There is actually a share ware called JabRef which is similar to endnote BUT you won't have to pay. It works well with OpenOffice but I have no experience whether you can export into Word (but Word is horrible anyway to write long documents )

snappy_jaws, you could find out whether your graduate school or department can lend you a video camera. It is really horrible to record yoursef presenting but it helps a lot! Sometimes grad school even offer to go through the video with you and give some advise on your style.
Good luck!

... continued

I want to do an experimental setup and he says: no, as i have done this before we do it this way. me: yes, but your experiment was with apples and mine is with ants. Him: this does not justify another setup. me:????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
the real problem is that I have a chrush on my 2. supervisor and don't won't to go there. I am so stupid!!!!!!!!!!! How could I get myself into this????
sorry, but I needed a good moan.

I am only three month in but he already drives me over the edge. He is complelty illogical, has no idea about my topic (but of course does not accept this and the fact that I worked in the area for 4 years), he never has a nice word and the most said sentence is: I don't understand what you mean. The other thing which really enojs me is that he always compares apples with... bricks or ants.

I am sure someone found this before but it made my day!

http://www.scre.ac.uk/personal/pb/phdsups.html

Don't worry, Oxfors is only 10th! It is Cambridge were you would have to worry (this would be the write place for the cute creapy laughing face but I just cannot get it)

i could never work from home! my planned distractions would be ongoing but at least the flat would be clean as this is one of these: you really have to do it "good conscience" distractions - it is unbelievable how you can lie to yourself

if looking out of the window is included in a good mornings work I have done something
great i am not alone, Juno!

Is anybody feeling as unmotivated as me this morning? After having five days off over easter, enjoying the sunshine, I just cannot get back to working mode. even I was in resonable early this morning (8.30) I have: watered my plants, had coffee, read on the forum, sent stupid mails.... not really productive. Any tips?
Oz

Hi fluffymonster, perhaps you could take a break. As you said some chapters have been published therefore it is impossible that your thesis is not good enough and you probably know what you are talking about as you just recently wrote it all up. I haven't been through my PhD viva but I had two for my MSc and it helped me to take a break every two days for the last three weeks and do really relaxing things (e.g. spa - we had a cheap one in town)to get my mind of things and do sport every day. Otherwise I had the feeling off an overload and everything got confusing and scary. I am sure you will be fine and just think of the bottle of champagne afterwards (and a vodka before? )

Hi, I am not sure whether you are German and know about these things but in Germany it is quite difficult to get funding and there aren't many PhDs on offer (compared to UK). A PhD generally takes longer then 3 yrs - more like 5-7 yrs. You will have to have a Masters to be accepted as far as I am aware. The system is changing at the moment to a Bachelor/Masters one but until last year there was only a Diplom which is equivalent to a Masters and therefore you need this for a PhD. In general I think it is a good idea to go somewhere else as you learn the language, culture etc and looks good on a cv. good luck

Without meaning to be rude: invest the money into a trip around the world and a good counselor/psychologist. After that realize that there are other people out there who have an Oxbridge PhD and have no success (I know of one person who had a job worse paid then mine with a Cambridge PhD and "only" had a Master at that time). It needs more for a good job then a piece of paper and to be honest i had an over from Oxbridge and I refused and took another over because I couldn't face the attitude that they are all better. One day when I am famous and have a big house I will put the letter of acceptance on the guests toilet wall.
Am I sounding pissed off this morning? Sorry for this, its monday and no coffee is availbale.

I did exactly teh same - and I have external funding. My course would have started in September but I was working at a good project and asked whether it is possible to defer. It was no trouble at all as my supervisors saw the point that I am not asking for a holiday but want to finish my project and get the publication out. Just ask!

On the one hand I think it is quite normal that they want to have a face-to-face interview. However, I think in the case to come all the way from France I would call them again and say that you are not sure about the precedure and you would like to know whether they want you there and pay for the travel and accomodation.
Good luck

all the best! hope they send you home soon otherwise you could start cheering up the old ladies like the good deed for toady