I guess this may be a simple question but in my first validation methods/results chapter (ch 3) I have 60 graphs to include which seems too many to try and incorporate into the text of the chapter. I was adding them into a 'figures' section prior to the appendices. For my next three methods/results chapters (ch 4, 5 and 6) I have just 8 graphs per chapter so could add these into the text. Should I have ch 3 graphs in a figures section and graphs for ch 4, 5 and 6 in the chapters or should all graphs go into the figures section for consistency?

I am trying to finish my thesis and this is becoming a major worry of where to fit it all in!!!

You need to know what the post entails, they should have sent you details ie 'job description'. They are likely to ask about your relevant experience so check out the job description and apply the things you have done previously to that. It may be that you have done previous lab work or studied in that field etc. If you are from abroad they may ask about how you will deal with living away from family/friends etc. Most questions will be related to the post you are applying for.

Make sure you are dressed smartly, take any relevant paperwork with you (perhaps copies for the interveiwers if necessary) and be interested! Check your travel arrangements before the day so that your are on time for the interview.

Good luck!

I cannot answer your query specifically but have you tried speaking to the student services at the uni? Do they have a specific maternity policy for post grad students? Generally I beleive you can have up to 12 months maternity leave whereby your course would be extended for that maternity leave duration. If eligable Maternity Alllowance may be payable via the job centre (SMP for higher paid). Alternatively if you receive a grant there may be a maternity pay policy there.

Well done Chuff, didn't realise you had submitted! Must be a great feeling too. Bet you will be reading this thread with ideas and motivation for viva prep, I know I will so thank you Jojo for sharing it.

Hi all, managed to send my supervisors a copy of my edited thesis late evening on christmas day! I know I am one of those PhD'ers who cannot have a day off from it lol. Found a real problem in sending the thesis via email as it is too big even when zipped, arghhh! Have had to upload to dropbox for them to access themselves. Now sitting here waiting for some feedback which will be into the new year I expect.

So Jojo you are not working alone at this festive time lol. You don't have too much longer now do you?

I think sometimes there are results/experiments that occurred causing you to change methodology along the way, was there anyway this could have been foreseen? I think you need to acknowledge others approaches as alternative ways you could have followed but also state why perhaps they were not followed. In my case I have a conclusion that is not as robust as I would like for one section so I guess in hindsight I would have designed the work differently to answer the new questions that it has thrown back at me! Hindsight is a great thing and not something you were aware of at the time lol.

Hope your not working too late tonight! I am just about to email my edited thesis to my supervisors before welcoming father christmas to my home!! Happy Christmas Jojo (gift)

Goal 3 - editing ch 6 done so that leaves just ch 7.

Have lost 4500 or 7000 words and will not manage another 2500 from the last discussion chapter :-( Not sure what to do, so I need to get some replies from my supervisors about a couple of areas that could be lost from the lit review chapter. Bet they are all on christmas leave, bah humbug!!! Oh well will go off to bed now.

Goal 1 everyone up and dressed - done
Goal 2 shopping!!!! - v. successful
Goal 3 ch 6 editing - I guess that is me entertained for the evening with a glass of wine (mince)

Haha Star-shaped - my first goal is to get myself and three babies washed and dressed without too much drama lol. This afternoon I was supposed to work while they are in nursery but it is last minute venturing out to the shops in the snow! Will carry on editing ch 6 this evening, aim is to finish that chapter. Would like to get it all edited by christmas day otherwise I may be working on it then aswell!

Oh yes, title issues here too! I had an original title that was fairly broad but have rewritten it more specifically now for the thesis write-up. I was allowed minor changes/clarification of the title to better reflect the thesis content. I found that my work could go in several directions depending on the experimental outcomes so fortunately my title was allowed to reflect this! Could always modify it again slightly but not sure if I can at this late stage (5 months to submission!).

Goal 1 is done so two chapters have now been amalgamated, woohooo! Have no word about this from my supervisor but I think it reads better now. Onto goal 2 which is editing chapter 6 (was ch 7 lol).

Hi all, I have to amalgamate the discussion of two chapters into one as they are very similar. I understand that repetition can lead examiners to suggest rewriting of sections to incorporate all into one so that is why I am doing this. Also will reduce the words abit! Just a pain to do after writing it all up but better now that after a viva lol. Will probably take all day but the following goal will be editing of chapter 6.

Star-shaped, glad your presentation went well as it is very encouraging to get good feedback - well done! At least writing a journal paper over christmas is a break from the doctoral work too. I hope to be submitting by May 2011 (but have an extension agreed just in case!). Seems like I have loads of time but it will go quickly I am sure. When will you be submitting?

Good to see that I am not the only one working through christmas!!!(turkey)

Yes I am working on my thesis today, more editing! Managed to lose about 4800 words of 7000 so far but it is slow and tedious. Hoping to get some constructive feedback from my supervisor today via email. Had a very bizarre thing last night while editing the beast, it suddenly started deleting itself as if the delete button was stuck (but wasn't) and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't shut down Word as the laptop was unresponsive, arghh! Had to force a shut down of my laptop and recover a previous version. It was very freaky............my hubby saw it and was equally baffled. Just don't need such dramas at this stage.

Star-shaped, hope you get your funding sorted, what a pain just before some relaxing festivites. How did the presentation go at the conference yeasterday?

I was working full time and studying part time and had to attend three study days during the PhD as these were compulsory. I took annual leave for these days. Otherwise I use Skype to keep in touch with my supervisors and to be honest have no idea of what other students are in the same faculty. My research topic is specific to me only so there are no collaborations to be concerned about. I have some journal publications and conference poster presentations that were all dealt with and approved via email or skype.

Hope that helps!

Fabulous news, well done Dr Littlestar! Bet you will be having a few extra celebrations this christmas, congratulations (robin)