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Yeah Wal, I have the whole 'vulnerable patient' thing going on, and some people with Alzheimer's are unable to consent for themselves to take part in the research, which is a nightmare in terms of ethics! Apparently an ethics committee down south somewhere ( I forget which county!) are now refusing to permit any research at all that involves people with Alzheimer's because they believe that the ethical issues are insurmountable for this population. Crazy really. I'm not sure if the whole form would go in the appendix or just the ethical approval letter to be honest...for my MSc I put in the whole ethics form but that was only School ethics, and my NHS ethics form is about 30 times as long! Will ask others in the department what they have done when I get the chance! KB

Hey! I haven't written up my thesis yet as I'm only in second year, but I was planning to just write a section in the methodology relating to ethics and just put the forms in the appendix. I am working with people with Alzheimer's so have had to go through NHS ethics etc and deal with all sorts of difficult issues, but the other people on my team who have finished their theses who have also worked with people with dementia have just written it up as part of the methodology. I would see what your supervisor reckons I think! KB

Hey Jimmy! Well it sounds like you are well qualified for the PhD- the main issue will be what your competitors have got on their CV! I wouldn't worry unduly about the 2(i), plenty of people get onto PhDs with 2(i)s and some even with 2(ii)s. You might well be lucky and get your hands on this one, but even if someone else beats you to it, I think you stand a very good chance of getting another PhD or perhaps even funding from elsewhere for the same project. It is probably worth looking out for other projects- I would advise you to be open-minded, but not to take on something that really doesn't interest you. Some people trawl through their PhDs whilst hating their subject area, but for me it is my enthusiasm and genuine fascination with my topic that keeps me going. Everyone's different I guess! If you can't find a project that interests you then you could come up with your own project and ask someone suitable if they would consider supervising it for you. My PhD is a project that my supervisor and myself designed and then applied for funding from several sources- this allows you a greater say in what you do and how you do it, and more flexibility if you decide to change things along the way. Good luck with the short-list, let us know how you get on! KB

Yeah, I have quite a mixed response to what I do. As soon as I mention Alzheimer's everyone tells me what a worthwhile thing it is to be researching, but then when I try to explain more specifically what I'm doing and why, I usually get blank faces. Some people have even said, 'oh, so you're not searching for a cure then', implying that because my work is more relevant to treatment than cure that it is less valuable because I'm not about to cure millions of people! I think the main issue is that most people just don't understand the implications of different types of research, and it doesn't help when the media water it down so it sounds completely pointless and a waste of resources. I admit, I don't really understand the implications of the work some of my friends in a different department are doing, but I don't write it off as useless- I just ask more about it or accept that I'm ignorant! If you want a good laugh, try looking at the comments people leave in reference to newspaper articles on research projects- it often amounts to reasoning along the lines of 'so coffee is good for dementia then? Well obviously it isn't because my mum/auntie/granny/dog had 4 pints of coffee a day and still got it...this research is a waste of good money'. Many people have no concept of statistical relationships and are thus unable to interpret such information appropriately, which often leads to misunderstandings etc. Best just to develop a thick skin I think. I tell people I research Alzheimer's and leave it at that! KB

Hey Maxipat! That's not a very encouraging thing to do, but I suppose a bit depends on his reasons for not wanting you to go down that path. Perhaps you could ask him more specifically for the reasons he doesn't want you to do this? Maybe he thinks the suggestion is a step too far from existing research and wouldn't be justified yet (bear in mind you have to have a very clear argument for why you want to do this research and why you think it needs to be done in a certain way, what it will contribute etc when you apply for funding), or maybe he thinks it's too much work for a PhD project or something. Of course, he could just be an idiot or perhaps he didn't understand exactly what you were explaining. It might be an idea to arrange a meeting (or in supervision or whatever) and talk about what you want to do and why, and make it clear why you have arrived at this research question and why you think it will work (backed up, of course, by existing research etc), and then give him chance you explain his doubts over it if he still has any. Might be worth a shot! KB

Yeah, I saw that Rebel...well to be honest, regardless of the previous MSc, a grade of 60% for your MRes isn't bad going, and I really don't think you would be refused permission to continue to your PhD on the basis of this. Are there any particular areas that you are struggling with that might give them particular cause for concern? The fact that you already have a distinction on your previous MSc should count in your favour. I think the best thing to do is to approach your tutor or supervisor and just ask them- are you able to approach them about this? Hopefully they can offer you some reassurance and put your mind at rest, and this will take some of the pressure off you. I have a pal who got funding for a PhD on a 2.2 and a pass as MSc level, so you are already more than qualified to do one (although requirements vary from subject to subject), and I really don't think you need to worry too much. But best to find out where you stand- I asked my supervisor straight out whether I was required to get a distinction, and even though I was determined to get one, it took the pressure off knowing that my PhD wasn't at stake! Good luck with your appointment tomorrow, best wishes, KB.

Hey again Rebel! Given that you already have funding, I think you would be extremely unlucky if they were to give you the boot if you didn't get a distinction. If you were borderline pass/fail I'm sure they would have their doubts, but as long as you secure an overall decent pass then I think you should be fine. One thing I think you should do is make sure they are aware of the difficulties you are having and make sure it is recorded somewhere within the university system, because if you don't mention it now you might not be able to use it to defend a lower-than-usual standard of work later on in the year. When I was doing my MSc I won funding for my PhD and although I was expected to (and did) get a distinction I asked my supervisor if it would matter if I missed the distinction and she said it wouldn't make a difference to PhD admission as I already had the funding, although it would be a good sign if I did manage to get one. I'm glad to hear that you are going to see someone at the counselling place tomorrow, sounds like you're doing the right things. Best wishes and hope it goes well tomorrow, KB.

Hey Rebel...just wondering, do you already have the funding for your PhD, or just the MRes? Is the MRes the first year of your PhD, or are you planning a 3-year PhD after you have completed the MRes? KB

Hi there! Just to re-iterate what the others have said really. A lot does depend on your subject- I do Clinical Psychology and I tend to be in the office from 9.30am until somewhere between 5.30-7pm Mon-Fri, and also travel to see research participants between these hours. Sometimes I work at weekends too. To some extent I could re-arrange my time and possibly work from home sometimes and outside of these hours, but there are some things that really can only be done inside these hours, so it's important to sort out a routine that works for you and try to be flexible. There would probably be some things (meetings, superivision etc) that you might have to attend after 2.30pm if other people can't arrange it to suit your needs, but hopefully you could fit things around your family routine reasonably well. I take about 5 weeks holiday per year. I am not on a contract so I can really take whatever I want so long as my research is running on schedule, but I know some funding councils specify that you can have 5 or 6 weeks holiday or whatever, so it depends where your funding will be from to some extent. A fellow PhD student on my team is a single mother and looks after her two young children whilst doing her PhD. She is managing really well and is due to complete on time later this year, so it can definitely be done! Hope your meeting goes well! KB

Awww, poor you! I think we can all empathise with this! Most of my reading tends to be journal articles which are usually horribly complicated but not so long, but when I do have to get through a whole book, it is hard work! I think the most important thing is to try not to force yourself through it... if you are not having a good day for reading then most likely you will just end up skimming the words and taking nothing in, and just end up wasting your time. I find it helpful to break it down and commit myself to just 30 minutes at a time of really concentrating on the reading, then do something else for a while, etc etc. Some days you might find that after 30 minutes you are still with whatever's being said, and you can keep on reading. Other days even 30 minutes might be a struggle and you will be best off just doing something different, however frustrating it feels! Personal goals are a good idea, but I think flexibility is the key to success with something like this! Good luck with it! KB

Hey chick, I really feel for you. I am only in my second year PhD so am not at the submission stage or viva stage, but I do have bipolar disorder and have suffered with the depression for about 10 years now. It's a horrible horrible feeling. The first thing you need to do is to talk to someone about this and get help- it sounds like you are absolutely at the end of your tether with this. Can you talk to your supervisor and ask for advice on what to do about the mistakes? It doesn't sound as though you are in a good way to sit the viva- can you be honest with your supervisor about how things are for you at the moment? Depression is an illness and if a person had some sort of severe physical illness then they would not be expected to submit their thesis and sit their viva. I guess the alternative is to sit it anyway and see what happens, but I'm not sure that's the best way forwards. The other thing that is surely even more important than your PhD is that you get some help with how you are feeling. Have you been getting any help with the depression? If not, see your GP straight away and also see if your university has a counselling service- I'm sure all universities have some sort of support like this. You can and you will beat the depression, but you need to get help- there comes a stage when you simply can't do it on your own any more. It's hard to ask for help- I hated doing it years ago and I still find it really hard. I am on medication for life now and have been seeing a university counsellor for 6 years, but accepting that sort of help was the best thing I ever did....it probably saved my life. Please get some help, and if you can, let someone at the university know what is happening so that they can support you in the best way they can. I really hope things pick up for you. Best wishes, KB

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Hey! I usually have planned meetings with my supervisor about every 3 weeks, which go on for about 90 minutes normally, although she's often abroad at conferences and things get a bit more scatty then. I also see quite a lot of her informally as my office is next door to hers, so she's often popping in and out (usually when she wants one of us to do a job for her!), and we are in email contact loads too. We also have team meetings every month or so, where we meet up (about 10 of us) to discuss progress and issues which affect all of us, such as participant recruitment, ideas for new studies etc. This usually works really well...sometimes I get to the stage where I really do need a supervision meeting and it's still a couple of weeks away, particularly when she's away for long periods of time, but she's very good on email anyway so it's not too problematic. I don't often meet with my second supervisor, but then I don't really feel as though I need to, one is plenty enough for me! KB

Hi Rebel! I have suffered from bipolar disorder for about the last 10 years, although the depression has always been more severe than the mania for me. It has played havoc with my life- I dropped out of uni three times in my undergrad years, had lots of long-term hospital admissions, and no end of drug treatments and electroconvulsive therapy. Depression is a nightmare, and it is also very hard for people who have never expereinced depression to understand what it is like- I have often had to deal with people who think that depression is just about 'feeling a bit down'. However, over the last 4 years I have been much better. I got a first in my BSc, a distinction in my MSc, and won a scholarship to fund my PhD- I am now in second year. Learning how to deal with depression is hard work and a bit trial and error. It sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things. Our uni counselling service is fantastic- I have been seeing them for 6 years and credit them with my progress through university. So definitely stick with that one. It isn't for everyone but it can be a really good source of support for a lot of people. Exercise is also great- I exercise almost every day of the week- but be careful that you choose something fun so it doesn't become a chore. I also found that something non-competitive is a good idea, it makes me feel even worse if I perform badly at something! Since I broke my foot 5 weeks ago (and thus can't exercise) I have had to go on extra medication for my mood, which just goes to show how important exercise is for keeping your mood healthy. As for supervisors- I have been extremely honest with mine, and they have been nothing but supportive. They cannot be understanding if they don't know what is happening, and I sat down and had a very frank discussion with my supervisor near the beginning of my PhD, so she knows what to do if I become ill- how to help and what I can or can't manage when I'm not well. The only thing she asked of me was that I kept her up to date if things started to go downhill so that she knew what was happening and could respond accordingly. So I think it's really important to try to be honest with your supervisor, or at least speak to your chairperson or someone at the university so that they are aware that you might have difficulties from time to time. I have been pleasantly surprised at how understanding people have been, and have never regretted telling my supervisors (and other colleagues) about my illness. I guess the other thing is to see your doctor if you are really struggling. Even if you don't want to take medication they might be able to refer you to someone else for help, perhaps a CPN or something for support. Try not to stress too much about your work and tackle your mood first- and if you are really struggling to get your work done, maybe get on with the boring but straightforward things first- literature searching, photocopying, writing reference lists etc. At least that way you can see that something is getting done! Hope you start feeling better soon. You will get through it and do your PhD. I have even found that my own experiences of mental ill health have been extremely valuable in working with my research participants, so you might even be able to find some positive in all this at another time. Best wishes, take care. KB

Hey! I also have problems with this- sometimes I re-read stuff again and again, yet miss spelling mistakes, missed out words etc. I even submitted a paper to a journal with a missing word in the abstract which only got picked up in the proof stages- I couldn't believe both me and my supervisor missed it so many times, but that's what happens! I would try leaving it for a few days, as the others have suggested, and when you do read it, just do it a section at a time and then do something else in between, so that you don't get into the 'scanning but not really reading' stages- it's so easy to end up doing that and not really take anything in. Good luck! KB