's quite a wide subject area you will end up specialising in one very specific area
2) When you do research for 3-4 years you don't always feel the same at the end, I wanted a research career at the start, now realise I wouldn't enjoy it
3) I get the impression there are less studentships, grants and postdocs than there used to be. You will not earn a lot of money as a postdoc and there is job insecurity and a lot of competitiveness. Being good at the subject does not mean you will automatically progress of get funding.
4) If you move from science it could take years to get the salary of someone who started "work" earlier, but you would probably overtake them in salary/responsibility.
Maybe you should talk to a careers advisor, or some academics in your department.
My supervisor is terrible. He said it would be more "efficient" if I got other people to read it first so it was more polished before he read it. I'm sure he's wasn't thinking of my interests when he said that. I find he is easier to pin down in person, if I stand in his office and try and make a meeting. I say I want a meeting to discuss X. He ignored a recent email. I ask for a timeframe, but try to do it in a way that I suggest he's busy, won't have time to read it, and asking when he would time to read it. Do you have any good postdocs who could help you? Luckily we now have a good one.
Could you do references, find out about thesis binding/format, do contents, abbreviations, diagrams?
I wrote dates on the chapters I gave him out of interest, one took 1-2 months, the other only about 1-2 more. He said he would read it by Friday 4 days later lol
I agree with Sue, I'm not sure if I should have stuck with it, I liked the subject, not great at labwork and don't feel I've got much aptitude for research but need to finish now (writing up).I struggled on having lots of days when I couldn't go in. I'm having a "day" today in fact as looked at my chapter 4 data and realised I probably don't have the result I thought which makes me wonder if I could ever finish.
It is unlikely to get better. experiments don't work even for experienced people, although people speed up. Is there an option of an MSc or MPhil over 1-2 years? I would do something fairly drastic now-talk to someone, resolve the problems, maybe by changing course/type of course/giving up if that's right for you.
JoJo: My supevisor still isn't interested but I insisted on a new project at the end of year 2 as needed results and wasn't getting them from the other work. I've written most my PhD, I'm in my 4th year of a 3-year funded PhD and I think I'm an average writing up time. I try and manage my supervisor: go to him with a list of questions I've prepared, and I wrote our supposedly joint reports so he could just look through. I gave my literature review to a collaborator to read (more knowledgable in the area) as could see my supervisor possibly wasn't even going to read it. I've found a young supervisor who will chat about my confidence issues, who've I seen twice for a pep talk on writing up. There's a helpful postdoc now who I can take problems too. My supervisor is someone who leaves you to work it out for yourself sink or swim.
I've no papers and feel I know nothing, but I'm learning as I write up (which makes it feel like a mammoth task).
My doctor says exercise to keep energy levels up, although I've given up exercise and stuff my face full of snacks all day so I'm no example.
Can you start late and work late? I've found sometimes I have a terrible start and think, oh no I should have started, but if you work later then you've given it a good shot.
Are you leaving the house? I'm a bit zoned out and in my own world, partly from spending all day alone and not going out much. I'm determined to spend a monthish being antisocial and work really hard on it. Must leasve internet...
Does it matter how the bibliography is formatted, or is it personal choice?
Does anyone know a website, or know if there is a style that should be used?
I've looked at 4 theses from our lab and they all have variations on:
Surname, A., (year). Title. Journal. volume. page-page.
The title/journal/vol they have used bold/italic/underline/"" in different combinations, and some people use fullstops, some commas.
I handed drafts into people too, like 1st draft to supervisor after getting at least 1 person to read it first. Getting something in helps, the first draft will probably be rubbish, but if you get feedback you can work through what are probably the most important issues rather than the niggly ones that slow you down and don't help I've started thinking- well is it important or not, so that I don't waste time on small unimportant things.
Saying all that my chapter 4 is a knightmare, the shortest results chapter, but I can't get into it and work slowly/get distracted easily.
I've also learnt that if you read what you've written and get bored and struggle to keep the point of it all, it could be the way you've structured it, and that it's just not reader friendly.
Yep. I spent 5 months before my PhD in a lab failing to express a protein, then 6 months of my PhD doing the same. My first 2 years were a knightmare. and my supervisor seems uninterested in my work.
I'm writing up in my 4th year now.
I'd say sort it out now-talk to people so you feel better.
Setting a deadline, again the idea of getting it finished. I set the end of May after 6 months of writing and getting nowhere (and want an examiner who's having a baby soon).
I've worked all bank holiday weekend and evenings that's not me (no PhD motivation)
I've tried leaving gaps and moving onto other bits, or just writing what I want to say in very bad English so I can leave it, and write up properly later.
Planning a holiday or treat at the end of it?
Talking to a sympathetic lecturer for a pep talk.
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