======= Date Modified 25 Jul 2012 10:17:50 =======

Hey Skig,

Thanks for your message- really appreciate it. Glad I'm not the only one on this resubmission nightmare!

Yep, examiners were positive :) They seemed to be really confused regarding my worries about failing and leaving with an MPhil given work included in thesis.....

My thesis massively exceeded the PhD word limit and was riddled with errors to warrant minor corrections. I more or less convinced myself of an MPhil prior to viva which wasn't helped by sups comments immediately prior to viva that an MPhil was a possibility (I've had the 'possibility of an MPhil' looming over my head from the very beginning!). But, when I got into the viva, examiners were lovely! I was a complete mess before my viva and I think my examiners could see that I was in a rather bad way (well more or less spent most of the morning crying, shaking and very unsteady on my feet!), so may have affected their interactions with me, but I know that they could have failed me outright and was thrilled that they were so positive and were allowing me to continue on with a PhD. Examiners said I could squeeze numerous journal papers out of thesis and maybe some book chapters with omitted material, so there's more work to do yet, but I just want to finish this darn thing so I can move on with my life!! But they want me to finish these thesis corrections first then focus on publishing stuff.

Yes, I need to write a 1 page covering letter showing the changes I've made. I've kept detailed tracking of my examiners (long!) report of corrections, so I know exactly what needs attention etc etc and what I've accomplished so far.

Although I'm still editing and adding stuff (few more weeks until post viva submission), I know this draft is a big improvement over the submitted draft- (well I can actually read and follow this draft!- submitted draft was riddled with errors!), so I can see progress, but yes, may write a list in the next few days in light of covering letter requirement.

I asked them about having to go through another viva and they said no, but they did say something about a meeting following submission, but not another viva.

Best of luck with your thesis corrections :)

You're sooo close! Literally! I know you're tired but it sounds like the bulk of the work has been done so it's mostly tidying things up. Plus, you don't need another viva which is great so this IS really the end 8-)

keep it up! (thanks for the good luck, I'll need it!)

Just wanted to add to the positivity Pineapple - keep going, you will get there! As Skig said, if the examiners thought you were a fail they would have told you then and there rather than waste your time! Not long to go now - I find it useful to write very detailed work plans so I know what I'm doing day to day, otherwise I feel a bit adrift! Don't know if that might help you in these final weeks? :-)

Thanks Linda. Finding it really tough today . This pressure is unbelievable- perhaps worse than first submission as I know this is my absolute final chance......

All I can do is my best, I can't ask more than that. If I meet all of my examiners requests and their still not satisfied then there's nothing more I can do. I just need to ensure that I've done all that I can and see what happens in the next few weeks.

Judging from ex- colleagues reactions to me around the office today, my reputation at my university is probably destroyed beyond belief, but I don't want to concern myself with that right now. Just need to stay positive and focus on what I need to do.

End is in sight.

Pineapple, you sound really down :(

I know you're having a hard time but you need to remember that if you've made all the revisions the examiners asked for, they CAN NOT fail you! That's what I'm bearing in mind myself... as long as I get everything done, then all will be ok (well, erm, I'll have to pass a second viva too but you don't need to worry about that ;-))

I know what you mean about the added pressure but on the other hand, at least now you know exactly what you have to do whereas on first submission, we just submit and hope for the best.

It sounds like everything is looking dark at the minute but these are just your perceptions, which means that, sorry for being so blunt, but these perceptions may not be true... your reputation may not have been affected as you might think... I've heard of someone who had to resubmit, passed and is doing really well professionally. Let's be honest, how many people get asked what the result of their viva was at job interviews??

When things are not going well, we as people tend to be very negative and everything (literally!) seems bad, but it's just how we see the world at that moment in time.

Life is a rollercoaster, we all have our ups and downs... you'll soon be on the way up again, just a matter of time 8-)

I hope you feel better soon(gift)

Hi Skigs. I am also an R&R. I am resubmitting my work in just over 8 months time (I am still not that stressed though). It looks like an R&R is not that uncommon after all. In my department we have several resubmitters. Be brave Pineapple and please - stop caring about what other people think or do. I fell into this trap before and all it gave me was depression. It doesn't help. Be brave and stay positive. Skigs or Pineapple feel free to pm me if you need a chat. ;-)

======= Date Modified 29 Jul 2012 19:31:55 =======
Thanks Marasp. :)

Trying to plough on through, but never seems to end. Maybe I should just draw a line under the sand now and just call it quits! Although, not quite ready to quit just yet. Just going to work through a section at a time and I fear I'm going to have to pull an all nighter to finish these last corrections. As my sups are getting really irritated with me at the moment.

Excluding my result chapters which were relatively ok and required no further amendments, I've basically rewritten my entire PhD in just over 5 months and I'm exhausted. I'm still over the 100,000 word limit but now need to reduce the more important stuff.

Just wish there was some kind of magic wand that could finish this thesis for me.

*Fighting back the tears!* :$

100,000 words in 5 months is pretty impressive! After this experience, editing a 400 - 500 page book will seem like child's play! 8-)

I echo what Dalmation said! Very impressive indeed!

Sending you a pm...