Hi all,

in line with the issue brought forward by 404 (regarding someone else publishing his research project) I have a question regarding the proposal.
I had just finished this and spoke to someone who said: Well actually that does already exist! None of my supervisors had said something like this and I had spend a lot of time looking at the literature and thought my views were new.
Is this something one can still bend? Or does it mean starting from scratch again?

Hi Fluffymonster

I think it is good that you are practising: this makes that you know what may be coming and will help you to get your nerves better under control.
By the way do not underestimate that you have put so much effort in to your topic and that you are now an expert in your field of research. Also I dont think the aim of the viva is to trick you out. So head up, you will do OK!

Hi Jewel,

maybe you referred to me: I do appreciate your answers to this question and your help.

Sorry that I did not specifically state that.

By the way that is for all who put in a remark: Thank you!

Hoi Juno,

maar dat is heel indrukwekkend hoe goed je Nederlands schrijft.
Zo je hebt een vergadering in Amsterdam, heel goed. Heb je Amsterdam al gekeken?; een merkwaardige stad.

(Just for the the non-dutch: good how well you write Dutch, have you seen Amsterdam: remarkable city!

He Juno!

how come you know expressions like "Akelig ventje? Do you speak Dutch?

Hi all,

just wondered what people's views are regarding getting help from others. I have heard that everything needs to be your own work, yet it seems a bit strange not to use reseources available. For example is it allowed to ask the secretary to check for spelling mistakes, to get advice from a professor you happen to know or from for example a statistician regarding assessing how big your research population needs to be? Any views?

hi 404,

I found it very difficult as well to write a research proposal yet did find it helpful to set a deadline and to use the proposal as a means of putting things into a structure.

Hi Jojo,

I am not sure but maybe it is also a skill to keep things compact and to be able to stick to the essentials?

Just wondering whether 20000 words would be over the top for a chapter

Hi Goods

symptoms of a depression would be issues like sleeping difficulties (often early waking), no appetite, loosing weight, loss of interest in other activities like hobbies etc, etc.
Anxiety and panic attacks can be related to a depression.
It is difficult to diagnose problems in yourself and although you may have some symptoms of a depression it does not mean that you would have it.

Obviously Ann is right that it may be good idea to contact your GP and to discuss the issue. He or she probably will be able to help.

Hi Otto,

thanks for your reply.

Regarding your remark whether you are going crazy, I do not know. However early waking or setting the alarm to go off about 3 hours after going to bed does sound a bit like there may be a problem?

Do you eat well? Have you got concentration problems?(just kidding)

I have just mailed my research proposal to my supervisors. I am quite happy regarding it myself (which may be a good thing).

Just wanted to share this with the forum

Hi Grey,

see your point and think you are not alone.
I think that a lot of researchers have too standards ("perfectionists") which may also be a route to unhappiness.

I, like you, worry a lot, yet find it useful regarding presentations to stick to a limited amount of information which I know well and then to make a session interactive. The interaction helps to keep your audience involved and also makes that time flies... Also most feedack regarding presenting / teaching in that way are positive!

Hi Wornout,this must be an awful situation for you, yet it is not you who is wrong, it your supervisor!
If you don't to anything things will not change and will even be re-inforced.The fact that this behaviour is in front of others may actually be your advantage as you have plenty of witnesses!
Ideally you should speak to your supervisor, yet I can imagine that you may feel too intimidated to do this. Alternatively you must speak to the "ombusman" / dean / person who is at the your university responsible regarding complaints. If you feel that you cannot talk to them write a (recorded) written complaint (and keep a copy) mentioning this behaviour. A written complaint will be investigated and will not be ignored! As your supervisor may deny his behaviour, as mentioned it is useful to have witnesses or even better people who are happy to back you up.

Hope this helps

Hi Kronkodile and Fluffymonster,

thank you for your suggestions, these are useful and I will definitely them.

Regards

I am aware that this is a naive question yet wonder whether people would be prepared to share thoughts.

I am doing research related to quality in medical care. I would be interested if what the thoughts are from the various players in the healthcare process.

Obviously it would be easy to design my own questionnaire, yet instead of reinventing the wheel and have a tool which is not validated I wondered whether are any means to knowing regarding existing ones.

Is there something like a "Questionnaire database? Or should you just contact the authors of an article who state" We used "XYZ"... at least to get insight?