@ 4matt

'The Labour government has shown that it pretty much despises people who try to make something of themselves, who excel at anything, and who try to escape from dependence on the state for money and lifestyle "advice". So why do so many people in academia align themselves with Labour?'

This is utter cobblers. I presume you never lived through the '80's. Most people who did try 'to make something of themselves' found it very tough going. Many small businesses couldn't survive the erratic changes in the interest rate (it went through a period of changing every day!). Unemployment went up from about 1million in 1979 to 3million throughout most of the eighties. Industry had to 'borrow' a lot of money. Inflation went up to 22%. The illusion of rampant economic growth was based on people obtaining vast amounts of credit, the results of which we are suffering now.:-s

I'd like to see the Liberal Democrats win. I think Vince Cable would make a good chancellor. Realistically I don't think that will happen. A 'Lib-Lab pact' is the next best outcome.

Hi! I am also doing a project in which neither of my supervisors has any knowledge about the fundamentals of my project. You mention that you are doing simulations. Where was the program from? Was it borrowed from someone else? Are they still at the university? I ask because I contacted a researcher at another university and I have been liaising with him and asking questions about things to do with my project.
I don't even bother chasing my supervisor these days, unless he contacts me. Is there anybody doing anything remotely similar in your department or university, to what you are doing, that you could contact? Even just for a chat about your work. The second year is pretty cr@p anyway, so expect to feel low. If it's any consellation my project was dreamed up on a train one morning and my supervisor thought it might be interesting to get a PhD student to solve the problem. I only have six months to go now, so I'm trying to cobble together everything the best I can. Good Luck! ;-) Have a cake on me!(mince)

I have two supervisors. I originally thought one of them had some knowledge, but it gradually dawned on me during the first year that neither of them are very knowledgeable about my area of research. My main supervisor has read a few papers, but that's it. He didn't start me off by suggesting something to read, I just tried to read as many papers as I could and I still do, but I do worry that with them knowing nothing I might get a shock at the viva :-(

If I were you I would grit my teeth and try to complete the PhD. I am a qualified teacher and taught in a couple of secondary schools before embarking on a PhD. I did my PGCE years ago.
I presume that you must be considering working in the independent/private sector which is less demanding in terms of discipline problems, but you will have a lot of planning to do and pressure to get good results out of the pupils. If you are intending to work in the state sector then consider how you might feel if you are battling with a difficult class, setting detentions, marking books and planning lessons. I was tempted three times to leave my PhD and return to teaching but then thought about how I would feel when I had left. I'll be going back into teaching when I've finished. My advice would be to stick with the PhD and then go into teaching. Good Luck ;-)

'..the monk-like isolation'

I was just taking a quick break from collecting data and to have a cup of tea when I read your post. I was feeling a bit fed up, then I read this whilst sipping my tea and nearly spat it into the computer screen while trying not to laugh. I feel a lot better now!

Since February I have been working in an office on my own and sometimes don't see another researcher or student for days on end. I'm in the final year now. So only about 12/18 months to go before I can relax a little and get a job in the real world again. 8-)

Hi. I have no idea who you are but Congratulations on completing your PhD!! I am in the final year and have come to the university to work on a Sunday! What was your final year like? I can feel the stress gradually building up. So much work to do and so little time! :-S

I listen to the radio in the afternoon when I am working in the lab. I have the lab to myself and took a radio with me last year. I have listened to quite a few afternoon plays. Some of them are really dramatic!! :-)

I would speak to the Postgraduate Research Tutor in your department, or, if your university has one, speak to someone at the Academic Advisary Service and tell them the whole story. How often did you have meeings with your supervisor? Does your supervisor or internal examiner have any knowledge about the area your researching?

Lots of people have very little or no data at the end of the first year. I had only six graphs but had provided a discussion about previous work and some detailed calculations. When it came to the review I didn't know the answer to all of the questions asked and said "I don't know". I was waved through to the second year, have used an incorrect theory, my supervisor has gone abroad again and I have EPSRC funding, which at the moment I'm treating like glorified jobseekers allowance(which makes a mockery of those who say it is hard to obtain). 8-)

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I heard something on the radio last night about someone who was doing research about the men and women who visit the 'ping-pong' clubs in Thailand. :-)

I am just coming up to the end of the second year. During the first year I spent time discovering the various methods that I could use to solve the problem that my PhD hopes to solve. I discussed the methods with my two supervisors and learnt the various theories.

At the end of the first year I decided that I didn't think I would be able to apply one of the theories so I chose a method that I thought I could understand. Meanwhile one of the supervisors, who is more of an expert on the field related to the project, went away to work abroad for a year. I spent the second year having meetings with the second supervisor who has no knowledge about the field, sending emails to the supervisor abroad, who rarely replied.

The supervisor who went abroad has recently returned and I had a meeting with him. He told me that I should have applied the theory that I didn't understand, as it would give more depth to my thesis. The theory I am using is only skimming the surface and wouldn't meet the requirements to obtain a PhD. I spoke to my internal examiner yesterday, who I haven't seen since the first year upgrade and he agrees.

I asked them if they thought that with only a year left I will have time to change course and use the harder theory, but I can't get a straight answer.

I also have a job offer which is very tempting at the moment, but after spending two years trying to do a PhD I am reluctant to leave.

Anybody in, or been in, a similar position? What would you do?

Many PhD's appear to be 'undoable' in the beginning and are ill thought out by superisors, not purposely, but because they don't know what may be required to reach the final goal. What was initially planned as a 3 year project may require 10 years to complete i.e. 3 PhD's.
What you have to do is try and do a small part of it. If it's science based then do a few simple experiments. They might be simple and obvious, but have hey been done before? Try to eek something out as if you are laying the foundations for another student to take it forward. Don't think about the ultimate aim of the research topic, as it makes you feel overwhelmed and less likely to get anything done.

I would suggest using Gnuplot. The website is http://www.gnuplot.info/

Hope you find it useful.

I think I've won! ;-)