I think you're ahead, Grumpy. I'm so worried because I'm just about to submit and I currently have NO publications, so you're so ahead of me! It really concerns me because most of my peers have publications of some sort, but my supervisors don't seem to think it's so much of an issue, which frustrates me a bit. But it's got to the point now where I have to concentrate on finishing and then hopefully work really hard to get some publications after that.

You've done really well! Good luck with submission :)

I haven't finished yet, but I am in the process of writing up and I'm just putting together a full draft for my supervisors.

Have you sent her any of your chapters in the run up to completing your full draft? I'm not sure what other people's experiences are, but I have sent my supervisors a draft of each chapter as I've written it. They have given me feedback on that that I'm going to incorporate into the full draft which I'll then send to them to review. They'll only see that full draft once though, I think. Although we haven't discussed that yet.

I guess it also depends how thorough her comments are on your draft. If she's really clear and goes through it in detail, maybe she's confident that she won't need to see it again. I don't think there's a 'one size fits all' scenario here, so it really depends how you feel about your writing and supervisory experience overall I guess.... I hope that helps. Good luck! :)

Wow Mara - that must've been so tough, but I think you're completely right about what doesn't kill us...

I genuinely think that most academics will have done this at some point. I've been reading through some fellow PhD students' now finished theses this week (trying to get inspiration for my writing up!) and I've already noticed some (minor) mistakes in their work. My supervisor readily admits all the mistakes he made as he was going along - part of what I think makes him a great supervisor.

I've had 2 of situations where I've said something in meetings with other academics that with hindsight I now cringe at the thought of, but I try to not let it get to me too much. I think the most important thing is that we learn from it.

The thing that I have to keep reminding myself is something my other supervisor said to me: a PhD is often seen as an end point, when actually it's the start of our careers as researchers. This is time for us to learn, and learn by our mistakes. Everyone does it.

BTW I haven't published anything yet (something which really worries me but that's a different conversation) and I'll be petrified of making mistakes, but I will try to reassure myself that many great scholars who've gone before me have made mistakes too.

I hope you feel better about this in the future :)

Hi Ganesha

I did have an issue with a supervisor who I knew didn't have belief in my ability to complete. In the end, they got a job at another university and said that they would continue with my supervision. I wasn't convinced that they would give me the support that I needed, so I wrote a very polite email, thanking them for all their support. I then outlined very clearly what support I would need over the next year. I explained that I completely understood given their new position if they didn't feel they could give me that support. I basically made it so detailed that I gave them the option of getting out. They said they couldnt fulfil what I needed and that it might be advisable to look for another supervisor which I did. Was possibly the best thing I did. My confidence, sense of ownership and general feeling towards my Phd have improved so much.

I think maybe you didn't mean you wanted to be 'sarcastic'??? For me, it was of upmost importance to be civil and ensure things were left on a positive note. Academia is a very small world and you never know when you will bump into someone and who else they know. Be careful about how you approach things. I first drafted the email without an addressee and redrafted a few times making sure the tone was right. Don't send or do anything in anger or haste. But I do think you need an honest answer at this point.

Good luck and I hope you get the support that you need. As Mara said, feel free to PM me if you need anything else.

Hey I've sent you a DM. Hope you're doing ok and I hear from you soon :)

Hi Grainne

It's a bit hard to respond without knowing more about 1. what you want to study. Can you give a clearer idea of what you mean by 'maternal ambivalence'? and 2. what measurement tools you're talking about - e.g. do you mean questionnaires?

A bit more detail may lead to more responses. I'll try to suggest something if I can.
Thanks

Thanks for the link, PhDefault :)

I do need to get more motivated and it's good to hear from other people in the same position. I used to do a workout at home, but have fallen out of doing it. It's definitely a good way of keeping warm.

So, BevCha, did you manage to make your stew? And how did a good Northumbrian girl end up in Portugal??!!

Keep keeping warm, everyone x

I suppose I can wait, Bev! Hahaha ;)

That brownie in a mug idea sounds awesome. The only problem for me is I'm already carrying a little, ahem, phd weight, so i'm not sure cheap and easily accessible choc fixes are a good idea for me. The 4th year is so damn sedentary and this cold weather does not make me want to go outside and run! :(

That sounds delicious! Can you send some over to manchester please! ;)

x

It's sooo cold and I hate how grey and dark it is all the time :(

Anyway, I live off tea, so that keeps me warm. And cup-a-soups are good too. Definitely fingerless gloves, like TreeofLife said.

Hope you get nice and warm, BevCha =D
x

Hahaha! I love this - this is the reason I've just joined this forum. I need to be reminded others are in the same situation, it's not so bad, and be made to have a laugh! =D

Thanks Mackem_Beefy

Hi @GrumpyMule

I'm a sociolinguist, also in the final year (4th) of FT PhD. I still feel like I have a mountain of work ahead of me - data analysis (qual and quant) and LOTS of writing.

So I'm not sure I'm the kind of 'buddy' you're looking for, but I think we're in similar boats =D