I jus file them according to topic as each topic is quite discrete and they rarely overlap; this makes it easier for me to find papers if I have forgotten the name of the author, especially if I haven't read them for a while. I just use a filing cabinet with labelled hanging files; they are getting a little but full now so I might have to have a rethink!

I have electronic copies of everything and use Mendeley as well.

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Have had a reply from one of my supervisors, she usually acts as a spokesperson from the team so I might not hear from the others. She was very supportive, which is a relief! Just had lunch and been to check on the horse, so going to type up the notes now.

Good morning, the first thing I have to do is write the dreaded email about going part-time to my supervisors. Really quite nervous about doing this, even though I know it is sensible.

Next goal is to type up a few pages of handwritten notes I made whilst reading yesterday, then back to work on editing my literature review.

Have a good day everyone :-)

Hi Linda,

I don't think your supervisor is being especially fair, and I don't think it's right for him to bring in a personal issue that has never affected your research. It would perhaps be different if the circumstances were a little more difficult and likely to change e.g. you were caring for an elderly relative, but your situation is entirely different. Everyone has lives outside of the PhD and I'm sure that others in your department have children that they care for on a full-time basis, so your supervisor shouldn't have an issue with it. Someone once told me that the type of supervision that someone gives is reflective of their own PhD experience and supervision - can you see this with him at all?

I think that if you don't address this now it will become more difficult, but I'm not sure if I would make a complaint of discrimination just yet. If you think it's appropriate, could you ask him outright whether he has any other concerns apart from your responsibilities for your stepson? I may well be wrong, but could he be using that to mask another concern? Do you have a second supervisor who you could talk to? If not, then I would speak to your research division leader and see what they think, as your supervisor is certainly making things unnecessarily difficult for you.

Hope that helps, Natassia

I have my progress review meeting next Monday which will hopefully allow me to enrol for this academic year, although I initially enrolled in January 2011. I am progressing, although difficulties with my literature review and a change of supervisor have delayed things a bit. Fortunately, recent feedback from my lit review has been positive, although there is still some work to do I am fairly confident that it will be okay once I have revised it according to their comments.

The main problem is whether I will finish on time, which is supposed to be January 2014. I don't think that this is possible, at the moment I am a full-time student but because I am self-funded I have had to work part-time (sometimes more than part-time) during my PhD. Although my parents are willing to help me out, I would really like to be independent and earn my own money. I have been teaching at the university, doing private tuition and some nannying to get by, this year I have taken on another PhD student's teaching as well as doing the same as last year, and I am doing a bit of lecturing so I will be even busier when I start the private tuition as well. Therefore I think it would be sensible for me to go part-time, I no longer see this as 'failing', I just want to develop more as an academic as well as do my PhD, going part-time would hopefully give me more time to present at conferences and maybe get a couple of publications (my supervisors talk about this all the time), and put me in a better position for when I am job-searching afterwards. Basically I want to get a bit more out of the PhD process and alleviate some of the financial pressure that I have at the moment.

I think I have almost made my decision, and I know my supervisors would support it as I have mentioned it to them briefly before. I would really appreciate hearing other people's opinions on it though, especially if you have been through the process yourself.

Thanks in advance, Natassia :-)

Good afternoon everyone... I managed to get some transcribing done yesterday, but then my (very efficient) supervisors emailed me with feedback on the chapter I submitted on Monday, and so I went through that. Also had to write a report for my progress review meeting next Monday. Feeling slightly better about that now as they had some good things to say about the chapter, but still in limbo to be honest.

Today I'm on campus after a delay-ridden train journey and working on the feedback from my literature review. Aiming to get halfway through today, and restructure using subheadings.

Also, what are your opinions of using subheadings for the literature review chapter? I've used them before then been told to take them out, but now I'm being told to use them again so I probably should. Have read another literature review that is very similar to mine and it is full of them, literally every 500 words which makes it seem a bit disjointed. Someone else has advised that I use them for now and then take them out when I submit the thesis. I'm just not sure to be honest, although I think they would help.

I hope you got your literature review edited Emma, and that Button is having some time off after her week of editing!

I think you're powering through as well Button! Best of luck with getting your final draft to your supervisor today.

I went to hospital yesterday and had an x-ray, fortunately I'm not broken, have just torn all the ligaments and need to rest it.

Today is all about transcribing, really want to finish this interview that I'm doing today and then I can send it to a contact who's actually developed the method so that he can have a look at my interviewing technique.

Have a great day everyone!

I have finally sent my chapter to my supervisors so that is my goal for today done. Tomorrow will be back to transcribing my pilot interviews.

At my local hospital they only do x-rays until 7pm and judging by the time I will probably have to wait, they will probably send me away so I'm just going to go first thing tomorrow instead.

Going to take my doggies for a walk now to get some much-needed fresh air!

Have a lovely evening everyone :-)

Can I join in please ladies? I spent my weekend finishing my literature review chapter, today I'm just doing some final editing and I'm going to email it later this afternoon. Came off my horse yesterday and have a sneaking feeling that I've done something to my collarbone; didn't want to go to A&E yesterday as it would be busy and I had work to do, but I might go when this chapter is submitted. Fortunately I can still type with my limp right arm!

Have a good day everyone :-)

Thank you Satchi, and I'm glad that you enjoyed your time in London, despite all the travelling!

I'm just editing the chapter now and will send it this afternoon. To be honest, I just want it out of my hands now, I know I've given it my all and there is little else I can do really. A departmental colleague (who has a PhD) has read it and he thought it was good, which was reassuring.

Time will tell,

Natassia

Done - my research is also in equestrianism so would be useful to hear a little more about yours, PM me if you like.

Good luck with it, Natassia

I have to say, the admin staff where I am are brilliant! Sometimes emails go missing and I don't receive them, but they are always really apologetic and make sure that everything is sorted; if they make a mistake they always rectify it and they are so helpful. And they're friendly as well, one of them is like my 'mum' in the department! But then I think I'm very lucky where I am as well.

Sorry, did spell check and it started repeating the post, I meant to add at the end that any advice was appreciated and thanks in advance, Nx

Sorry, haven't posted in a long time as there was a problem with my account, it has been resolved now.

Things really aren't good at the moment, it basically started after a change of superivisor after my previous lead supervisor took up a position at another university, the new supervisor wanted to change the project in terms of the theoretical approach and the methodology, and it slowed things down a bit. Fortunately it has started to resolve itself now, after me standing up for myself whilst doing my utmost to please him.

I am heading towards my upgrade and have to have 3 chapters for that, one being the lit review that has been a real 'sticky point'. I just can't seem to get it right despite working so hard and adhering to my supervisors' comments, it's as if they all want different things, although they aren't especially conflicting in supervision meetings the lead supervisor tends to have all the input and the other two don't say much at all whereas my previous lead supervisor wasn't especially involved. I have my third draft to email them on Monday and it is almost there, so I am hoping that this will be enough to secure my future, if it isn't up to scratch then my progression is threatened, basically.

This is because I had a progress review meeting in July, which my supervisors had to submit a report for beforehand. They said that I was working hard and that the project was progressing, although they were concerned about the lit review, and without that they couldn't quite recommend my progression. There was no indication that I was going to be asked to leave though. So following that, I have another progress review meeting on the 17th Sept to review what has happened since then. I am sending my supervisors the chapter on Monday and then they are going to read it and produce a report for the panel, I should be meeting them beforehand so I will probably have an idea of the outcome before the meeting. Basically if there is obvious progress then I will be okay and be able to enrol and continue towards my transfer, if there is no/not enough progress then other suggestions will have to be made, although I won't be asked to leave at that stage.

Before my supervisors went on their holidays at the beginning of August I sent them half of the revised chapter and although there was constructive criticism, they did agree that there were signs of development and that it could be a really good chapter, and that they were looking forward to it being finished and me being able to get on with the rest of the project. They still seem invested in my project and wanting me to continue. But I have these niggling doubts, it is as if I am used to my lit review being terrible (and it hasn't all been terrible, there are nice comments as well), so I don't think I'm good enough to do a PhD. I am still motivated and have a temp teaching contract as well, so I really want to stay.

Has anyone else been in this position?

was a problem with my account, it has be

I'm going into my second year of teaching but I remember the nervous feeling well, to be honest I feel nervous now as well! I didn't really do much research beforehand other than discussing my (many) concerns extensively with the module coordinator and others on the teaching team, but really I think the only way to learn is on the job. In my opinion it is quite difficult to read up on teaching approaches without having something to reflect on; I went on a short course during reading week (beginning of November) and found that helpful as I'd already taught for a few weeks beforehand. If your university does courses then that would be useful for you as well.