my industrial partner is a government dept and I have to cold call people and do snowball sampling otherwise I would have nobody :-(

I have to say in the snobby world of academia, in my experience an MPhil is regarded as a failed PhD, but depends on what you want to do next. If it is change direction, or go into the 'real world' then its only another qualification and as long as you have reasons to explain in an interview, then I don't see why it would be an issue. However, any university, or research organisation is probably going to want an explanation about why you dropped the PhD.

OMG - you feel guilty after doing all that!? I did nothing. Since 15th dec I have done nothing - today I cleaned my office to hopefully be bothered to start work tomorrow - but who knows what TV tomorrow will bring!

Maggie! I know one of your resolutions was to post on here everyday! - I am holding you accountable ;-)

Anways plans for tomorrow are......

- Write feedback reports for people
- Sort out expenses for a conference
- Send my debriefing report out to participants
- Check participants interview times for next week with them
- Follow up on 2 participant emails
- Read a book chapter
- Sort out my method for my next piece of work.

Hmm - lets hope it all gets done. I am having problems getting out of xmas lounging mode and at my desk (mostly cos the sofa is warm and my home office is, although heated generally less comfortable and warm).

So from my goals for today

- book accomodation for conducting interviews in 2 weeks (up)
- reply to any xmas emails that I hid from over the last few weeks (up)
- plan out timetable for writing my lit review - hand in date = end of jan (down)
- read an article which should help me plan out the lectures I have to give (which WILL be fully planned by Monday!) (down) :-(

But I will do the bottom two tomorrow and after being ill most of xmas I am going to start an exerise regime which should make me feel more lively.

happy new year! I went round a friends house last night with a few other people, altho not as many people turned up as they wanted and therefore I was forced to drink their entire wine stash, so feeling worse for ware today - I don't tend to drink at all so when I do I always get hammered - think I drank a whole bottle of wine to myself and 4 glasses of champagne. I am having to go round bfs dads house now so today is kinda written off.

Goals for tomorrow:
- book accomodation for conducting interviews in 2 weeks
- reply to any xmas emails that I hid from over the last few weeks
- plan out timetable for writing my lit review - hand in date = end of jan
- read an article which should help me plan out the lectures I have to give (which WILL be fully planned by Monday!)

Just wanted to know some of your PhD related resolutions for the new year.

Mine will be
- work EVERYDAY
- get together a schedule e.g. 9-5
- do writing at least once a week
- dress smarter for uni work! - no more trainers and jeans

Had quite a while off - planning on News Years eve/day party and then slob out and then back to work - will update later! How was your xmas Maggie? Are you back in UK for good now?

I have used the nano extension. It is really good and gives good sound quality. Only issue is - make sure that you download the files carefully. I let someone borrow mine and they formatted the nano by mistake and I lost all the interviews :-s

I would also say that to get the best quality you need to set it to 'high' and therefore need more room on the ipod - so clear all your usual songs etc.

I went back to using a normal dictaphone - mainly because my pink ipod looked a little unprofessional. I use a sony one which has a built in usb so you can use it as a data stick and download files without having to install any software.

My supervisor has had 4 or more PhD students so far and I think its great. According to her other current PhD student, who is about to hand in, she has completely changed her tactics with me, as she has learnt from supervising the others. E.g. she has got me writing for publication first, rather than thesis chapters. She is also fantastic in terms of my career, she is always pulling me in for career chats about how to become an academic and what I need to do. So I think experience in supervising is very important.

In terms of the other aspects, I think good communication skills are hard to judge - although if they seem enthusiastic about you and your project that's great. I think peer-reviewed articles are almost a must, as you should have a few of these in a few years time yourself, so you need someone with more experience.

Interest in the subject, funnily enough, I would say is the least important. For me my sup has to guide me, suggesting what would make a suitable thesis - I don't need her to know the ins and outs of everything in my subject (that's my job) she just guides my direction - and she does that from the info I give her about the subject.

For some reason, a job as a recruitment consultant springs to mind lol - anyway don't do a PhD!!!

a lot of organisations have their own sports teams/ social clubs etc. try that instead.

Can I just say, that the pure fact that I, a 2nd year PhD student aged 24, am answering this topic at 8.20 on a saturday night should demonstrate to you the kind of crazy social life I have 8-)

No! Firstly you will feel soooo old if you hang out with the undergrads - it seems like a lifetime ago to me now and I have gone straightn through BSc, MSc and into PhD so relatively young.

PhD life is so different, in my case, there are no lectures (unless you are giving them) and far from being sociable is extremely lonely independent work! (luckily I have a few housemates doing the same - but we rarely 'socialise' and if we do its down to the 'old mans pub' for a game of trivial pursuit lol)

You are much more likely going to 'hang out' with post docs and staff after work - but I always treat this as networking i.e. try not to drink too much in case you gush something out about how you haven't done any work for a month in front of your supervisor! - nothing like the social clubs you are suggesting.

If you are looking to do a PhD cos of the reasons stated - stay well away! you would be better off doing a 'normal job' and joining clubs around work.

hope you have a good journey! I am same as you, all I can think about is what to get in for xmas, present wrapping and cleaning for parents arrival. Done no work today or yesterday! I can't wait til New Year so I can have some resolutions about my PhD that I will NEVER stick to lol

I would treat it as motivation to get the PhD done - then once you are dr you can move on and do what you want!