======= Date Modified 03 Mar 2011 09:49:07 =======
Looking at this, it occurs to me (including myself) how very English we're being about this. Not wanting to stand out and tutting about those who do stand out (we love to bring bigwigs down to size).

Many other nationalities would be more than ready to use their titles. :-)

I did this help page for students whilst I was doing post-doc a few years ago (I pointed them to the webpage rather than be bombarded with questions) and recently did a little update.

http://www.wearthesis.talktalk.net

Hope that helps!!! :-)

======= Date Modified 02 Mar 2011 12:24:35 =======
First of all, congratulations on passing!!! (up)

I've settled into the exact same pattern as BilboBaggins, such as Bank Cards, Passports, Journal Details.

It varies from person to person I guess. You get some who never use it and others who'll even use it to order a pizza for crying out loud!!! Why?

I did a website for people interested in doing PhDs whilst I was doing post-doc (http:///www.wearthesis.talktalk.net - got sick of people asking me questions, so was able to point them at the website) and on that I stated you shouldn't push it in people's faces. To me, there's nothing worse than a know-it-all and to use it all the time is to me arrogance beyond belief.

There's a mate with a teaching qualification and it does get tiresome hearing he's got it, even though he's in a job where it's not used. He qualified back in 2003, but he still feels the need to announce it every so often.

As for myself, I'm back in the real world. I have not specifically talked to any workmates about it or told them I have it (I even avoided putting it on my CV). It's basically none of their business as it's not relevant to the job I currently do, though I'm certain they've found out off the Internet (cheeky birthday card!!!). They don't broach the subject, so I don't talk about it.

Unless it's professionally advantageous to do so or with financial records (extra ID for banks can give a little extra leverage with security I suppose), is there any need to actually use it in everyday life?

======= Date Modified 02 Mar 2011 12:07:11 =======
A couple more - firstly more topical.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12608869

Gadaffi(duck)'s son apparently may have used used a Ghost Writer!!! (Hope the situation gets sorted out quickly out there by the way.)

Also, the Germans seem to be doing well on the subject of cheating (and poisoning).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/don-tastes-poisonous-revenge-of-phd-cheat-1077478.html

Note the above links are to stories already published and in the public domain (posted more to bring a smile to people's faces). No-one should post up anything unsubstantiated in response (i.e. liable, litigation, etc.), though the odd urban legend should do no harm!!!
;-)

======= Date Modified 01 Mar 2011 21:19:01 =======
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12608083

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12566502

Basically, don't, whatever you do, be tempted to plagerise material for your thesis!!! Even the great and the good can fall!!! :-)

======= Date Modified 26 Feb 2011 13:32:16 =======

I notice he's posted this on the Postgrad section of the the student room site as well, with a similar comment he's denying a first time PhD'er there too (was Googling for something else).

The bit that get's me is he wants to do this to be nearer to home for family reasons and he's going to have another job anyway as a hypnotherapist. If he needs something to tide him over for a year, why doesn't he take a(nother) prober job instead of denying someone else a go?

He's not gaining from it where someone else could. That makes it selfish to me.

:-(

On this very subject, look at this!!! :-)

http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a198781.html

Cornflower,

Is there no chance of suspending registration for say three months (after the field trip) so you get time to sort out your personal issues?

I know you're on a tight schedule, however, continuing whilst not in the proper state of mind may do your work more harm than good.

======= Date Modified 06 Feb 2011 18:52:17 =======
I've heard if this before. I remember a few years back that one of the contestants on the Krypton Factor (UK version) already had a PhD and was doing a second one. This may be more common in Germany than elsewhere, where 'continual / professional students' don't seem to be that unusual.

I ended up with two masters (thought I'd failed one, embarked on a second then found I'd passed the first) and found that I got labelled a continual student when I made my move back into the real world for five years. This pattern repeated itself after I moved back again into the real world after PhD and post-doc (with help of employment referees, I concealed the PhD in order to get back into work and have not to date officially declared it to my employers - they know, but have not broached the subject yet so neither have I). If you want to do this, you will probably find the same as me and your future will be all but set in stone in academia due to how you're perceived.

I will comment that it seems you only know how to do a PhD once you have one, so one plus point is if you put yourself through it again you will at least know the system making things probably more straight forward.

Thoughts?

======= Date Modified 06 Feb 2011 18:57:57 =======
Hmm, some good stuff and it appears my perceptions of a humanities PhD don't quite mach what I thought. As regards the funding bodies, thanks for these so I know where to point him.

The lad has briefly discussed with his brother, though his brother thinks he's considering this as a last resort if he's made redundant. However, his thought processes keep drifting onto this quite often and I think he may eventually decide to go ahead. I'll hang fire on any discussion until he raises the subject in earnest.

======= Date Modified 01 Feb 2011 23:08:23 =======
It's 6 /7 years since I got my own Science / Engineering-based Ph.D. A close friend is edging towards the idea of a PhD. My friend would be aiming at humanities (Economics, though possibly Education), that to become clear if he starts enquiring. However, he's saying it would be an option should he be made redundant from his current job.

In the past, if he's started something he generally sticks in and sees things through, so he seems to have a firm basis for following the PhD route. He's also a teaching qualification and seems to cope well with difficult situations, the teaching qualification could during the PhD could provide a basis for a little lecturing and hence a little money. A big plus is his sociability means he's less likely to suffer the problems of isolation others feel as he likes meeting new people. The right stuff seems to be there if you follow my meaning and if motivated he could do it.

My doubt is he may be taking up the idea simply as something to do if made redundant and because he sees I have one he may as well follow suit (he wants to do one because I have one). I'm not sure he's considering it for the right reasons and eventual mid-term blues might overwhelm him and he may drift out.

I've told him before he decides to go ahead, he needs a good chat with me about his plans and it's not until then I'll know whether its because he fancies the idea or he's a clear picture of what he wants do & why. That to me is important as I don't know if the desire I had to do one (my reasoning at the time being I wanted to do one for the challenge of doing original research) is currently within him. I know the chat is coming and I know I can describe how I felt before, during and after, but are pressures somewhat different in his subject area? He'd do more bookwork / paperwork if Economics-based, might that be more 'narrowly focussed' (if the right words) than my lab / experiment-based PhD?

Taking a slightly different angle, in Humanities and Economics what are the possible funding options I could suggest to him. For me, it was the University bunging an application for funding into the EPSRC. I don't know what the equivalents would be for him. Also, in his given subject areas, where would be the best Universities for him to go in the UK?

Just a thought here. Could JBonzo get funding from the likes of the EPSRC in the UK?

I'm thinking if it's a normally funded Ph.D. offered by the University, the funding body would be funding the project with the student paid their bursary from that (as per standard - funding sorted by University and supervisors). However, I'm not sure if this would work with non-UK students. If this did work, JBonzo would not have to pay back a loan for the Ph.D..

Anyone know more?