:-)

It gets better. One of the other referees is editor-in-chief of another journal and guess what, I get a second paper to review!!!

Boy, they know how to get their moneys worth out of you. :-s

I don't think they will hold the rejection of the paper against me. It's more a case of I know that some peer reviewed journals are struggling to find people to review papers. When someone with decent English skills comes along, they've no real choice but to make the most of it.

======= Date Modified 01 Aug 2011 10:55:29 =======
I did. For me I wanted to do a PhD and it was the right thing for me to do. I have no regrets about leaving the job.

I simply put my notice in, explained my reasons (I wanted the challenge fo a PhD, the chance to do innovative research, etc.) and seven weeks later I was a PhD student.

Redundancy was on offer at the time, however, they managed not to pay me that. Firstly, I had something else lined up (the PhD) and secondly, although I claimed the last place to go it coincided with the closure of another factory and transfer of some production to the site I was working at.

However, the writing was on the wall and some time after I left it closed down anyway.

I'll add I'd have still left to do the PhD even if the situation had been more secure as it was a decision that meant so much to me.

Anyways, my blog and take on studying a PhD (based on study in a British Uni.), which may be of help to you.

http://www.wearthesis.talktalk.net/

======= Date Modified 31 Jul 2011 22:06:10 =======
I can't answer question 1) as I didn't move away from home for my PhD.

Question 2), you'll end up sharing with a few others normally. In some Universities, that may mean an open plan office with many as 20 or 30 students. You'll get a computer and a desk, whatever the set-up. I prefer the latter, as I can talk to more people.

Question 3), you should be able to open a bank account almost straight away, provided you have (in your case) two forms of identity including your passport as you're not a UK national. As a second form of identity, you might want to use student / workplace identity such as a Student Union card or University ID card. Alternatively, some form of ID from your home country might suffice such as a driving licence. Have you an international driving license?

Finally, good luck with your PhD!!!

======= Date Modified 30 Jul 2011 16:28:07 =======
I'm there with my last ever paper based on my PhD data. In my case, the paper was a little too long and I wouldn't be surprised if I'm asked for further edits despite substantial removal of information.

It's a case of take the decision on the chin, look at the remarks, react accordingly and show you've carried out the changes they require.

Ironically, the very same journal asked me to review another paper at the same time. I don't know if will be held against me, however, the grammar and graphics were in parts so poor I had to reject it. Feel rotten at the moment, but some of the paper was incomprehensible.

Having dealt with papers as an author and a reviewer, it's important you are clear and succinct (say what is to be said in as few words as possible), and the paper is well structured. Depending on Journal Guidelines (the below is typical for an Elsevier technical publication):

i.e.

Research Highlights
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Methodology
Results
Discussion
Brief Conclusions
Acknowledgements

The graphics should be clear and understandable from the off, and of publication standard with the original submission. Any unnecessary repitition of information should also be avoided.

I was a post-doc there a few years ago. I don't know if you're planning to go or are there already. There's some very good research going on there, however, some of the senior academics can be interesting characters to work with or for (true of a lot of places though). If not there already, check out thoroughly before you accept or go. Ensure you can work with the people you're introduced to.

What school or faculty?

My own take on this:

http://www.wearthesis.talktalk.net

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14309883

(down)

======= Date Modified 25 Jul 2011 21:04:17 =======

This you'd have to check. My PhD Uni. accepted six monthly installments. Others might be by semester. If you've not reached the six months, I don't see why you should have to pay any extra.

The purpose of the interview when you start is not just to see if they like you, but if you like them and the set-up you'll be working in.

Perhaps it's better to bow out and give yourself some breathing space. If you try again, you'll know better and be able to spot the red flags first. At least you're realising now and not seeing this with six months to go. That's the one time you don't want to be battling supervision issues.

If you try again, have a read on my blog (my take on things). Also, next time, try and go for funding.
;-)

http://www.wearthesis.talktalk.net/index.html

======= Date Modified 25 Jul 2011 16:00:26 =======
Your latest post puts a different perspective on the issue and your supervisors do seem to be a little off the ball.

It is true to say that the academic viewpoint can be different to that of the real world, but the description you give of yourself in the above is of a person that can adapt to that better than most. What I don't like from what you're saying is the way these two characters seem to assume you've done and said things you haven't. The senior Prof. for my second post-doc was in a way like that and it made for a very uncomfortable relationship. In reporting some information back to him in one meeting, I was accused of answering the question he wanted me to ask rather than that asked.

Based upon what you say, they sound as though they could be difficult to work with. You therefore have to consider if you can work with these people for the next 3 to 5 years. What is 'rubbish' is that you have to accept everything they throw at you should be an acceptable part of the transition to academia - bluntly put, as you progress through the PhD you also provide them with a service and you deserve better than people making assumptions. How do they honestly know or assume what you're thinking?

It really does sound like you need to take time out to rethink. At the very minimum, you sound as though you need to look at your supervision team and see if there are alternatives available as dismissing your real world experience and perspective completely would be a mistake. Yes, you have to adapt to a different approach, but that does not necessarily mean setting aside everything you have done before.

I do remain cautious about trying to combine work and study, as that does require good organisation and planning. However, if you managed during masters then it may well you'll be okay during a part time PhD and also, you sound experienced enough to be able to cope. My earlier views are based on my dealings with full time Masters students who clearly did bite off more than they could chew (also the part time PhD people, one of who was a next door neighbour).

Don't be disillusioned based on your dealings with these two characters as not everyone in academia is like that. You come across as someone who wants to do a PhD for the right reasons and it would be a shame to let that slip away. However, you may have to start afresh with new supervisors.

Is this a full time, permanent contract?  Agency approach with an offer too good to refuse (non of my business - don't answer, just someone I know has ended up in a pickle)?

I don't know what your commitments are as regards the PhD, however, this is where I have to take a slightly different angle to Dunni.

During my first post-doc, we had instances of M.Sc. students taking on fulltime work during their project placements.  That was reflected in the quality of the work returned and in all honesty, a good many of them should have been failed.  In the end, we failed one whose work was so poor it was unintelligible.  The others, we were 'told' to pass (i.e. make Uni. look good especially to foreign fee paying intake).  Failed students were bad press for the Uni. when they went back home.

The point I'm making is juggling more than one major task at once can be extremely difficult.  Your time management has to be top notch and the time you dedicate to each task has to be quality time.  These students did not and their work suffered.  I also know of part-timers who found they could not juggle work, PhD and family commitments.

If your new employment is of benefit to your PhD, then I would say go ahead if you think you can manage it.  However, Many people fall by the wayside during the PhD process because they don't understand the intensity of the work that can be involved if the PhD work really takes off.

I understand from past posts that your husband has a PhD.  Ask him honestly if he would consider working full time whilst trying to still continue with a PhD.  I believe your supervisors are asking a valid question.

If you feel you can plan your time around both, give it a go.  If not, perhaps you should wait until the world of work has finished with you.  The new role seems really to have grabbed you, so ask which you want to do more.

Some manage (as others on here have testified), however, some don't.

Best of luck whatever your choice.

I gather former employer has come back to you with some contract work?

Ask for a suspension of registration to give yourself the time you need to get your head straight. Three months, clear off for a bit then come back with a clear plan before you proceed.

I have to admit once I finished Masters, I was not ready to face PhD. I came back a few years later, a little older and hopefully a little wiser. I needed at least a year between. It ended up being five, more due to circumstance rather than anything else.

I did a computing conversion course way before I did my PhD. Whilst I got the M.Sc., it was skin of my teeth and proved to me that computing is not my thing. I've not really used any of the computing since and not followed as a career path. Others on the course adapted better and they went on to careers initially in computing. One even did a PhD on the back of the MSc. This is basically what these conversion courses are for.

From memory, the course will certainly give a base set of programming skills in computing. However, one employer who interviewed me bluntly said they did not consider my computing skillsbase to be 'not that much' compared to other candidates.

Whether the conversion course will give you the analytical skills you need is a different matter and you'll need to look at the potential course syllabus. However, by analytical skills, my assumption would be the use of, for example, various statistical and FMEA packages to enable you to carry out the analysis you need to do on the data you produce. I don't think the M.Sc. conversion courses on offer will necessarily give you that.

This is just as bad as 'buying' your cert. off the Internet. The only difference is with this is they are effectively paying someone for a cert. from a bona fide University.

It's a nice feeling when this first happens!!!

It will happen alot more as the Ethos website and the various Open Repository websites develop. It's a good thing that all this information that once gathered dust is actually accessible.

The one caution I'd make is over plagerism and copyright protection. I would have at least the key parts of your research published to journal too under your name as at least one of the authors. Journals are still far better for active distribution of published data, whilst theses still just sit there waiting to be found.