I think the previous post has alot of relevant points well worth considering.  I have been doing my PhD for almost 6 years part-time and have had three babies along the way! For the first 3 1/2 years I worked fulltime while studying and it was hard with my on-call hours to fit the lab work and studying in.  After we got married and returned from honeymoon, I was pregnant and had DD1 in year 4. I took a year maternity leave and studied during the evenings and one afternoon of childcare a week.  Fortunately all of my lab work was done so just write-up to do. My hope of studying during naps didn't work out as I had other housework, bottles washing etc to do.  Evenings worked for me if hubby could deal with the baby should she get up, but I was very lucky to have a baby sleep from 7-7 at 12 weeks old. Shortly, I found out I was pregnant again (despite contraception) and this time it was twins.  No-one can prepare for the amount of work they make and life is a lottery with twins being more common than you think. Once they arrived I had three under 13 months and for four months I was a zombie (akin to many younger students but not PhD compatible).  Many times I thought I might have to give it all up, but for the niggling thought that I only had to write-up. I still have managed evening and one childcare session a week (so expensive) for studying which in my opinion is barely enough.  My hubby was/is very understanding as this is a short term thing (now submitted). I have felt frustrated sometimes that I would like to study but he doesn't want to deal with the babies all day on a weekend.  Sometimes my brain is all geared up to work but the babies have to come first, likewise they need you so you have to stop mid-work. It is not an easy option and my best advice would be to have a frank conversation with your wife about the childcare obligations prior to committing.  If she is the main earner while you study, you may be expected to shoulder the childcare.

Well done for studying at an older age!  I personally think that older and self-funded students are at a slight advantage by having experienced life and thus are often very committed to their studies. You have obviously taken on-board the reduction in salary and that is a big thing when you have earned monies for some 30 years. I found having shopped in boutiques and buying what I fancied without worrying, to shopping in cheaper shops (and perhaps going without) a huge change.  I would say there are younger students who could learn a few money saving tips from you! But as with all things this is a phase in your life of frugal living that will no doubt be followed by a more affluent time (or at least that is what I am working on lol).

As for your attire while cycling to uni (very commendable) I would go for 'other'. I think you have earnt the right to wear exactly what you wish to, so if hotpants is your choice for this lovely weather, go for it!!

I didn't have a quote either, in fact I never even considered the possibility! However, I am in the science field so I guess this may be a subject related quirk?

Afternoon all, I have had a few weeks break and I seriously need a kick up the a**e to get moving again! I have viva prep to get on with, so todays goal is to complete reviewing chapter 1 and 2. Reading, reviewing, corrections listing, noting of key papers and adding some helpful post-its. Now I have written this to you all, I might just start doing something about it!

Hi Gingerley, that is encouraging that dates are being discussed.  At least that way you have a deadline for your prep and that is definitely a motivator for me lol. It would be a shame missing the graduation deadline though, but I have always assumed I will get some corrections to do and therefore potentially graduate October 2012 (maybe!).  That said, if you submitted in Feb, a viva in June does seem a long time to viva. Our regs suggest a three month maximum period between submission and viva, so I shall see if they follow the regs or not.

I agree that this period is a struggle.  The write-up phase was full of 'will I or won't I submit' but at least I was motivated to work very hard to get there. Now it feels like I have done all I can do, so I need to find the motivation to pick this up again and work on it some more.  As with starting the PhD, there was bewilderment at the amount of work to do and now I am feeling the same again. So, I need go back to the beginning by breaking it down into manageable chunks and set a timetable of work to do. But for now, a nice cup of tea  :p

Hi Fredsmith, glad to hear I am not alone.  Where to start, mmm I have taken Bilbos advice on reading the thesis first.  Hopefully the typos/corrections list will be formulated while I read, the post-its will evolve into my thesis, the key papers for reading will be noted and the omissions/potential questions will reveal themselves. I think this will take some time to do.  Then I plan to answer the five key questions and any others I have thought about. Oh, I will also have a few key papers to re-read.  Gosh that seems like loads of work and so little time! Not sure that my distance from the uni will help for a mock viva unless I can arrange a skype link.  Sounds like you sups comments for potential questions will be fab though!

Wow, certainly some progress going on in this thread!  Well done slowmo, you must be feeling relieved to have just the conclusion and intro to do. Your progress in the library is fantastic, just be aware of your tiredness and take a days break if necessary.  It will refresh your thoughts for writing the remainder.

Fm, sounds like it is going well for you too. It is tough studying part-time and working full-time, especially keeping the thought processes until the next writing session. Well done, have you much still to write?

Hi Hailey, welcome to the thread!  Looks like you have a fair amount done in draft so hopefully you can stick to your timetable. You may find some chapters take longer and others much quicker but it doesn't look too ambitious.  If you can get the draft to sups by end of summer your December submission looks very feasible. How is the first chapter progressing for end April?

I have heard nothing about a viva date as yet, but then it is the easter and bank holiday period.  In the meantime, I have started re-reading the thesis and have a few contents page number errors (dammed Word formatting, arghh). So annoying as I checked and re-checked these during the numerous final PDF versions.  Once I have read it and added post-its, I have several viva questions to go over and practice. So much to do still!

Good luck with the writing everyone

(up)

Hi Chococake, I have one overiding objective (to design the apparatus) with three smaller objectives using the apparatus. I am in the field of science and my sups are happy that I have enough to complete, I will find out at viva I guess lol. Hope that helps :-)

I am starting to read through my thesis having had a three week break post submission. Looking at viva prep threads, many people have suggested 'post-it' notes on the thesis pages for making life easier in the viva. My 'post-it' notes are really small and won't fit much writing on so I assume larger sized post-its are required lol. So what exactly do you write on these 'post-it' notes? Is there a colour coded technique? Did you find them useful in your viva prep or viva?

Sorry if this seems a really basic question but wanted to get these done as I read through, if it helps. My study time is limited so efficiency is key!!!:$

Hi sp, you are really close to finishing if you are writing up.  It all seems so overwhelming to get a thesis written, despite a baby too. My PhD is part-time over six years and during this time I have has three babies. The eldest is now 2 and the twins are 1.  It wasn't planned to have the three so close and during my PhD but these things happen! I have spent 8 months writing up my thesis to submission with limited childcare.  My hubby works away for periods of time so is not really able to help much, but is very understanding. I was fortunate that the babies all went to bed at 7pm leaving me/hubby to cook dinner and then dine, followed by me working for about 2.5-3 hours in the evening before bed.  I found that naptimes with three babies very unproductive as the eldest would sleep at different times to the twins. I take all three to the childminder for one half day a week so I get about 4-5 hours of study time.  During the most productive thesis writing I was working about 25 hours a week down to 15 hours. As mentioned previously, my motivation was me setting an example to my babies of 'not to quit'!  Hopefully they will be proud of my achievement one day and this may motivate them too.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Bilbo, I wondered if I would hear anything prior to a viva date but possibly not. However, I do need to pay the exam fee when they get around to sending me the invoice link, so I was expecting that communication at least lol. It is comforting to know that the prep can be done with limited time set aside. I am a little worried that I am forgetting my work during my break from it, but hopefully reading through with fresh eyes will refresh my memory!

Tulpesh, I am reading through your link and so far has been very informative! Thank you for sharing your experience aswell.

Timefortea, you will get there as you are obviously determined. It is very hard with a family to look after but, as several have demonstrated, it is possible. When I get through this I will happily empart my experiences!

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Hi all, I submitted my thesis on April fools day (not sure what omen that is?!?) and really have not heard from the uni as yet. Fortunately I have taken the bambinos away for a two week break which does not include my thesis! When I return home at the end of this week I guess I need to check through my thesis and start preping for the viva. I have been reading a couple of viva books while away.

I have only evenings for prep work and one afternoon a week due to childcare, so will have to be focused when I start.

Is there anyone else who is in this limbo stage?

Has anyone advice on viva prep with a very young demanding family?

Thank you

I have had a similar discussion over this issue recently. Historically, data is the plural of datum and was expressed as 'data were collected'. However, due to hyper-correctness this has evolved over time to data being considered and expressed as a singular, i.e. 'data was collected'. The oxford dictionary suggests either use, for historical or recent correctness. I found an article a while ago in the guardian who concluded the latter use of data as a singular, so this is what I have done in my thesis. As long as you can justify your expression and, most importantly, use that consistency throughout, either can work.

The two tests are essentially used to test curvilinear correlations but one is more accurate in non-parametric, the other for parametric distributions. It makes sense that the appropriate test is used for the data distribution ie gender data is most likely normally distributed. I checked my data distribution using SPSS and then took the appropriate statistical info. I think it wise to footnote the test used to add clarity and this is something I may need to add post viva (but I will wait and see!). Perhaps present some of the data to your supervisor to clarify before doing them all this way.

Just to add, in some of my data summary tables the data may show rho, t or R2 values depending on the data trend, but again this is detailed in my data handling section.

I have presented spearman or pearsons statistical data in the same table but used one or the other test depending on parametric or non-parametric distribution of the data for a given parameter. I have not specified in the data table which test was used, so I guess I will find out later in my viva if this poses a problem! I have explained this in my data handling section and I have not had any queries from my supervisory team.