Hi HazyJane, thank you. Yep, I think I'm resigned now to just rewording but it means a lot of extra work that I wasn't anticipating. Really disappointed though given all the work that goes into writing a thesis and then none of it can be used for anything else. Thanks folks. Glad I asked before I copied and pasted anything.

Thank you MeaninginLife and wanderingbit. I have heard of the possibility of doing that, wanderingbit, but I guess this is where the issue complicates more for me as I am not quite finished my PhD yet though will do in the coming months so I imagine I won't have received word back from the journals by the time I submit thesis so I think maybe my best option is to reword everything. I can't write at the start of a chapter that it's been accepted for publication if the publishers haven't answered me yet. It's a tricky one and there never seems to be a clearcut answer. It's a heck of a lot of extra work to reword your own work like this though but as, MeaninginLife says, perhaps they make so many changes that it looks completely different anyway ;-) Would be interested to hear from anyone who can confirm that they copied and pasted and all was fine.

Thank you both DocInsanity and TreeofLife for your replies but the replies are both different :-) This is what I mean about varying responses. I guess to be on the safe side I should try and reword every single thing! I was worried about whether it would be classed as 'self-plagiarism' to cut and paste from my thesis. It just seems crazy though when we pump so much effort into our theses to then have to rework everything yet again for a journal!
Thank you both again.

Hi folks,

Hope everyone is doing well. I realise that there is already a thread on this from a few years ago but the responses varied and I'm just wondering has anyone here ever copied and pasted a paragraph (or two or three) from their PhD thesis and used it in a journal article that they then got published? Is this accepted? I have read through the submission guidelines of various journals and they typically say that the author must ensure the "submission has not been previously published and is not under consideration for another journal" but what about if your submission involves paragraphs from your own PhD thesis? Is that permitted? The thesis isn't really a "published" work is it? Anyone know for sure? I don't know who to ask about this as the profs in my dept don't even seem to know (!!!) bar emailing the editors in advance and I didn't really want to do that. It's going to be a pain to have to reword every single thing!
Many thanks folks.

J

SazzyCzar, I am sorry to hear this. I have little tangible experience on the viva and the whirlwind of emotions that must accompany the final stages. However, you will find people here who have been through this situation who could better advise you. Many of these people have gone on to do postdocs, to publish, to get good lecturing positions and to basically do all of the things someone with minor corrections can do. Might take a little longer is all. It’s not going to automatically stop you achieving those things. Part of me thinks this is all a bit pot-luck and down to getting a sticky examiner. I seriously would love to see a reform of the examination process and more accountability. Have you had a good chat with your supervisor(s)?
The most useful thing I can say is people who have been through this have gone on to do just as well as those who passed with minor corrections.
Might sound trite but all I can say is I wish you the very best and sending virtual hugs and positive energy your way. Take care :-) I’m sure someone who has completed will be along with more useful advice later. All the best

Hi all,
Thank you for reading and if you have any suggestions for help I would be eternally grateful to you. This is my 5th year teaching and I am currently writing up. I am teaching a new course this year which takes up one full day per week teaching and about 4 days prep. It is insane. The reason it takes so much time is that I have to run everything past the lecturer who is overseeing the course. Having taught my own modules over the past 3 years I am not used to this. This week the emails have started and also students are starting to want to schedule appointments with me. I can't cope at this point. The classes itself have been going great but I just can't keep this up for another month and a half and work on writing up.

The problem is *the stage* I am at in my own work. I am so near and yet so far. Without teaching I was looking at a Feb/March deadline but I will not make this with this teaching workload. I feel like I can't pull out of teaching these classes now. I don't want to burn bridges with anyone but am exhausted and not getting enough of my own work done. Do you think there is any way I can pull out of this now?I just made a bad mistake in taking this on at this point in my research.

Can anyone please let me know if they've been in a similar situation or if they can see how I could potentially get out of this wihtout burning bridges? Do you think if I went to the lecturer and was honest about finding it a little too much while trying to write up that they would be ok with that? Thanks folks. Much appreciated

Hi folks, Just wanted to add that I am the exact same! I can only do so much in a day. If you added the amount of time that I spend each together I guess it would only amount to about four hours of solid work max. I could do more than that but it wouldn't be good quality. I regularly zone out, listen to music, go walking, dancing, window shopping (like you, Charlie Brown, I don't have the money to buy anything so I torment myself looking at things I can't buy ;-) If I have the cash to spare I play the Lotto!). It is particularly hard to concentrate in this unusually hot weather when everyone else seems to be out drinking alcohol. Just keep doing as much as you can each day and it will add up. I know for me that's all I can do. I physically and mentally can do no more than a few hours each day but it is adding up & that's what matters. Keep going :-)

Just logging in to say CONGRATULATIONS Dr. Pineapple. So happy for you. Said it before and I'll say it again you are such a strong, very tolerant, and resilient person. & remember all the good things your examiners said previously about being able to get more publications. what's it they say? A work of real merit finds favour at last or something like that :-) Well done & enjoy this. Pop open the bubbly. You deserve it. Wishing you every success with your future career :-)

Hi Pineapple, Just adding my voice to the chorus of people wishing you well. Every time I see the message bumped to the top of the page I think 'yes, this is it, Pineapple's done with this thing!'. I really feel for you and I agree that all the people involved in processing this should be ashamed. No-one should be left waiting this long. You've shown time and time again how resilient you are. You're a very strong person. Hold firm and try relax and enjoy the holiday period. I would've flipped my lid ages ago and have spammed everyone's inboxes until the gave me an answer ;-) Wishing you strength and support. All the best, J

Hi Pineapple,
I remember your viva thread last year but I generally don't post here though because I can't seem to offer anything without it sounding trite but I just want to post to wish you the very best with this. It sounds like you got great feedback - being told you've tapped into a unique research area is fantastic. You know how many of us are probably working on things that are contributing (which is also great) to a research area but to be doing something truly novel, well, that's really exciting. The fact that you identified such an area shows you've got what it takes I think.
Plus, just think of the mental resolve you've demonstrated in the last year. To get up and get going on the thesis again. You've done really well. Just let your passion for the topic come through.
Positive thinking, inspirational music, lots of chocolate and tea, with the laptop under the duvet! That's how I work most days and it's going great so you're not alone 8-) Go nail it Pineapple (up)

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Edit: double post. I keep double posting dammit!

Hi ERADcrazy, It would seem a pity to me if you packed it in having come this far. You have 3 years done and you indicate that it may take 1-2 more years which is less time than what you've already done so I'd be inclined to urge you to go for it.
I'm not sure if you're in the humanities and social sciences or if you're in the sciences but I know that I initially obtained data that wasn't particularly useful and after 6 months of that scrapped it and started a new approach to acquiring data so that is perhaps one option for you. On the other hand I'd recommend talking through it with the supervisor and seeing what you can get from/make out of the data you currently have. This approach might require you altering your research question or topic a little bit to 'fit' the data but if it gets you there in the end then it'd be worth it maybe.
I don't know if you've been feeling down for a while but I will say we all go through the doldrums at some point. One day you can feel like you're at the cutting edge and the next day you are wondering what you're doing! That's quite natural I think for the PhD process.
Hope some of this helps. Maybe someone else will have more helpful views on what your options may be.(up)

Good advice Clupea. Thank you! I have just sent off a few emails enquiring if the institution I'm at offers such services. I don't think they do but I have found other third level institutions in other cities here that do so perhaps if all else fails I can ask there! Wish I'd listened and learned my languages when I was at school :p Thanks again.

Good advice Clupea. Thank you! I have just sent off a few emails enquiring if the institution I'm at offers such services. I don't think they do but I have found other third level institutions in other cities here that do so perhaps if all else fails I can ask there! Wish I'd listened and learned my languages when I was at school :p Thanks again.

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Ed: double post