I'm coming towards the end of my 2nd year and although I have some results, none of them are what you could call meaningful. I have reached a point where all the rest of my PhD (i.e, the bits with the meaningful results) hinges on me being able to finish this bit of work. My supervisor (and most of the department) are away for 3 weeks on two conferences and he wants me to have completed this by the time he returns.

I don't mean to be critical. I am not talking about minor spelling mistakes and I know many dyslexic people that are very, very smart. But some people can't even get get a proper sentence structure together...Believe me I am not a spelling bee myself. I am just curious what others think. I did not try to insult anyone and hope I did not. Good luck to everyone.

mentality. This is EXTRA FRUSTRATING. Whether or not I get any results totally depends on these people! I can't cope with that!!! Things are bound to pick up soon everyone :)

Yeah - I'm having a particularly bad week. I've just found THE most important paper of my three years and I'm waiting on it coming on inter library loan (so I can go and and buy the bits to repeat what they do). It's been a week now, but according to the library there isn't a problem. I really want to get stuck into it. On top of this, recently I haven't been able to get the technicians to do anything for me - they seen to have an 'ignore it and it will go away'

I agree. We are not talking about minor spelling mistakes here...How could they ever publish with those grammar and spelling mistakes??? And the questions they ask...Like somebody will read it and provide them funding instantly...What are these people thinking???

Have I just been propositioned ?

Patience , my dear boy, patience. Do as Jen says, have a coffee, mull over it a bit, get a nice bar of chocolate and relax. I've spent the past week trying to find a journal paper that's actually useful and it was only yesterday I stopped banging my head against my desk having found one.

Mine took about a week from sending it off. Was nice to see my account in the black for once !

Wow, maybe the uni has paid you someone elses stipend by mistake ? I got BBSRC too and was direct from them, do the other research councils pay students direct or via the universities ?

I work at a multinational drug company (one of the big ones) we do tonnes of research 95% of which is never published for fear of giving an edge other companies which is fair enough but I think does lend the moral high ground to academia. I just cant be a lab tech anymore hence the PHD and pay cut!!

I think the people that can't even research for a project are the most worrying. It doesn't matter what country you are from, if you can't research then you can't research. Its not discrimination, its a fact of life that they are not suitable. As for the spelling mistakes, that is not a big problem as word processors sort that out whilst you study, and there are dyslexic people, they cannot help this.

Ignore last message - this only gives me £2000 extra per year. Not £14,000 extra. Oh well, guess its not mine!

Just an update - just found out that my studentship is one of those extra special targeted priority studentships. Might that explain the (significantly) higher payment?

I would say definately not, unless you think there's a marriage somewhere down the line (which obviously you don't or you wouldn't be so unsure). I married my undergrad personal tutor and it was very stressful and complicated because of the situation. I can imagine that would be even worse if it's your PhD supervisor. To be honest, I would say no and tell another member of staff (in confidence) that he proposed a relationship just to cover your back. What if he got nasty - this is the guy in charge of your PhD success!

All I can say is.......ooh err!!