Overview of marasp on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of marasp

Signup date: 29 Jan 2010 at 4:46pm

Last login: 07 Aug 2016 at 11:31am

Post count: 519

Recent Posts

When do I actually finish the PhD?

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Quote From Mackem_Beefy:
You are finished when you sign over the hard copies and PDF of you thesis to the registrar, once the examiners (or internal examiner if minor corrections) have accepted your corrections post-viva.

A letter will then come through the post shortly after to confirm the award of your PhD.

If the worst you have incurred is minor corrections, you can effectively call yourself "Dr." post viva. It's a strange feeling when the examiners say "Congratulations Dr. Nesrine!!!".

However, you don't officially become "Dr." until you receive the letter - I was addressed as "Dr." in print for the first time at this point. The actual certificate and (if you want it) graduation ceremony are window dressing if you like.

Some will argue with some validity that point comes when you sign over the hard copies and PDF of the thesis to the registrars as the examiners have already accepted your corrections.

Ian

Well, I was waiting for this letter but the letter never came... I am sure it varies from university to university, but I was told (by my university - UK) that I am not allowed to call myself Dr before the day of the graduation ceremony. Therefore, I effectively 'finished' in January 2015, when I submitted the final hardbound copies and electronic copy, but I now have to wait until mid July in order to use the title.

How long should an academic cv be (humanities sector)?

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

How long should an academic cv be (humanities sector) for postdocs or academic faculty positions?

(e.g. number of pages)

What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

I have heard mixed opinions on this matter...

research questions

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

I have been to many conferences, giving academic papers, but I think I have just been very lucky. I sent out loads of abstracts while doing my PhD, so that I maximize my chances. There were a few times (3-4) that I was offered a poster presentation instead, especially in the beginning of my PhD. I had no problem with this. I was happy to present a poster.

Well, it's not the end of the world if they do not accept your paper. You can present it in another conference, when you are ready.

Stay or quit and search for other options

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

There is only one way of finding out: stop and think what you really want to do. Is your urge to become an academic / get a PhD strong enough for you to carry on? If not, don't waste your time. It's as simple as that. If you really want to get certain things in life, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.

I want to work as research assistant

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Well, jobs in your field of research don't grow on trees. Please search http://www.jobs.ac.uk/

Good luck!

I wish he hadn't accepted

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Hi there,

Does your supervisor know his topic and provides good, critical feedback?

I think that if the answer is yes, then you should not complain. It means that they are doing their job.

One of the things I learn while doing my PhD was to appreciate ANY feedback, positive or negative, and to simply put my head down and do the work.

Doing PhDs it doesn't make us 'special snowflakes'. You are still in the learning progress; and please accept the fact that your supervisor is trying to help.

Anything that sounds perplexing or complicated might indicate that you have no good knowledge of the topic yet; you will eventually get to appreciate your supervisor's feedback when, upon getting your PhD, you look back see how much you have learnt with him/her as a supervisor (talking from personal experience).

Bullet points in thesis

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

I used bullet points quite often in my thesis. My examiners loved them. My originality was also given in bullet points. It was nice and tidy, and it was like inviting the examiners to tick the boxes of what pioneering research my thesis includes.

honorary doctorats

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Actually, I just wonder what we would all do if after getting a real doctorate, we were also offered a honorary doctorate by another university? Would we go get it? I think we would/should.

In any case, I have heard that a honorary doctorate should not appear in the 'education' section on the CV, but in the 'awards' section instead.

Mara

honorary doctorats

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Quote From Arwen:
Hi guys, new member here! I agree that it's a hard pill to swallow when you're doing the PhD the hard way! I remember crying in the car, at a particularly low point during my PhD, because the radio dj (who is a former swimmer and tv presenter) was telling all the listeners about her honorary doctorate and joking about she was a doctor. It made me feel so bad that I was struggling to get this thing finished and she was making a joke of it.

I know the feeling...

Yes, I agree. There are very few cases that deserve a honorary doctorate in my opinion; e.g. people who have made a remarkable contribution to research. Most honorary doctorates nowadays are given to people because of politics / publicity.

But calling oneself a Dr with a honorary doctorate is a bit pretentious in my opinion...

honorary doctorats

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

I thought that you would all reply with negative comments about them :-)

Yes, having gone through a real PhD for 7 years... I also consider honorary doctorates a cheat.

honorary doctorats

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

I know of someone who has one of these honorary doctorates from a small university in central Africa. Are they worth anything? I have heard that they are offered to randomers, such as singers, etc.

Thanks

Mara

Has anyone contested their corrections post-viva?!

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Quote From Mackem_Beefy:
I'll be blunt and succinct.

You can:

1) Do the corrections your examiners want and be awarded your PhD.

or:

2) Dispute or not do the corrections and leave with an MPhil or a fail.

You decide. :-)

Ian

Precisely. My words exactly, Ian. Also, when you publish, you do whatever takes you fancy, but for now, you must do the corrections requested by your examiners.

Relocation in full time funded phd

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

You set your own priorities in life. The way I understand it, you place your husband and children above your PhD (you do well, it's your life after all). But money is involved and the university may not be happy with the arrangement of relocation. You did well to clarify this issue from day one. Better safe than sorry. Good luck! I hope you hear back soon, and all goes well for you.

By the way, if I were in your shoes I would consider staying away from my husband and children while completing my PhD (for a year or two), but as I said, these are personal matters. I would visit my family as regularly as possible though.

Handing in journal articles with PhD thesis?

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

Make sure you follow instructions. Ask your supervisor if you are not sure.

Failed PhD

marasp 519 posts
9 years ago

I see. Hopefully you can receive a second chance after you appeal. A second set of examiners will be better in your case. This way the examination will start afresh. I was also asked by the external to add things that were irrelevant to my topic in my revised thesis. I did not argue. I simply did what I were told as I could not afford to do otherwise. The examiner looked pleased. Yet, when I publish I will exclude this part of my thesis from the publication.