I haven't been through this situation, but wondered whether your proposed change of research area differs significantly from the original application that presumably got you accepted on the PhD in the first place? If it's really different, then it would have implications for your supervision. Would you need a change of supervisor, or an extra one, or would your current supervisor still have the necessary expertise?

To be honest, if I was you I'd broach the subject with your uni postgrad research administrators first and see what the possibilities and procedures are, before speaking to your sup, then take it from there.

lol Bug, I only said that as I thought you wouldn't have food stuck on your clothes - ooopps!! heheh but I am *absolutely* positive you'd never empty a room with your appearance (and I have seen this happen) ;-)

Eska - can I ask.... do my PMs come up as already read in your inbox when they're not? Someone else said they did so she never saw them, and I wasn't sure whether to tell the tech admins or not.

Well Bug, I hope the yellow stars have disappeared and the homesickness is passing and you've recovered a bit from the project now. I think it's an amazing thing to have completed in the time you had over Xmas. (up) I wouldn't worry about your laundry too much either, as long as you haven't got your breakfast caked onto your clothes and you don't smell, you're perfectly acceptable. We are PhD students, after all! :-) Carry on hibernating!

Is your PhD related to your job at all? Is it likely to help you with career development with the same employer? If it is, then maybe they'd be interested to know if it's going to help you do your job better - you'd look ultra-keen! If it's not related to your job, there doesn't seem much point in telling them really. They might think doing the PhD will have a negative effect on your job, maybe with you wanting time off for things in the future. How supportive are they generally to staff pursuing educational qualifications in their own time?

I started my PhD part time while also working full time. Both my job and PhD were totally unrelated in subject area, but within the same institution, so everyone knew what I was doing anyway. I reduced my working days by half after about a year to concentrate on my PhD and move into a different area within the same organisation, to do teaching, research etc. It's worked out well so far, as I've had the support of various senior staff all the way along to enable me to do this, so I think I've been quite lucky. I've probably had a bit more flexibility for taking annual leave at odd times as they know what I'm taking it for (usually Phd stuff!).

It really depends on your situation and what your plans are in the longer term with regard to your career. Still, PhDs take so long that you'll have ages to mull it over!:-)

Well, that sounds a very interesting mixture to me!! People's reactions are strange though, there's something quite fascinating about stereotypes, they throw up some good research questions sometimes.

Pam, I was thinking the same thing! Eska, after you mentioned teaching contextual studies to fashion students on another thread I wondered whether you were at the same uni for a moment, I would also be interested to know your topic, by PM or otherwise! Sounds like we all overlap a bit which is interesting as I used to think it was mainly scientists on here.

Not depressing, Squiggles - I look forward to elevenses, then lunch, then various coffee breaks, then dinner.... my life must be SO exciting at the moment lol!

Hi Stressed, possibly a bit nosey to ask, but why do people think you're a geek loser when they find out your subject??? Don't say if it compromises your anonymity obviously, but am just curious - I was trying to guess, but I can't!!

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I usually find it interesting to do actually, though time consuming. It's always a mish-mash of sloppy badly researched ones, interesting thoughtful ones, sometimes very original or personal in writing style. The odd one makes me laugh out loud, as they often have a great turn of phrase, intentional or not. Usually they range from borderline fail to the occasional first, with most somewhere in between. As the students are from such different backgrounds I expect a difference in writing ability, as we get lots whose first language isn't English and a number of dyslexic ones, plus their first year undergrad tutors have done different things with them so their experience of academic writing conventions is variable, to put it mildly.

Just do what you can with them within the limitations imposed by either their academic experience to date, or their own cultural backgrounds. I just try to be professional and do whatever the uni procedures require for academic moderation etc. Unless they're your responsibility from first year to graduation, there's a limit to what you can do in the time you have with them, so you just have to do your best and also try to remember what you were like at that stage of your academic career.

I'd rather not be a 'proper' Dr, as I couldn't bear people to start telling me about all their ailments, which is what my sister's GP friend always used to get when he was off-duty or out socialising.

I don't know whether there is some magic solution for increasing your motivation when you're in a dip though, other than to tell yourself that the slump will pass and that you basically really like what you're doing, so it should be worth it. As long as you do enjoy it on the whole, get good feedback and add other little milestones and successes as you continue to boost your confidence then you should be able to weather the bad patches ok.

Stressed and Phdbug (or can I call you Bug now??!!) what about Primark then? Very cheap and 'fashion forward' as the jargon goes, and as good as a lot of other more expensive stuff on the high street.

hehe yes, my BA was Social Sciences and it was a different style of dress to where I am now, but I was feeling too polite to make any generalisations about sociologists lol! I suppose it is quite nice to be where people wear interesting things or appreciate whatever you've got on, but the downside is it makes me a bit anxious sometimes as I'm not a 'proper' fashion person and I'm not keen on being given the once-over by fashion staff when I'm having an off day. It was loads easier to think of what to wear when I've done presentations for my sociologist supervisor's MA students in the past though, they really don't care which is *so* refreshing!

lol Smoobles, we do that too, we can usually tell whether an undergrad's in fashion, some other design subject or fine art - there is such a difference to the finely-tuned eye ;-)

I don't really have a choice as I work with fashion and design people... being scrutinised goes with the subject. It's annoying when you feel a bit bleeughh on some days and can't be bothered. I bet it's not like that working with sociologists - or is it?

Totally agree with Sheena. I'm in the same situation in the last stretch and still have those ups and downs. Maybe after completion they disappear for ever!!

Stressed, don't worry about missing out texts from your lit review, you can't read everything, especially at the start of a PhD and if you do, then you can add them later. As long as you've got the main arguments that'll be ok. You're so early on in your PhD that you're bound to rewrite it over the years anyway, it's part of the process. I'm rewriting my lit review at the moment and it's so tedious, I just can't get excited about it, but I totally see what's wrong or missing from my earlier version as it's so old now and my thinking's moved on so much since then and needs new material. Try to see it as part of a long process where you're learning by doing, instead of trying to make every piece you write be the final word on the subject and something that has to be perfect every time.

Oh yes, and don't compare yourself to others either - it's *really* deadly if you're having a confidence dip at the time. You sound well up to the PhD task anyway, from your other academic results and what Phdbug has said. Plod on! (up)