hi guys

Pardon me for bringing this up yet again - I think this had run a while ago and I honestly don’t recall the counsel given. My PhD is feeding from a past MRES thesis… at least 2 of the chapters. I have loads of tweaking to do on them 2 chapters and my question relates to plagiarising. How do I deal with using so much of my own work, should I quote myself over and over again? (I think not) when I asked my supervision team they simply said, "You are going to tweak a lot…." Am keen to hear from others who have transferred chunks of infor, am sure am not the only one.
Thanks in advance for the feedback!

Olivia is absolutely right; the work plan/ time table will constantly need altering. As a guide it's great but it will definitely change accordingly. I have just done one myself, where I have to hand a chapter monthly but my supervisor and I are fully aware that it’s just a guide which will certainly get massive revisits.

Am good thanks Rick, my brain was rather getting bankcrupt there. Tend to be like that when my brain doesn't shut down when I go to bed, usually happens when reading a piece of work that is rather intriguing. I guess I need to master the art of shutting down as it were. OK, enough of that. You are right about reaching saturation point… because once you know you are "there” through the responses you are getting, you can then go “light” on those particular themes and focus more on the emerging ones. I think going “light” enables you to still tentatively double check that you have indeed reached saturation, while allowing yourself the liberty to chase up emerging stuff.

Sorry Rick for that jinxed post, my mind is just as jinxed this morning…hope u get the drift in it

hi rick
Hairui has valid points, i have followed the interview scedule with all groups interview schedule and on hearing the same stuff being said I direct the discussion to the next topic or addition. This has ensured saturation plus the added advantage of pursuing the emerging themes without having too much infor as it were cause transcribing can be trying to say the very least!

By way I forgot to mention at SOAS they seem to have these excellent seminars for international orgs/companies for recruitment... it seems they are well connected with the international community perhaps it’s something to do with it being in London…. Who knows it may be the same with Warwick!

I would say make your choice based on the supervisor. yes all supervisors seem nice to begin with... you need to be extra discerning if both appeal…can you speak to some of their students whom they supervise?... it may be the only way of finding out what they are reallllllly like! As for SOAS it's a great place, what I like most is the atmosphere, its lively, very diverse and they always have loads of conferences/seminars going ... being at SOAS you are well placed to attend all the happening seminars in international relations at LSE, Overseas Development Institute which may otherwise be difficult to attend if you live outside London. Sorry I don’t know much about Warwick - but I hear it’s an equal

the Mres seems to be THE ticket these days, esp here in the UK. I did the Mres having been advised by my supervisor and I havent regretted it. Basically the Mres equips you for research, if not that means having to do taught research modules during your PhD. Looks like the research council looks favourably at those with the Mres when it comes to funding.

I started mine end of January, wasn't a problem at all cause its all about counting the months from day of registration without actually following the academic calendar, I think most universities in UK recruit students through out year.

hie you all!
Am Tsipat, 31 just started year 3. My Phd concerns INGOs, IGOs and Child poverty in sub Saharan Africa - loads of social justice, politics and social policy.

I have been going by saturation level. Done about 15 interviews, have about 2/3 more to go. I think 20- 30 is a lot at 2 hours each, that aside the transribing will be a killer unless if you have someone else to do it for you. having said, you are better off transcribing your own data as it helps you to get more familiar with it. I however get the impression that its more to do with the quality of data than the number of interviews.

Hi guys
glad to hear all this great buzz about creative writing far from the PhD. it's good for the soul! Got a question to ask you all; does anyone of you know of a reading group where you read your own work and get comments? especially novels and not poetry? Oliva can you devuldge on the group you attended or not????? catchianthe good luck, I know how hard it is to get such an opportunity. hope it yields! Just been trying to get an agent for a while now....

Hi olivia
Reading your post was refreshing as I am into writing too. I attend a writers eve once a month but its mostly published writers reading from their work, wonderful poetry sessions too... but i have been looking for a different kind of group where i can get to read my own work and get people to comment on it. is your group anything of this sort??? thanks

If trying to save dosh on meat, try local butchers instead of supermarkets, usually much cheaper. I have since discussed some butcher's market in east London which sells lovely chicken for half the price, and since I only eat white meat it serves its purpose. For the whole month my chicken bill is a humble £10! My fish is from the nearby fish monger - not from the supermarket, its worth saving a few pennies. Also agree with other notes above. I always carry a home made sandwich to work/uni, a flask with a tea bag (I always ask for hot water as a freebie !) though one day I was at LSE canteen and the lady serving suddenly said; "60 pence please"! I said, what, to put hot water in my flask....she said yap it’s the same price as having a cup of tea! I told her to forget it so each time I am at LSE I carry already made tea though its prolonged languish in the flask changes the taste

I really hope this gentleman is not a lecturer at the local college (to be relocated with possibility of clearing out) least he faces a double edged sword! I certainly agree with you on the lecturers in FE. Most of them have been it since heavens knows when- the quality of their teaching is sometimes divorced from present day realities esp. in subjects demanding a global perspective . Apart from that the quality of students makes it much harder as they are mostly school drop outs or young ones who have to get paid to come in which I think is absolutely ridiculous. To be honest, I really don’t like teaching in FE (I do P/T hours) but I need the money... altogether I feel like a sell out academically because the FE system defies everything that academia stands for.