Are you doing a practice-led arts PhD? If so there is a great book (essential reading) called 'Visualizing Research' by Gray & Malins that might help you clear up some issues. I would listen to the feedback you got and think carefully about the direction your Phd is taking - at this point it's a great opportunity to make sure you're on the right path!

I'm sure with Brexit looming many more funding losses will be heard of in the near future...just saying.

I hope you're now considering legal advice regarding your situation - someone clearly has it in for you, and you need to make sure you've covered your bases. Despicable behaviour on their part - an honest mistake that could have been rectified discreetly, but that's clearly not their agenda.

Zero hours contracts are truly the bane of Phds everywhere...

None of the political stuff matters if your work is up to scratch. A knowledgeable supervisor can be very helpful, but equally doing a PhD also means that by the end you have become an expert in your field - and to a certain degree should be able to understand why your examiners think it's not quite right yet. You have been given another chance to submit - take it!

I am also wondering why you haven't consulted your former supervisor privately (if not officially)? If you're friends and former colleagues, I am sure she would not mind casting an eye over your current submission and share her thoughts with you?

The main point is - you can still improve this situation and pass your PhD, but retrospectively trying to figure out who is to blame is just not that helpful. I doubt you could take legal action anyway - your supervisor might have left and your university might have messed up the form, but these are things that happen all the time and do not sound severe enough. Just my thoughts on your situation.

75% civil service salary - jackpot!

Thank you both, that has helped a bit. I am well into my write up, three significant chapters finished and half-way through the next one. Then one more to go and all the nitty gritty... Some days I just feel like it's neverending, writing, refining, writing more...

Hello all,

New to the final year support thread but I am about 2 months out from submission and feel so exhausted right now. Need some kind words of encouragement....

I would like to add - if you are using images/figures/tables in your work: use Adobe InDesign! Seriously - it is the best software for DTP and instead of a 5-6 hour job in word, it takes 30mins-1hour. It is also far easier to proofread - automatic figure numbering, page numbering, cross referencing. It as made my workflow so much easier!

Don't give up just yet, job hunting can so hard and sometimes can take a long time! But also, could it be that you are too focused on a career in your research area? It might be worth widening your search to include other areas where you could use the transferable skills from your PhD. It sounds like you are reaching breaking point, and frankly, any job at this juncture would be better than none!

This sounds like an awful situation to be in. However, from what you have written it seems to me that you are establishing a good reputation for yourself in you (niche?) field, and that academically your work is strong. Politics at university level suck, especially if you are hoping for a job at the same institution, but it sounds unlikely that you would even want to stay there now after all that has happened. Finish your PhD as swiftly as possible (remember, this is only your first work in academia, not the 'magnus opus'), and then apply for jobs at other institutions, with a glowing recommendation from your supportive sup. Sometimes things don't pan out the way you expect when you first start, but especially in 'niche' fields (I work in one of them), unexpected job opportunities occur often.

I would not pursue the bully case - more effort than it's worth, and challenging these things often leads to a bad outcome for the challenger. Act professionally and calmly, finish your thesis and then leave the mess behind holding your head high, pursuing your dream job elsewhere.

Hello, I am in the final stretch of finalising the written part of my practice-led PhD and am staring to wonder how other people handle the references. Each of my chapters is more or less a standalone essay on different aspects of my work, so I am inclined to include references I have cited in each section directly after the text (before the next section), and then have a full bibliography of all literature I have consulted at the end. Is this an acceptable format, or are there other ways people are handling their references?

Any input would be appreciated!

I think that at least in the UK, teaching is taking more and more of a backseat in academia. Much more important to get funding in and contribute with research to the REF. I know the TEF is meant to be coming, but ultimately people who can do great research and acceptable teaching will be ahead in the job race of someone who is not interested in research and just amazing at teaching. Should it be like that? I am not sure, but often wonder why do a PhD if you don't like the research aspect. But maybe it's different in the sciences.

Have you considered getting some career counselling and job interview training? Your university might provide both, and it can be really helpful to get some independent feedback on your interview technique. It seems from your post that your qualifications are not the problem (you are getting to the interview stage), but not coming over well at the interview stage might be.

Good Luck!

Um, I am not sure if I am just not understanding you correctly here, but it seems to me like you have a perfectly linear narrative/structure:

Introduction - theoretical identification of need based on literature review - Preliminary Clinical study to identify need in practice - data evaluation to define need more precisely - device development to address identified need - clinical study to assess effectiveness of device in addressing need. Conclusion. Hand in.

Is this any help at all?