I can understand your reluctance, when experience has been hard won its a bit grating to see others swan off with its bounty! It sounds as if you feel like this friend is all but copying your homework answers.
That said, if I was using a method and it performed poorly, I'd absolutely tell my fellow workers and students. My work has been based on the results and experiences of hundreds of scientists before me, plus the extensive advice and help of those I work with. I'd help out for the sake of the field, but also because I'd trust others to do the same for me.
I wouldn't do the work for her by describing all the ins and outs of your results or discussion, but I would explain (broadly) the apparent limitations of the method, then leave it to her to think of suitable modifications. I know it must feel as if you're in competition, but if you can form a constructive critique of this methodology, your thesis should be strong despite the null result (written as one who has many null results but has done some of her best critical thinking as a result of them).

I'm afraid I really don't know Jun, as I don't know what your schedule should be as my area and country are very different. Are there are other local students you could compare notes with on this? Or could you talk to your supervisor about what she considers your main priorities?
If the coursework is madatory then I guess you just have to do it, if it's optional though you might want to be selective in which courses you take.
I didn't start writing until my final (ie - third) year, but that was because I'm lab based and was doing experiments until then, I'm sure for you it's quite different.

Best of luck!

It's not your fault Sneaks! You're ill and you can't be blamed for that. Besides, if they changed that keenly I bet it was because cancelling suited at least one of them, they were probably all hoping for an excuse so they could do other things.

Damnit cakeman, now I want restorative cake! Have you ever made mug cake? It's genius, but also very dangerous - basically we are never more than five minutes from cake, oh dear.

Chrisrolinski, you might be on to something there, if I listen to foreign language songs I won't be able to sing along and get distracted. I might skip the french rap section though, that always has me dissolving in giggles (apologies to anyone french on here, I am a puerlie Brit I know)

Oh god, now I'm getting all emotional reading this. I want to give everyone a hug!
Well, except Sneaks as she wouldn't like it, I'll give you a kindly wave instead :-x

Poor you sneaks, take it easy today and look after yourself! Hope the meeting gets sorted as well, sounds like there's some stuff that needs saying.

Bug, I followed your example and did my yoga practice yesterday, it helped my back no end after a day at this desk :-) I am however living almost entirely off cereal and soup....I love to cook but things never taste right if I'm cooking just for me, and hubby is away all the time for work.

I'm not sure Jun, where are you studying? I myself don't have any coursework to do, plus I'm on a full time phd. Do you only have the weekends to work on your topic? If so, finishing by 2012 does sound rather ambitious, do your uni know you're effectively a part time student? I think there are ways of managing your time to balance thesis and other work, but if the problem is that you simply don't have the hours then no amount of structure will change that. I take it all the coursework is essential?

Hey guitarman. Glad it's worked out so well for you, I agree it really does pay to listen to your instincts. I'm finishing up my phd just now but looking at leaving academia after, so your positivityt about work elsewhere is very cheering.

I'm a fan of that look too Chrisrolinski, you'll notice that while the outfit suggests "I've just rolled out of bed", the hair requires at least half an hours back-combing, and they're sporting a full face of slap. *sigh* if only I were rich and sophisticated enough to look like a scarecrow.

On my own note.... has anyone noticed that you virtually cannot buy a normal packet of crisps these days? It's either a 50g grab bag or nowt. No wonder we're all getting lardy.

Haha, I can see a whole stream of chunky red numbers, dressed in booties and dancing before me :-)

Today I clocked up over 1000 words and a fair few figures, so that's made me feel rather better (classic discussion section, all waffle!). Hope you're not working too late Mathkitty, and don't worry, I imagine maths phds are rather lighter on the word count! Besides, with only a few months to go I should have reams more than this.

I'm sorry to hear you've had that going on Natassia, it sounds as if you're doing a great job in the circumstances.
Don't worry about what happened, most people have ranted/cried/stressed in front of their supervisors at some point, as Sue says, any decent one will take it in stride. If all you did was get a bit teary and then straighten yourself out he certainly shouldn't view you as inapropriate. And he asked you about the issues so I'm sure you don't come across as using him for counselling.
I once had to go to a meeting after some very bad news and tried to brush off my bright red eyes as "out of season hayfever" - sup 2 clearly knew I was fibbing and sup1 hasn't stopped offering me allergy remedies since! Far better to be in honest I think.

Hope everything calms down at home and you're work hasn't suffered too much.

As far as I know individual institutes and departments just release them as and when they're ready, certainly works that way in my subject (genetics). In some cases departments may try to advertise in spring or summer so they can catch students finishing their degrees that June, but it really depends on when they get their funding sorted.

Today has been Florence, Kings of Leon (thank God I live in the country and no one can see as I strut about my kitchen) and a hefty dose of Fleetwood Mac. I agree with you about classical though Mathkitty, a lot of the time I can't work if there are actual words in my music. Today I surpassed myself though, I sang along whilst simultaneously literature searching and writing - actually, now I'm worried that I'm going to find "I don't care what nobody says, we gonna have a baby" in the middle of my discussion, eek.

Ha!

(I love it when this thread gets resurrected :p)