Hi all, good to see that everyone is plodding on! Slowly but surely is good. I have been lurking but not really feeling a part of this thread as I am not really doing much at all, how awful that sounds lol. Still waiting for sups and am wondering whether they will ever get back to me. Meanwhile, I have several queries that may come up in the viva but to be honest my motivation has gone :$ I should deal with these to keep doing something or maybe address the paper for publication that I have in the background or read a few more articles for extra background. I think that i should go back to listing the jobs and assigning time to acheive them as 'structure' is what I am lacking.

Well done everyone for keeping going (up)

At the beginning of Feb I sent out my final draft to three sups (1 uni and 2 external). I had very quick feedback from one external who has been very proactive in my whole PhD journey. The comments were all minor and addressed within a week of sending it out. My uni sup had issues accessing it so we addressed this and he has let me know via email that he is ploughing through it but obviously he has other things that crop up. I appreciate the updates at least and hope to get some feedback soon. My other external was sent a prompt email (to check access was ok) and I was told that the reading hadn't started yet. I sent over the latest version with typos and one sups comments addressed and here I am still waiting. I appreciate the time needed to read it as I have proof-read it myself in this time (it is a tedious job lol). So now I am in limbo not knowing what to do really. I feel I should be doing something and have a few Qs to check for viva etc but my motivation has been lost. I though that I might have submitted by now.............how long do I wait before sending another email? I am distant from the uni and externals so cannot pop in, nor is my presence a reminder to them! They have all been supportive of me until now but the silence is arghhhhh! I appreciate reading takes time and they have other work commitments and families too. It has now been over 5 weeks.

Ok that's my rant over!

My uni does offer the opportunity to pay in instalments, 8 I think, but this may incur an additional fee for the privilege?!?! I have usually paid the entire amount at the beginning of the academic year so that the fee quoted is what I pay and no more (as it is not cheap at my uni!). The payment is done online and when you go through this process it allows you to request payment in instalments. An email confirming the payments then follows and the amounts are done by debit from your bank account. I would try calling them to confirm what has to be paid and how much extra it may cost etc.

Hi Keanbean, I think that the previous years were spent being out and about setting up, planning and actioning the 'data' collections so the days did go on and on, in my case certainly!  The motivation to get things moving was high. Once the write-up phase started, the time was more focused and concentrated which is very tiring in itself.  Deadlines loom which steals the motivation somewhat as the pressure hits. I found that I worked harder but probably for shorter durations but then slow and steady is a good way to write-up.  I would worry if you were keeping the same pace as it would be easy to burn out before you get there! Keep setting the goals and gradually it will be written.  I thought it wouldn't take long but the reality demonstrated that it was longer than I appreciated. I am now twiddling my thumbs awaiting for final draft feedback.  One sup has agreed submission ( (up)), one has hinted that it is imminent but awaiting his comments and the other ones silence speaks lots (he hasn't read it yet). So I am not sure which is worse, sitting around not knowing what to do or writing, writing and more writing!!!

My thesis is in applied science and I have a word limit of 40,000 for the main body of text and abstract.  My thesis is just a few hundred short of the max limit where I have 9,000 words for my intro/lit review and the remainder in four methodology chapters and an overriding discussion. With all of the extra bits such as contents, declarations, acknowledgements, figures, tables and appendices I have a total of 54,000 words but obviously these don't count for the word limit, phew! 

Anglia Ruskin University at Cambridge do both a Professional Masters and a Professional PhD based on published works.

I am also not at your stage yet, but you have just a small hurdle to accomplish so you can do it. I would suggest breaking this chapter re-write down into very small chunks so that it is not as overwhelming. Make a plan to give yourself manageable time to tackle each of these chunks. Is it possible to speak to your supervisor for extra clarification and motivation? Maybe some leave from work may help to allow a concentrated period of time on the chapter. Don't give up as you are so nearly there, well done for getting so far.

Thank you Ady and Jjdempsey, the much needed paper is about to be read!! Ady - that is interesting about the dates as I was unable to get it due to its age!!!

Jjdempsey - I am not sure how the PDFs can be sent when they often don't have a link to save or attach to email.  I would like to have advice on this myself!! I suspect some are read only/print formats.

Ady - I have still not heard from my third sup (external) re feedback but I did contact him end of last week to check he could access it.  I found out that he hasn't started on it yet so I sent him the latest version :-( Sup 2 (uni sup) is still reading and hoped to complete it this week but I guess he has other stuff on......:-(  I have proof read it now and made amends.......twiddling thumbs now.

I am trying to access the following journal paper but it is rather old (science terms!) so I cannot seem to access it. I wondered if anyone here can electronically access it before I resort to finding a paper copy (eek!)

Geiser, J. and Betticher, D.C. (1989) Gas transfer in isloated lungs perfused with red cell suspension or haemoglobin solution. Respiratory Physiology 77:31-40

Thank you.

Thanks for spending time to reply when really celebrations are in order for you! I am awaiting final feedback before submission and have read Tinkler so far. I have now downloaded Murray to my Kindle (amazingly quick lol) so will read this aswell. I am trying to pre-empt and address questions prior to submission if possible :p

Thanks once again, and go have another glass of champagne!!!

Congratulations Dr Chuff! Thank you for the details of your viva too, very interesting reading. How many weeks did you prep for your viva?

Enjoy your indulgent weekend of freedom and have fun shouting it from the treetops (up)

My thoughts were that when A is split across three independent groups the group sizes change (ie get smaller) so the 'effect' may not be as statistically significant.  Also does the effect A seem more prominent in only 1 or 2 of the independent groups, so when you split it between 3 groups the significance changes.

However, just to add I am not a statistician and as it is early, my effective caffeine intake has not been reached yet  :p

Not sure about spcifically desk space as such but I live 4-5 hours from my uni so work from home too. My library/IT access was limited to the digitalised facilities so I arranged access to these areas at my local uni. It was done through the SCONUL access system as both mine and the local unis were a part of this 'sharing facilities' system. The SCONUL system in UK and Ireland based so not sure if this helps you specifically. Is it possible for you to contact the local uni library facilities and ask them about desk space? You may need endorsement from your uni/sup so it is also worth talking to your sup about it too.

I started my PhD as a part-time career orientated person, but 2 years in I met my hubby! I guess life changes happen throughout and your studies will often find a way to fit in. We married and very soon I had a newborn to contend with! I was lucky to be able to stop working to stay at home with my baby and fit in studies around naptimes and evenings (my hubby was very supportive). Unexpectedly we then found that twins were on the way and arrived when my eldest was 13 months. I took a short intermission period to cover the chaos and sleep deprivation, about 4 months I was not studying. Now they are 1 year and eldest is 2 years. I am studying still in the evenings and for one afternoon a week they go to a childminder. I have finished writing up now and awaiting feedback from my supervisors, so hopig to submit soon. I would add that most of my lab work was complete prior to the fisrt baby arrival so I only had to go back to the lab for a week while hubby took leave for baby duties. Most of my PhD is independent study and I am self-funded too. I would check out the childcare costs when considering taking on a PhD and also perhaps a part-time option so that you can be more flexible for your children. I would also suggest that your partner should be fully supportive as it can be lonely in the evenings for them while you study and they will need to be hands-on with a newborn to allow you the time to work!