Thanks everyone for your replies, it's interesting to hear different views on it! I was considering using my maiden name for work, but I am worried what my fiance will think this says about our relationship! Luckily (?!) I haven't published anything yet so I don't have anything in my maiden name floating about. Some food for thought, thank you all!

Hi,

I'm getting married in April and I finish my PhD in January 2013. Assuming I am successful (which from the amount of time I spend on this forum at the moment is looking unlikely!!!) I have a question, mainly for the ladies but men feel free to respond too.

If you're married and you're a lady do you use (or if you're a chap and you're married to a PhD lady does your wife use), Mrs or Dr? Do you use your married name for one and your maiden for another? I don't have much faith in my university being able to change my name as they've struggled enough to change my address! I am planning to take my husband's name but I feel a bit funny about being "Mr & Dr" at home! I think I would like to be Mrs at home and Dr at work. Probably will be easier to stick to one last name though, huh!

Yes I think leaving messages counts! hehe! At least you've done your bit!

I'm trying to get to 4,00 words before I finish for today cos I have a busy week next week, I'm supposed to have three chapters ready for my next team supervision at the end of March. I was supposed to be going to a seminar today but I have a sniffly cold and I have too much to do! Has anybody else sacrificed going to seminars etc because of their workload?

Wow looks like you've all been really busy over the past couple of days! I've been out doing some follow up interviews but I'm hopefully going to make some progress on my chapter today as I've not done any writing since last week. I'm heading off to a seminar at 12 so I've got a couple of hours to write, here goes!

Good luck with your work today peoples, I'm looking forward to tomorrow and Friday where I have nothing booked and I can just get on with my work! I hate having to keep to-ing and fro-ing all the time when I have so much to do!

There must be someone at your university you can talk to, why can't you talk to your supervisor? Is there a pastoral support tutor for your faculty? What about contacting someone at the student union and asking them who you can talk to? It's really hard to try and guess, you may have enough work if you've published to put a thesis together. You need professional advice though really.

Afraid I don't know as I've never known anyone in this situation, your best bet is to ask your supervisor or your research registry unit as they will be the best people to ask. I'm sure it will differ from university to university and how long you have been studying for.

Hi all, hope you're having good days! I had a depressing supervision today, so I'm having the afternoon off to feel sorry for myself & eat some chocolate! Enjoy your new gadgets Button & have a good weekend all! (up)

I'm not due to complete until January 2013 but I thought I'd just add in that Writing your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day by Bolker is a an absolutely great read, I got through it in about 2 or 3 days and it totally changed my attitude to writing! Setting yourself an achievable goal every day makes you get through the work quicker and you don't get the dread feeling in the pit of your stomach when you feel like you have wasted a day!

Oooh so exciting Button, I love getting new gadgets and technology, I'm such a nerd! My fiance got me a new laptop for Christmas and I'm obsessed with it, I'm like, oooh, shiny! every 5 minutes!

I have now completed goals 2 and 3. I'm contemplating whether to read Crotty now or in the morning on the train so it's fresh... but I do have oodles of reading I wanted to do on the train so I suppose I'd better get on with it now then finish in the morning if required!

Hope you are all having excellent days!

Good afternoon peoples. Goal 1 of writing 750 words is now complete (and having a late lunch). Now I want to get the following tasks completed this afternoon as I have supervision in the morning and I think it's going to be a tough one this month:

1. Re-read Crotty's definition of Constructionism
2. Re-read Corbin and Strauss' level of theories
3. Check travel timetables for tomorrow to make sure I don't get caught out

Once I've completed these tasks, I might go back to writing for a bit, or I may leave it there for this afternoon so I don't get brain fry as I will very definitely need my brain to be in tiptop condition tomorrow! Hope everyone else is doing ok today :-)

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Wow Button, a new PC and a new netbook! Nice! Well good luck with your analysis, and good luck Batfink and all you other lovely Postgrad forum peoples!

I'm just carrying on today, I've worked out I need to write at least 750 words per day to hit my target date to have three chapters in! Eek! Anyway... here we go...!

I was looking out for a post by you Hailey! Keep up the good work, we will get there in the end!

I know the feeling well! I don't think men do realise how easy they have it in comparison! Hope you feel better, the obligatory hot water bottle and chocolate always goes some way to making me feel better too :-)

Hi Hailey,

I'd say mine at their worst are about pain level 2 or 3, the pain isn't what distracts me though, I tend to go a bit anaemic and dizzy and lose concentration more than anything. If I'm having one of those days then I won't push it and I'll do something that either really interests me, or something that requires very little input from my brain! I am on the combined pill but I don't really think it's made that much difference to how I feel at that time of the month! I guess just try to get plenty of rest, eat well and exercise? Sorry if that's not very helpful!

Hello Batfink, glad to hear your writing is going well! I'm struggling today but I will get these words done today! I am determined!