26 days to hand-in now. 30th of June as the deadline. Which means I need to take it to the binders on the 28th.The external examiner has been appointed. I still have much to do. Entire vast sections of text to re-write! Have very little movtiation. :(

I should imagine that it is a much easier thing to do: better writing and research skills and an ease with the field. But surely it would be better to write a book than another thesis (in the humanities) though I guess in the sciences different skills sets wouldbe acquired...

DanB - we need to have an intervention and save you from yourself! ;)

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The odds of getting AHRC funding in the humanities are very slender. When I first applied for the AHRC for a PhD in 2006 the odds were something like 22% of applications got funded at my institution. I did not secure funding the first time and applied again the following year and got the AHRC doctoral funding for 2 years. I was fortunate to get money for the last year from a German funding body that required moving overseas.

I would strongly advise against self-funding a humanities PhD. I found it stressful enough in my first year - yet alone self funding for 3+ years. it was very difficult to pay bills and eat properly and even though I worked 30 hours a week for money whilst doing a full time PhD I still had to pay off the MA loan that I took out for my self-funded MA. It was an utter nightmare. I have psoriasis for months and lost a lot of weight. Not good.

Yes, one can love their subject - but in a pragmatic sense self-funding a humanities PhD to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds could be a phyrric victory. Year pass, money spent - and in this market one might be better with the work experience.

Base your judgement on the following: if you had to pay for your own PhD would it still be worth it if you don't get an academic job at the end?

I mean no disrespect to anybody who does self-fund and I know that there are many dedicated PhD students that do that.

Thanks for your post - yes, I hope in time it is seen as a very positive thing.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply rb. I will be as supportive as I can, and I have always told him that there is no shame in leaving and that it is no reflection on his intellect. I hope in time he will find other things to put his passion into. I can imagine it will be very difficult to see me finish (I hope!) as he leaves and will try and be as sensitive as I can be. I'm not the sort to want endless parties and change the bank details etc etc - so I am happy to just let it slip by...

:)

My boyfriend has decided to leave his PhD in the near future. I think that this is absolutely the right choice for him and he needed to take his time to reach it. I don't care about my own title (assuming I even pass the viva) and certainly have no care as to whether he is a Mr or a Dr.

I will be finishing my own in the next 4 weeks (pending viva) and so I will be glad to put the shared doctoral thesis hell behind me...

Sneaks - I hope your husband is able to sort out his thesis if it is so close to submission. It is a very different thing to leave 1/2 way through or right near the end.

Congratulations and good luck with your psotdoc! (up)(gift)

From a very early stage it is important to both read in depth in your topic and boradly within the secondary literature on your chosen period/culture of study. It helps to really ground your research in a context and enriches your work methodlogically. It is important to know who is signficant to your period of study (potential examiners, interesting methods, perspectives, and networking) as well as really getting to grips with the period/culture you are studying. Try and find out what literature people in your period read, key medical and philosophical theories, the material conditions of their lives, and population demographics etc. Few people bother with these, but they can makle good footnotes and really help you to get to grips with things..

It is unusally sunny in Manchester - but I am sat inside sweating and writing! yay!

Good luck!!

Congrats!!! :-)(up)(gift)

My dentist is certainly not scary, in fact he is incredibly attractive and one just sits in the chair melting ;)

My orthodontist was a perfectionist and was a "no pain no gain" sort of fellow, but after 4 years the teeth were straight.

I had a corneal ulcer once and required urgent eye treatment, the specialist consultant said that I had a particularly unusual case (age, position etc) and whilst I sat there in agony called in some medical students to gawp through a microscope! :(

Best wishes for the viva! :)