mull

I'm arts/social sciences and use the surname in my text, as in the Harvard system, but have also used the Joe Bloggs variation a few times for people I cite regularly. I don't know why I do that, now you've mentioned it - maybe it's for variety in writing or reading, but will ask my supervisors about it when I get my 2nd draft feedback. I've never used anyone's title, but these seem more likely to change over time, so perhaps the other variations based on names have slightly more longevity for written work eg someone who is a Dr one year may become a Professor the next as it's related to job title and professional/institutional status, whereas family/given names aren't. For other people, eg designers or artists whose work I'm discussing, I use the full Joe Bloggs name the first time I mention them, then just the surname for subsequent references.

That sounds really positive if your presentation went down well! I think it's great to try hard with everything, but try not to see whatever you do as the final piece of work, as it's one tiny part of a really long process stretched over years of work so it doesn't have to be perfect. Plus we are there to learn from people and develop as researchers, so it's ok not to be perfect for that reason too. I'd imagine as you grow in confidence academically it will also show in your writing style, mine has done as my supervisor frequently remarks!! Another thing I realised a while ago is that your PhD will never be the final word on a topic as it's one part of a much bigger academic body of knowledge. I'm nearly at the end now, but my whole subject seems like a piece of an intellectual jigsaw, lots already done in that area, my bit fills another gap but there will be many more developments afterwards, by me and other people, no doubt. I think it stops me thinking it has to be the perfect thesis, which it won't be anyway now as there's not enough time, but that's a different issue!

Sarahk5275, if you did the same thing with your second submission it almost proves that's how some of us work, it's just the way we are. Once you know that's how you work and accept it, maybe it gets better because you can work with it, to a degree! It cuts out a lot of the guilt if nothing else! Thinking time counts as work as it's essential for doing research, but it probably doesn't look like it to those who assess work only by their current wordcount. Don't want to encourage any extra procrastination in anyone else, but sometimes I find even watching crap tv lets ideas swill around in my brain and shape up into something relevant to a current PhD problem.

Hi Beave and Keep_Calm, it's really nice to see some new people on here!

It's good to have high standards for your work, but it can make you a bit anxious if you start comparing yourself to other people! I've found doing a PhD one whopping great learning curve, and it's not ended yet! Everything I had to do was something I'd never done before, so I got anxious and worried about not being good enough, but I realised that there'll only be one first time for all these new things, and my confidence grew slowly with each new thing I had to do as my PhD progressed. Funny to look back actually, as I realise loads of things don't bother me any more, so I suppose you have to just give it a go and try to improve each time you do stuff. I felt like a nervous fraud at my first conference when I was presenting my PhD work, then when I did my first teaching sessions, seminars, thesis dissertation tutorials etc etc. The list goes on, but every new thing you tackle makes it easier and the feeling of being an imposter goes away. I suppose I just settled into it with practice and my confidence in my abilities must have grown a hell of a lot since the start without me even realising, which is good to know.

Oh yes and that perfectionism thing... my supervisor said once she'd rather I had really high standards and got a bit anxious, than being over-confident in my abilities, because sometimes students like that think they know it all and don't bother, so often don't do as well.

pleat

hulk

If you are quite near completion, it might be worth listening to your supervisor. If you go completely against their advice and publish, they'll know about it in the end anyway as they'll see it, but if doing that has a negative impact on your PhD workload it won't look too good for you, as you need their support really, especially at this stage. Depends where you are with it all, I guess. I worried about all this in case a job came up that I wanted to apply for and didn't have enough on my CV, but in the end, the PhD is the big one so I decided to concentrate on that.

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I'm in the same area as you and had the same advice, as did several others I know. We are all part time, so that might make a bit of difference, but the reasons were time, not spreading yourself too thinly over too many tasks at once and taking time away from the PhD. Plus because you might publish something that you later disagree with as your research is still taking shape. I worried about this not publishing thing myself a lot last year, but since then I agree with the reasons, as my work has developed so much in the final year and now I just want to get the PhD out of the way and publish afterwards, it should be less stressful if nothing else!

I have got a few minor things published though, a couple of book reviews and an essay in an encyclopedia, all by invitation from academics in that area and for the journals/subject I will have to aim for later, so it's better than nothing. These are broadly in my research area, but my actual PhD research hasn't been published anywhere yet. I'd say try to stop worrying about it and get the PhD wrapped up, then publish as soon as you finish, what else can you (we!!) do! I'm wondering if it's a discipline specific thing though, a friend who did law had loads of papers published along the way, but it doesn't seem to be very common for people in my area.

bucket

popstars

I was really thinking of Stoned and Dethroned, that Jesus and Mary Chain album, but it was a bit obscure

balk

bloat

opium

dalmatian