Well done Button - I wish I was feeling half as motivated as you! I am now going to crack on! 8-)

Hi all,

Just a quickie as I've already spent too long procrastinating this morning! Does anyone know what the benefit of having PhD students is to a supervisor/university? Do they make money from having us present? I know they obviously get our piece of research accredited to them at the end and it makes them look good in the REF, but is there anything else they get out of it?

Just curious...

Ah sorry to hear you're leaving Ian! Thank you for your advice over the last couple of years, and good luck in everything you do. I can recommend your website for advice and guidance to those who haven't seen it yet.

:-)

Hi Pineapple,

I was wondering how you were getting on! You are so close now to the finish line now so don't give up. I know exactly how you feel - having someone negative, and that negative person being on your "team" is not easy, however as others have said below you need to ignore them and carry on. As Ady has wisely suggested, use this person's negativity to your own advantage. This is your project and your work, and you've "passed" your viva. Stick it to 'em girl, and show them who's not capable of doing the work!

Keep going - you can do it! And you are not alone - I feel like this constantly at the moment as have others on this forum previously, but we can't let it get us down! We're all in this together (up)

Morning,

Hope you're feeling better Button, I hate being poorly, it's a time thief isn't it! You plan and plan and then wake up ill!

I had a good bank holiday weekend but I do need to get cracking now!

Goal 1: Read policy document/guidance and work into chapter

As this document is hefty (300 pages) I think that will keep me sufficiently busy today!

Good luck today (up)

Ah best of luck Smoobles, hope it all goes well for you. I love a good PhD success story (up)

Afternoon Button, I know what you mean about being knackered when getting home after a long day! If I have to go to a supervisory meeting at uni, by the time I get home I'm generally only good for admin tasks. It's the travelling that gets to me.

I think I have a plan, but I still haven't worked out exactly what I'm going to do. I have a few options open to me so although I'm signing off now I am going to have a little look at them.

See you all tomorrow, I think!

Sorry Emmaki, mine's not on there, bumping this back onto page 1 so other people can see...

I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again... try Crotty, M. (1998) The Foundations of Social Research. Australia: Allen & Unwin

Can't recommend this book enough for clarifying philosophical stances. As regards deduction/induction, my understanding is that positivism is generally associated with a deductive approach. I think the general rule in academia is that if you can justify it and strongly argue, you can say pretty much anything you like! I would run it past your supervisor though.

You did make me laugh out loud! I do love this forum and how it makes you feel like you're not alone! (up)

Hi Batfink,

I'm having a bit of a glum day today but doing some reading this afternoon and some amendments to my chapter. I suppose the only thing to do is keep going and chipping away! Hope you are having a good day so far, I hate it when there are problems with public transport, it's all very well being encouraged to use it but when it doesn't work properly it's a real pain!

Thanks everyone for your replies and your support, I do appreciate it. I have a lot of thinking and working to do!

Hi all,

Sorry to start yet another negative thread but I've received more negative feedback on my work this afternoon and I just wondered how common this is amongst PhD students, especially in their third year?

I know we do need some constructive criticism to help us develop but it seems to be always negative in my case, I think I've only had one meeting in the last year where the outcome was positive! :-( I'm panicking as I'm supposed to be submitting this year and it seems very unlikely that will happen now!

Looking forward to reading your responses!

I suppose, better to be ill now rather than whilst on holiday!

Well, I've had an interesting afternoon - I've received some more negative feedback so properly depressed and feeling sorry for myself now! That'll teach me to check my email when I'm sick rather than calling in sick! Well done with getting most of your goals done though, that's really good! (up)

Gosh Button that sounds like a long list! Hope its going ok, and hope you're having fun with your new software Batfink!

I feel rough today so I'm going to be literature searching which shouldn't be too taxing hopefully! Why do bugs always come when you least need them?!