Hi,

I am not sure what your precise field is, so I am afraid I can only give you a perspective from my field. If you search e journals, there are some journals carried on method in sociology for instance, which will give you the best of current work (and terminology). There are many 'handbook's of available for qual methods, which I am sure you've read...I strongly suggest doing a little 'journal title contains' with method, social research etc,and even to go on google scholar a bit.

Hi all,

Tell me something...2 student friends of mine recently signed a student tenancy with a landlord for 10 months, with guarantor etc. Now i was witness to the lease signing, i just had to print my name. and put my address.

I have just realised that I made a silly error, and wrote my school hall of residence address but out the school post code!!! i mean both are school but i combined the two!!

I am just a witness and well, I have no obligations at all, but am wondering...shud i again rake this thing up and fish out their landlord and travel all the way and get them to write a new contract...blearrrgh!???

Posts are visible across forums..there isnt a need to make the same post on two forums actually... :)

Hi,

Theres a thread on this somewhere, search the archives..anyway, for a UK place, you need a number of things, in many univs a 65% or a distinction in your MSc and/or dissertation, is a condition. However, let me tell you, this is really just a condition you need to fulfil, the real factors lie elsewhere: your research idea, the supervisor fit, your references, etc etc. Place particular focus on identifying a potential area of research, and place a finger on which academics in the field you'd like to work with. once you get a green signal fromthem in terms of whtehr they r interested in supervising you, you can then focus on instituional needs for the PhD.

As far as the US goes, they dont need a proposal, but a statement of purpose around your tentaive research, and you dont need to select an advisor before your coursework, though as in the UK,its always good to know who's doing what and let that knowledge reflect in your application packagae. again, good grades are always valuable but they aren't more than one factor in the process.

I repeat for the UK, some schools may make a high merit (65%) or a disntiction mandatory as a condition, either/or both in the overal grade and dissertation.

Best, and sorry for the typos, this is very hurried.(up)

In the social sciences how many publications can one expect to target, in the course of the phd? and what kinds? in what places i mean,,,

Researcher boy, if you read my post down below you'll prolly get your answers :). Yes, I think, funding (or the lack of it) is not a suitable indicator of anything at all. As I said I declined top notch fundings to work with a world renowned academic. Speaking for US phds, have you seen anybody who's doing a PhD but doesnt have an assistantship/funding? Does that mean every blessed soul who is in a phd prog there is a genius?

My point is work will ultimately be judged on its own merit. and if people have been able to make brave choices, that will always be as true as people having managed to secure funding for themselves. And yes, I agree, in the US, for social sciences, especially if you are not a Home/EU person, funding is extremely extremely difficult...

I wont say that of my case though, because I entered my programme after changing my decision in July...well and my school was kind enough to give me a studentship which is pretty good...

Hello all,

Was reading the thread on publications. If there are final years here, can people post in on what they think makes for an 'ideal' candidate for a great post doc or a really good start (whats sometimes called a fast track start...)?

Those in social sciences, please DO write in....

Topics included but not limited to:

1. Thesis
2. Publications
3. Supervisor
4. Reference Letters
5. Networks
6. Transferable skills
7. Methodological knowledge (quant and qual issues)
8. Teaching and Admin
9. Other areas : Such as languages etc and add ons
10 Past research
11. Age
12. Academic performances and history of acad grades etc
13. Any other issues....

Best!(up)

i had 7 fully funded offers. Across the Uk and the US. Two of these were fellowships in the US, university wide highest campus fellowships.

I declined all of them, and took up an offer at a brilliant UK school with a brilliant supervisor who had said NO to new students, and I joined her with half the funding of all my other offers. I got a good studentship that funds me around 55%. thats it. All those declined fellowships and everything else is down in my CV.

It was a choice i made. A choice to put intellectual first, work, borrow money. And I made it as a "Fellow of the Univ of XYZ" and said I dont want the fellowship.

I ownder whether people would say that of my research too, that since its part funded or self funded its not worth it....7 places were willing to fund it out and out...and I make no hesitations at all of putting all that straight out in my CV in the 'fellowships and honours' section.

Best.

hi all,

was wondering how do u contact your sups? For those well into it, how often really do u email? and for those just starting, same question, how've you been contacting them...by email? if so how often and really what about?

Forum, I am dreadfully sorry for 3 posts but I DID NOT read the whole post by Stressed. Amanda, me toooo...have same supervisor from MSc in my PhD and she is FANTASTIC...we've been sharing tons of thoughts...are you there on facebook? Oh we should get talking....my topic seems so wooly and after fantastic MSc talks with her I feel so foolish actually going up there for a PhD meeting with a wooly idea...Ok no more now...tips please everyone!!!

sorry i didnt read your earlier post. Endnote is a bibliographic and reference software which lets you store your references, manage your soon-to-be-increasing bibliography, cite while you write etc etc...its prolly available free in your school comps as EN Ex 1 or EN 9 or something...the guides are available online...

Stressed buddy...I submitted my MSc dissertation this month, and my PhD starts in less than two weeks. We can stress out together wail wail waillll ....I am SOOOOOO scared.

i know people who are doing phds with very recent phds, lets say sup passed in 2004, this student joins in 2007...they do go for coffee and stuff...but what abt really senior people? lets say well into 3rd decade of acads and stuff...what do their supervisees say to this? do you guys call at home and stuff?

Ok, bonzo i need help...

I'm a mad and prolific reader who has not bothered to master Endnote all through her Masters. I had a masters dissertation with some 100 references which I hand typed. YES. anyway...My queries are...

1. My topic for the PhD (starting in oct 2008) is within the larger area represented by my Msc work..how do i begin this collosal endnoting task? DO I begin right from here and just put whatever i ever read into EN? or do I try to deal with all my tons of previous reading and urrghh evn the thought is killing me...

2. I cant seem to master EN. Our school has EN Ex 1 on some machines and En 9 on some...I got the guide book but cant manage to learn everythign....

3. finally, can you tell me how to form a good EN "habit"///lemme explain...Everyday i see videos, read list servs, read bits and pieces here and there and all of this shud idealy go in EN, cos most of this i find useful...what do I do? do i turn on EN the moment i turn on my laptop?

Oh I am getting so sick of not being able to fathom EN, and my PhD starts in 2 weeks...urrgh:-s:-(

Hi,

I guess reasons vary tremendously, but its a good question...

For me it is the first step into a full fledged research career, which, is one of my topmost priorities in life. The other of course is that I'm very keenly drawn to my topic/area of work and this is a fantastic opportunity to be able to work on it under the guidance of an academic with similar interests...

and of course, its a passport to enter the 'Academy'...then comes the question, why do u want to enter the academy...when u enter do you want to just stay afloat or do you have 'ambitions' to pursue...so forth...Phd is just the starting bit of this all I guess...