here's a question, if you set yourself out to read x number of papers, and you discover that a couple of those papers were useless from just reading the abstract, does it still count as having 'read' them?

can you opt to change the mode of your study to part time?

More spooky is when you realise that your last four BF's mother's name all started with 'J' and had four letters.

I just can't write any more!

Do you ever get to the stage where your brain just can't untangle even the simplest logical knots?

I feel guilty for abandoning work so early, but I think I need to stop and rest now.

Hope your work is getting on better than mine :)

Thank you both for your kind comment :) I'm not doing very well, but I'm good at making it look like I've done loads! lol.

Well, the weather is turning worse here, so I'm going to put off my afternoon of gardening till tomorrow. Back to the writing I guess. :-(

I'm going to finish writing the section I started this morning, then I'm going to start on another section, probably just putting things into order and deciding on the main arguments.

Moonblue - have you tried going outside and getting the sun (if you have one!) for half an hour, I always find I don't feel so sluggish after a dose of sun :)

woooooo I really hope it goes well!! Just chill for today, for there will be partying to be had tomorrow!!

*BIG HUGS*

Have you worked out which will be cheaper, commuting daily or living in London?

It'd also depend on the field/uni/department/supervisor you choose. Some students are expected to be in their office 9-6, 5 days a week, where as others (like myself) only need to go in once every couple of weeks or so.

======= Date Modified 09 Jun 2010 09:31:23 =======
Morning everyone, how are you feeling today? it's another gloomy weather here this morning.

Want to take half day off this afternoon to give my brain a break (as I haven't had time off since Friday (correction, it was Wednesday when I went to the lakes)... no, the trips to the garden centre doesn't count as breaks!)

I have about 80% of the lit I need for the chapter I'm writing, so I think I will make a start on writing it, so that I can then see where I need more lit. So task for this morning is to plan the arguments in the chapter and organise it in a logical manner (the bit I find the hardest to do). Then I will move all the notes I've made into the right order on my thesis.

Happy working :)

oh my goodness, 8 MONTHS?? poor you! Have you checked to see if your examiners are still alive... or at least not going through some major problems... Have you spoken to your research office to see what's going on?

references are in, and now off for a break. possibly garden related break...

hazzaaa! Finally finished going through the thesis, now I'll just have to add in the refs and then scatter them about in my own thesis. I'd say do ref till 6, break for couple of hours then work for another hour.

it might just be me that thinks this, but surely, for your lovely dean, it's much worse to have a student not finish than for a student to take a bit longer to get their PhD?

Uni A: Pass 10, Pass but took longer 5, Failed 5
Uni B: Pass 10, Pass but took longer 0, Failed 10

I would say Uni B looks worse.

Maybe your dean doesn't realise how capable and willing you ARE of finishing it and you just need extra time. She might think (without all the facts) that you're doomed to fail. I'd get your sup to fight your corner and point this out more to your meany dean.

can you speak to others in the department/university about how 'fixed' your deadline is? for example I know from speaking to other people that my department will most likely to extend my deadline if I need it.

You should see how flexible your department is, as it might make you feel less pressured.

YEARS! I've taken absolutely years to do my PhD!

I'm 4.5 years into my PhD now, and I have been given a deadline of end of this year to submit my thesis. I was ill for the first 6 months, and then I wasted 2 years while I took on teaching jobs that I shouldn't have taken, then actually suspended for 6months with another illness. so really, I've not spent much time on my PhD, but on paper, I've taken years as I only suspended for 6 months of it.

Until I was given the deadline, I wasn't so worried about it though, as we have other students in the office that have been here for way longer than I have... Now I'm absolutely panicing because of my deadline and wonder how others are getting away with it...

I guess it depends on your field and your department. Some department are very relaxed about it, and others aren't. I've heard many many students that take longer than 3 years to the point I think it's a miracle if someone finishes in 3 years (although I do know someone that got his PhD in 2.5 years, show off!)

The only thing we can do is to think what can be done to make sure we finish our own PhDs in the shortest time possible. I don't know if I can finish by the end of this year, but I'm giving all I've got to get it done by then.

ahhh waffles AFTER work. Now why didn't I think of that one... I shall try that next time ;)

had lovely lunch of pan fried sardines with chard & herb salad from the garden. Have been back working on going through the thesis, which is turning out to be more useful than I thought, so I'm going to change my goal for the day to get through just this thesis, and then placing all the info in the appropriate locations across my thesis.

In some ways, this miserable weather is helping me work. In a sunny day, I'd be pottering about in the garden by now!