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What is this "bitching" about this and that? Nobody here who is doing a PhD and has problems (you shall have them too) is complaining that doing a PhD is not enjoyable, that reading and writing is not enjoyable. They do it for they want to do it (as you). This is an arduous journey and has its ups (for which we go pubbing with friendly faces) and downs (for which we sometimes need the comfort of written words and an anonymous forum).

While it is a great idea to record the upside in a thread as this, there is no need to point fingers at the larger proprotion of downside reporting.

And was "bitching" really the right/nicest word to use? We are all motivated people here, in love with our intellectual interests and doing this for we like it and we want it in our careers/lives.

Depends. I outlined what I want, and in the deparmtent in which I work the main focus is research. It is strongly research led. Students produced out of this dept usuaoly go on for research led roles, recruitments prioritise research. (both in terms of public policy relevant grant holding research as well as individual intellectual outputs). I would be open to starting with a teaching focus, but really, my 'meta' aim is to have a research led career.

My ideal situation would be to design and teach a PG course of my choice, focusing on my area/s of expertise. And a firmly and steadily research-focused academic career.

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i find Vitae absolutely useless... has told me nothing I didn't know already...

I have a question. Why did you feel it was necessary to post every single question of yours on a different thread?

What a truly hilarious thread! But I am more drawn to the travails of Leopardi, who, unlike his name, suffers from a lack of similar qualities.... and the fact that Leopardi, a new user, just chanced upon this forum, and this thread exactly when it had been resurrected after 2 years....

From a person who writes 6000 words in a day and a half to not a single word in a fortnight, I personally feel, daily writing, weekly targets and similar depend on your individual style.

Doubtless, it is a noble goal. But doesnt ever work for me. I write almost every week, and when I do, I write in gushes. And then there can be some weeks of soaking in stuff (from seminars, readings, project work and similar) and suddenly a spark of an idea or an entire argument revised and again a gush of fresh writing...

I am 9 month sinto my PhD and looking at starting 2nd yr in October. Last October when I was in your shoes, I started this thread which you may find useful now :-)

http://www.postgraduateforum.com/threadViewer.aspx?TID=10400

I am inclined to suggest you to use google to get an answer! Whether RAE is for the UK or for the US is quite plainly visible from a search

You are horrid and disruptive and to borrow from JK Rowling, vile! You have posted adware, in incorrect and poorly punctuated grammar and you expect people's attention?!?! From a forum of researchers?

Moderators, over to you!

the public domain means 'out there' out for people to see under your name, know the views as your views and so on. How? published papers, reports, articles, regularly sustained and updated blogs (perhaps), talks, seminars, lectures... anywhere where the public can access the thoughts YOU thought of and know that YOU thought of them.