Surely it's better to correct the error rather than ignore it? I would just highlight this to the conference organisers so that they don't think you're trying to sneak in something different.

I've not heard of ABS ratings, but other journal or article 'metrics' that are commonly used are the 'impact factor' and the 'H index'. (Google them)

Some people put an awful lot of emphasis on them. I view them with a certain degree of suspicion and would advise caution - you can get some rubbish published in high impact factor journals, while you will also find some really useful gems in more obscure publications.

At the end of the day, you should cite whatever is (i) relevant and (ii) good quality/reliable. I realise the latter is difficult to assess, particularly if you've just started, but the more you read, the better a feel you will get for it. If your uni offers any courses in critical appraisal of the literature, take them. For now, also ask your colleagues and peers for recommendations of journals to look at, but don't rule out good stuff from elsewhere.

If you tell us roughly what field you're in, we might be able to give some more specific advice.

======= Date Modified 29 Nov 2012 15:37:27 =======
[Ooops, cross posted with screamingaddabs. Never mind!]

Journal
Collection of peer reviewed pieces which may include original research, review articles, commentaries

Proceedings
Relate to work presented at a conference

Conference (something)
Stuff presented at conference - will have been peer reviewed, but will quite often be work in progress. Unwise to cite as definitive findings - look for a subsequent journal article instead.

Reviewed Papers
A 'peer reviewed' paper is one which has been read and approved by a couple of other experts in the field and deemed to be of sufficient quality for publication. A 'review article' is a type of journal article where the author(s) look for literature on a topic and summarise and interpret it. Not sure which of those you meant.

-Papers published in a Uni Journal (are they not good?)
Not sure what you mean by a uni journal. The issue of quality probably depends on your field.

Journal articles may well be the 'best' source of information, and the most current, but that doesn't mean you can switch off your critical thinking skills when reading them - there is a wide range of quality and reliability across different journals and articles. Hopefully you'll get a feel for this the more you read, but it might also be worth getting some training in critical appraisal, depending on your field.

Famous libraries are usually famous because of their size and/or longevity. That you sourced an article from them is irrelevant - you just need to cite the journal/book/proceeding etc.

To be honest I don't think it's the 'same uni' bit that's the problem, assuming these are two separate departments. What might cause you problems is applying for another PhD while currently enrolled in one. I've never come across anyone leave a PhD for another one straight away.

It's hard to know for sure but I think it could backfire. The prospective supervisor may question your likely commitment to his/her project when you're about to leave another. If you were offered the new one but your offer was conditional on a reference, would your current supervisor be willing to write a positive one under the circumstances? If you don't get offered it and word somehow gets back to your current supervisor what had happened, how do you think that would affect your working relationship?

If you're genuinely unhappy in your current position or think it's wrong for you, you should have an honest conversation with your supervisor, or a graduate tutor in your department. It may be that your existing project could be modified to better suit your interests. If you leave completely out of the blue without any indication that there was a problem, it could leave a bit of a mess.

The other point I would make is 'Better the Devil you know'. If your current supervisor is nice and supportive, that's not to be sniffed at. It sounds like there isn't anything that is systematically wrong with the current set up. You could start a new project and find it's also not what you expected and that the supervisor is worse. Maybe it would also be worth talking to the new supervisor before applying to get a better feel for them and their project.

If you still feel that you can't make the current situation work for you, and that it's just the wrong fit and you'd be better off elsewhere, that's entirely legitimate. I just feel a little nervous about your proposed strategy as it seems to me there are a number of things that could go wrong.

======= Date Modified 26 Nov 2012 21:18:29 =======
I am very sorry to hear of your difficulties. I hope that you find a satisfactory resolution.

However, this

Hi John

That is quite an unusual situation. I quit a PhD because I was very unhappy in my project, I realised I wanted to work in a different field, and the environment I'd been in was rather unpleasant. I got an RA job at the same uni in a different department with a previous contact I'd done a small project for before. I then left and did a Masters elsewhere. I considered doing a PhD with the group where I'd been an RA but for various reasons went elsewhere instead.

Before you quit your current PhD, I would urge you to get some independent advice on this. It sounds like your PI is happy with your progress. What you might perceive as feeling out of your depth may well be normal for the stage you're at in your project. By which I mean that if you start over on a different project you might still find yourself reaching that stage where you feel out of your comfort zone, even if the field is more familiar. (Have a read of this: http://jcs.biologists.org/content/121/11/1771.full to see what is 'normal' with respect to feeling 'stupid' in a research environment). It may well be that you're doing just fine. Alternatively perhaps your supervisor isn't giving you the right advice for whatever reason, so do get an independent opinion at the uni. It may be possible to change your project without having to quit.

The other thing I would consider is what your long term goals are, and whether the current or a new project would be the best fit for that. I personally view a PhD as a means to an end, so I take the view that some things are worth putting up with if they help one achieve an overall goal.

Personally, I needed to have a break after the first PhD attempt before starting the second, in order to regroup and recover, but that was in part because my first experience had been quite damaging. It doesn't sound like you're in a state of distress like I was, but rather dissatisfaction. It might not be a bad idea, though, to consider an interim/wash out period before starting another project.

======= Date Modified 21 Nov 2012 14:56:11 =======
Getting cell cultures established in a lab from stocks can be tricky. I'd be more than happy to let someone else do it for me and then I worked with them once there were plenty of stocks! They can cost hundreds of pounds - imagine if something went wrong if you were doing it yourself? He probably thought he was doing you a favour. If the supplier sent what turned out to be a dodgy batch, you'd be more likely to get a refund/replacement if it was an experienced post doc (named on the invoice) who'd tried setting up the culture rather than a PhD student.

Yes, you need to be working with these cells for your project, but make the most of the expertise of the people around you. It's hardly an impingement of your independence or a threat to your project. Just tell the post doc that you'd like experience of establishing new culture lines and next time something comes in that hasn't cost a lot/isn't irreplaceable then hopefully you'll get a go.

You may have your own grant money but it's probably a fraction of what you/your project costs the lab, so it's worth them protecting resources.

I quit a UK research council funded PhD once. I was being paid quarterly in advance, and I was asked to repay the portion of the quarterly instalment for which I was no longer going to be working (i.e. I ended up quitting just a couple of weeks after being paid that instalment so they asked me for three months minus 2 weeks back). Seemed fair! I wasn't asked to repay anything for the time already spent.

Also, just to say, that depending on what you're writing, you might want to see if there is a 'style guide' available. Some journals have preferences for how certain things are done, and some universities specify particular ways of presenting things in your thesis.

======= Date Modified 20 Nov 2012 11:02:43 =======
Impact factors are much beloved but deeply flawed. To be honest if you don't want to stay in academia I wouldn't get too hung up about those. That said, they are a sort of measure of self-fulfilling prestige. If the journal has the lowest impact factor in your field then you might consider whether it's really worth the effort! It's good that you've identified universities that do carry it, as otherwise you would basically be speaking into a vacuum.

I don't think it compromises your independence to ask your supervisor for advice, but if that's still not appealing then what about other colleagues? I'm guessing you're probably not a science student, as generally science PhD papers carry the name of the supervisor too, so you'd have to seek his approval anyway if that were the case.

Really, if your primary goal is to get feedback on your work then the the main determinant should be what the journal's turnaround time is. If you submit and they take 6 months to get back to you with reviewer's comments, which are unhelpful because they didn't get good quality reviewers, then will that help you? The other thing to consider, depending on your subject area and future plans, is whether you'd be better off retaining the material to publish in a book later on.

This seems timely! (read the subtitle)

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1537

I have no viva related stories, but it my experience of trying to get more than one senior academic in a room at the same time, you're lucky the viva wasn't 8am on the last day of term, or at a weekend. ;)

I really don't think there's anything to be read into it other than that this was when they were both free.

Hope the highlighters soothe your nerves! :)

If you're not sure about talking to your supervisor directly, you could possibly talk to student services or occupational health. It might be handy to have this on record, in case you end up over-running on your PhD.

Well done for seeking help on this. I hope it's making a difference for you.