Overview of pm133 on PostgraduateForum.com

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Signup date: 08 Jan 2016 at 12:02am

Last login: 30 Mar 2021 at 8:40pm

Post count: 1246

pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Sleek:
Can a 2:2 in first degree and a 57% in masters be accepted for a PhD? I have applied for close to two years but I haven't been able to get an offer. Even though I get a feedback from the school that there is no supervisor for my topic. I still wonder if my low scores can be the reason. A school actually rejected my application because they accept only distinction for a PhD. Please help!!!

The question you need to ask is why you want to do a PhD with grades as low as that. You haven't mastered the basics at undergraduate level after a couple of attempts so is it realistic to think you can master a PhD? Also, your lack of offers after two years might be telling you something.
I always recommend not doing a PhD unless you have a solid 2:1 in your background but it's your choice.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

I would also add that "second year syndrome" is a real thing.
My second year was awful. I put so much into the first year to get the upgrade that I hit the wall in year two. Took a wee while to get over that.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From mak17:
Unfortunately this sci-hub didnt work ... the DOI of the article is:

https://doi.org/10.1166/jbns.2017.1447

Thank for the help

Yeah it doesn't seem to like that document.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Tudor_Queen:

There is some really useful and interesting stuff in it. For example: "Nothing elicits dominant behavior like subservient behavior. Expect and demand to be treated like a colleague." If I'd read that before I'd started, I'd have been a much happier PhD bunny!

https://stearnslab.yale.edu/some-modest-advice-graduate-students

What was absolute tripe in your view? I haven't read the whole thing yet. I liked the part I quoted though.

The part you quoted was great.
The author has managed to get a bit carried away in the sections entitled:
"Start publishing early" and "Publish regularly but not too much".
These two sections are ridiculous in my opinion and apply far too much pressure on the student. Although you really need to get published during the PhD, it should not be something you are thinking about early on. It IS possible to get academic jobs without much in the way of publishing so that is simply incorrect and unhelpful. The focus for a brand new PhD student should be to master an area they are interested in. They should not even be THINKING about publications and certainly not "as early as possible". The PhD is there to build the foundations of a career not decorate the apartment. In my opinion, academia is simply wrong to perpetuate this.

He also talks about getting published in "good journals". Again this is nonsense. There is no such thing as a "good journal". If you tell everyone people a specific journal is "good" for often enough people will believe it and send their work there. It's a self fulfilling prophecy which causes stress, anxiety and utter misery for countless generations of perfectly good researchers who should be spending their time producing excellent work instead of pissing their time away stressing over meaningless impact factors. Of course there is such a thing as a BAD journal but that is a different conversation.

Honestly between obsessing over university league tables and impact factors, I wonder whether there is room for commonsense in academia.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Tudor_Queen:
I must say that often these books can sort of brainwash you into a particular view of being a PhD student that isn't healthy. I say that from experience of having read lots of them in my first year and only now in my third year realising that so much of what I read was utter rubbish. Written by people who had made it through and seemed to want to instill fear and create or perpetuate some sort of PhD student myth. Just my view and I cannot comment on those newlease has recommended. Some are more helpful than others - the more practical kind.

I came across this recently on the Yale website (not my university!) and found it super helpful:

There is some really useful and interesting stuff in it. For example: "Nothing elicits dominant behavior like subservient behavior. Expect and demand to be treated like a colleague." If I'd read that before I'd started, I'd have been a much happier PhD bunny!

https://stearnslab.yale.edu/some-modest-advice-graduate-students

There is some great advice in that article. There is some absolutely laughable tripe in there as well though. Just got to be careful what you read.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From barnj083:
Hi All,

A few days ago I just received my final marks for both my master's degree and dissertation. Prior to the start of my dissertation I had a merit and was on track to finish with a 2:1 for Masters. However, I was incredibly devastated to find that I did not do as well as expected on my dissertation and as a result, not only lost my merit, but finished my Masters degree just 1% shy of a merit. I feel lost, confused, devastated and unsure what to do at this time.

What I have done is emailed my supervisor to request for feedback on my dissertation so I can see what I did wrong and what I can improve upon the next time (assuming there is a next time). Prior to the results of my dissertation I have been networking like crazy throughout the UK, attending PhD study fairs, networking with graduate students and universities so that I can work on the PhD application. Now because of my dissertation results and final Master's mark, I don't know if this is the end of the road with me. I had to apply to attend for a PhD funding fair here in London and submitted my undergraduate transcript as part of application process (which I completely understand and agree with given that funding is involved and it is extremely competitive). Now I don't even feel worthy of attending because of my final Master's mark.

With that said, is it still possible to be considered for funding opportunities for PhD despite my final Master's mark, or is this the end of the road for me? Also, should I even attend the PhD funding fair now despite being accepted and receiving my invitation already? I worked so incredibly hard on this dissertation and based on the feedback my supervisor gave me I was slowly gaining confidence thinking I was going to do well. Then I get my results and feel like i've been hit by a train. Please help me out.

Thank you

To be honest, I would forget about the Masters. Even if you had achieved the 2:1 your transcript would have made it clear that you had difficulties. A distinction at Honours however suggests you have a reasonable chance of finding a PhD. I would not give up until you had at least tried every avenue. It ishould concern you that you are using phrases like "dont feel worthy". A PhD will bring that feeling out in full technicolour. Be sure you have the resilience to deal with things going wrong before you start. It sounds like you might have an issue in that regard. PhDs can break even the strongest of people.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Gummibaerchen:
Hi,

Many thank for all your help!
@tru: Thanks! I'll do that!
@pm133: Actually I wrote already two publications but as I mentioned they are waiting ages (more than 6 months) at my supervisors desk! He simply doesn't care!
In Germany (where I am from) you do not need publication to finish your thesis and get your PhD. There are two ways to get your PhD. The first one is what is called Kumulativ Disssertation which is based on publications within a topic. Generally is 2-3 publications as first author. It doesn't matter which journal or impact factor (thing that is stupid and is based on the traditional and old-fashioned German academic system). The second is a normal dissertation. In this case, you might have no publication. Some people has one or two publications. The thing is: in Germany if you have worked on your PhD, in the end you will get it... it doesn't matter if you have publications or not. However, you will get a note in your PhD diploma and this makes the things harder. If you get a bad note your chances to stay in academia or research are really dropped.
The german PhD system is old-fashion and the supervisors follow the same rules. Just google the "12 years rule for academic positions at the Universities". This is somehow ridiculous and senseless.

Best

Right Ok. In that cae I think the advice tru has given you is probably the best to follow.
Good luck with this.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Tudor_Queen:
The joys of reflection! Having replied and re-read my first paragraph here, I am tempted to just make the changes. After all, if they are as menial as I suggest then what is the problem? I think it is just a matter of having requested not to be supervised by this individual because of a serious issue makes one feel heck, why do I have to change a word because you want it? And yes, that specific thing can be risen above : )

But with regard to my second point - going forward is this going to work... i.e., where there is a need to make changes and decisions about more substantive points. Any thoughts?

I am glad that you have changed your mind over the current paper. When you feel emotion starting to direct your actions you need to sleep on it, chat about it and try and find a way of controlling it. It doesn't matter if you are right or not, decisions made in the heat of emotion usually turn out to be bad decisions. That is my experience anyway and it is something i have always had problems with.

Going forwards, it is hard to see how you can avoid switching supervisors completely.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Lewlyn:
First you need to write a research proposal. If you need help let me know.

You are responding to a post from 14 years ago. I doubt the poster will need your help now.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Gummibaerchen:
Hi pm133

No.... as first author no. I have written 2 manuscripts but they're dusty already in my supervisor's desk. Terrible. I have publications as second author, with some collaborations I did.

Best

Please don't take this next question the wrong way - I am just trying to build a picture of what position you are in.
If you have no first author publications, what makes you believe you have enough to write a thesis?

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Personally I wouldn't read any books at all about "PhD survival" because none of them will relate well to your specific PhD experience. Most importantly, nobody is a PhD expert anyway. You could ask 100 of us who already have our PhDs to wrote a book and you would have 100 completely different books.
To be honest I am not a big fan of these books and prefer to go woth gut instinct as I go through new experiences.
For me, PhD survival books belong in the trash can along with books on babies, general parenting and weddings. Just enjoy the experience and trust yourself that you will figure things out as you go.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Tudor_Queen:
Hello there

This query is for seasoned PhD students/post docs on this forum.

There were some issues with my supervision, which resulted me in requesting a change in supervision - I requested to be supervised by the same supervisors all but the main one - as this is where the issue was. Anyway, long story short - the co-supervisor said that she would only continue to supervise if the main one stayed on. So the situation now is - I have a new main supervisor who acts as a sort of point of contact and I meet with, but not to discuss the intellectual content of the PhD as such. Then I have two co-supervisors (the old main supervisor and co-supervisor) who I no longer meet with and our only contact is when I send them a draft and they comment on it, prior to journal submission. They are then included as co-authors. This was the new procedure agreed by all - and instigated by the new main supervisor (who has no input herself in the drafts but is copied in on all emails).

The problem arises that there are some comments that I do not necessarily agree with/want to address - but there is now no forum for discussion. If I were to email and begin a discussion that would take me back to the original problem - having to interact in a sour relationship that does not work. So do I address those that can be addressed and leave those that I do not agree with and submit the manuscript? The comments not substantive and I am first author.

It would be useful to get some advice on here.

Tudor

Regardless of your relationship, all three of you have your names on the paper and if you want it published you need to rise above any personal issues and communicate with them in a professional manner.
I know this isn't easy but I can't see any other way. The alternative is that you don't publish and that would be a shame if the work is ready to submit.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Fled:

Quote From pm133:
[quote]*snip*

Hey I am the king of extreme accountability, and everything is my fault, INCLUDING not reconciling my supervisors' inability to catch obvious academic flaws in my work. Supervisors are your safety net. They are your feedback loop. If they are shitty, you will be allowed to publish shitty work, if they are keen-eyed then your work stands a better chance to be academically thorough.

What part of "feedback loop" don't you understand? If you have supervisors who are incapable or ill-equipped to catch MAJOR errors....and the ONLY time you are told your work is crap is at your viva....you are telling me that's just fine?

Then according to you....there are no good or bad supervisors.....taken further, if there are no bad supervisors, there is no need for a supervisor at all? If no one is teaching you your errors along the way, how do you improve? Success is built on continuous micro failures, not just letting a candidate do as they please and then try to retroactively correct a disastrous viva!

As for my comment about meeting with supervisors about catching errors, if you cannot tactfully get your point across in that scenario, the fault lies in your interpersonal skills not my reasoning.

Anyways, this is my last comment, we agree to disagree. And I hope you don't go on to supervise anyone with that kind of attitude, because clearly, you will approach that role with zero sense of accountability. I've learned from the best, and they see their candidates (and their success) as a reflection of them to certain a degree.

Good Day.

I think it probably is for the best that this is your last comment if this is how you handle disagreement.

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Do you have any publications?

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pm133 1246 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Helbell13:
I'm thinking of applying for a PhD at my current university. I know the supervisor well and thought it would be nice to drop by his office before I apply to ask him a couple of questions about the PhD. Mainly to just show my face and let him know I'm keen. Any suggestions on what kind of questions I could ask him? I have a few generic ideas but would be nice to see if anyone else has had this experience and what worked for you?

Yes I did this.
I emailed him and asked if I could come for a quick chat about his PhD position as I was very interested in it. Asked him to talk me through it and then I told what my own ideas were. He then led me through the rest of the process.

If your grades are good and you are enthusiastic you'll likely be in a good place to get the position.

Overview of pm133

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