Hi :o) Good that you've sat down with your supervisor to talk it through. I nearly gave up in my first year because my supervisor kept piling on work that he wanted me to do, and expecting me to keep up (including quite a bit of stuff that wasn't really directly my PhD but his interest). I reached breaking point before I sat him down and explained I couldn't cope with the amount of work he was piling on. I was actually surprised at the response I got - he backed off, and let me do it my way, I think he was surprised I'd actually fought back! I still feel like he thinks I'm lazy and stupid, but I've come to terms with that (he's just a genius & sometimes wrong!). He gives a lot of strong opinions on my work, often quite negative - sometimes he has very valid points, and others I disagree with. It is a balancing act... but unless you have a fabby supervisor, you'll always feel inadequate. Good luck.

Yes come clean, but don't stress! We all make mistakes. I presented a paper at a conference with a fundamental error in it and won an award for it - it took a while for me to find the mistake, but now corrected it for that chapter of my thesis even though I had to completely re-do the analysis - luckily it wasn't published yet (I had been under pressure to do so - luckily I'd only got as far as conference proceedings). But even experts make mistakes, one of my friends recently found an error in one of the equations in a key tome on the subject (the guru guide for my subject)... and lots of people use that book & the equations in it as their reference tome!

Welcome! I wish I'd found this forum at the beginning of my phD! But it's a great help now too enjoy the PhD!

Gosh, I really know where you're coming from. So far today I have spent the morning emailing and surfing the web, when I should be writing. It is tough - starting the write up phase is difficult - I'd recommend as the others - structure your day & try to stick to it. Break the day into chunks, and between the chunks reward yourself - and I definately recommend some sort of exercise or fresh air daily - it really helps cheer you up. Join a club or group activity you're likely to enjoy - it not only is a good break from working, but you get to chat to other people (pottery did it for me). As to motivating yourself to write - I find 'freewriting' a big help. Say you want to write a chapter, start by writing anything you can think about what you want to go in it, but don't worry about order or structure, just let the words flow... it really helps to get the ideas flowing. Good luck!

Gosh! I've recently been asked quite a bit by friends starting PhD's whether I have any tips to pass on. I'd probably say that one of the essentials is to make sure you have a good support network - family, friends, colleagues, this forum. A PhD is an emotional rollercoaster ride - so you need people who can bring you up when you're feeling low, and some you can share your highs with! For the PhD itself, difficult to know where to start - I'm a bookaholic & use 'How to write a thesis' by Rowena Murray - directed to the writing side of a PhD, there are also others like 'How to get a PhD' but I don't have a copy of this so I don't know if it's any good. I can also recommend http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php to keep you laughing through the process

Mine has been in times new roman 12 point, but I am rather fond of Tahoma for the chapter headings and sub-headings. I also use Tahoma in posters - think it's easier to read at a distance than times new roman, and looks nicer. But maybe I should check my regulations... I don't remember it saying anything about font... but probably better check!!! I also hate double line spacing... what a waste of paper!

Hi, thanks for the support! I'm not the only one who's had this sort of problem - one of my friends went through her PhD without much input from her supervisors at all - one supervisor didn't even bother to review all her chapters. She ended the phD thoroughly annoyed with the whole experience with no desire to stay in academia. Anyway, I wrote a rather short email back to my supervisor saying how disappointed I was not to get comments after so long (he'd emailed and said he wouldn't be able to have comments to me until August) & he wrote back saying he'd try to get comments back within the week! (of course I won't hold my breath!) - maybe I wasn't emphasising how important it was to me (hoping he might realise with the deadline rapidly approaching?). In the past I've prodded him gently (many times), maybe the tougher approach is necessary after all? Still, I'll wait and see...

Ok, am officially fed up. My supervisor has had my chapter now for over 4 months and still no comments, and having just pestered again, I won't get comments for at least another month, by which time there will be another 2 chapters done ready to be commented on, and a university deadline of end of September for submission. Why is it that my PhD goes to the bottom of his pile? I know other of his students who get quick feedback from him. I'm trying hard to find someone else to read the chapter, but I took my supervisors advice and wrote a massive amount of analysis into one chapter rather than a few and it's ended up at 80 pages - I feel guilty asking friends or other collegues to read such a tome for me. But pretty sure it's not written or structured that well, so really want some constructive feedback... gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! What to do?

...another guy in the same department (also a smart cookie but knows how to market himself) wrote a proposal, which in my eyes is pretty unachievable and ambitious, but wrote it with such a positive spin, that he got the funding. I think it's a bit of an art, personally, I've so far put in 3 funding bids for a post-doc project, and got rejected 2 times (still waiting on 3rd attempt). But each time I learn from the reviewers comments, and revise it according to their comments. Hopefully one day we'll get there (before we get completely broke!).

Hi PinkNeuron! Don't give up hope! You've achieved so much already - I'd say that the determination you obviously have will make you successful! But funding is a toughie - it's nowhere near down to just how good a candidate you are - it's also down to politics (who you know on the deciding panel can unfortunately have an effect especially with government grants like NERC - you supervisor needs to do some smooching), and how you write the proposal (one guy in my department is FANTASTIC - got a great publication rate, and super smart - but didn't know how to market himself, so didn't manage to get postdoc funding even though his project ideas were great and he is pretty much as good as you can get academically)...

Hi & welcome! I only found it fairly recently too - in dispair of write up, while trying to write up in a remote little village where it's difficult to submit people around me to PhD woes, I found this forum, and it's like a breath of fresh air... makes you realise you're not alone, and we all go through hell! But enough inspiring stories to keep you going, and lots of wise words Good luck with write-up... I know what you're going through!!!! (I'm at the end of my 4th year).

You'd never catch me doing another PhD! However, two batchelors or masters is another thing (I did two degrees) - I did what I thought I wanted to do at university, finished my degree, worked for 6 years in related jobs, and never really enjoyed it - so I did OU studies for a second degree in a completely different subject. Having said that, I don't think I could put myself through the agony of a second PhD! Nor do I want to sit another exam... think I'll stick with this subject... though training to be a yoga teacher would be nice Spend the day relaxing... mmmm. I could be a yoga on the beach teacher somewhere warm...

Make a list of your strengths that you want to highlight, and if you don't get an opportunity in the questions they ask you to highlight it, bring it up separately e.g. 'I don't know if you're aware but... I have this experience...' (or whatever). Have a list of questions you want answered for your own interest & peace of mind (it's ok to take in a notebook). Be prepared to answer 'what are your strengths & weaknesses' (always seems to pop up) - when you give a weakness, back it up by a strength (e.g. I'm not great at time management, but I always make sure I make my deadlines even if it means I have to work into the early hours to get it done). But try not to be cocky, and say you have no weaknesses - you come across as being more likeable if you admit to not being perfect! And... I know it's difficult, but relax! None of the interview panel are out to get you - if you get an interview, then basically they like you already ;o) Good luck!

Hi there! Well I've been on the other end - I was on the interview panel for the PhD student who is continuing my work (they couldn't afford a post-doc for me ) - but it's very illuminating. I wouldn't say you need to wear a suit, but dress smartly. Go prepared - make sure you read the advert (if there was one) carefully, and make sure you can answer a question on every aspect highlighted in the application, and how your skills/experience match those they ask for. Don’t worry if there are some aspects that you don’t have matching skills/experience – a PhD is about training – just show from some other experience that you are adaptable and quick to learn, or have similar skills. Read some relevant papers - not essential, but can make a difference (you should know the basics at least).

Hi! Just a quick question - what is joint first authorship? The first author is the first author on a paper - so as long as your name is first, that's all that really matters isn't it? (don't have any papers yet myself). Thankfully I haven't had this problem yet, though for conference presentations I've included people I've worked with who have contributed something - mainly because it keeps them on side, and there is so much politics in academia, it's best to try to keep on the right side of people (well and I like the people I've worked with anyway). But I did do all the analysis & writing... Maybe you could insist your name is first on the paper, and concede to let this other person be an author (still frustrating I know)... just not the first listed & corresponding author.