Yes, good luck. I think when I was sitting on a panel, the key thing that was important (in addition to the grounds for appeal and the demonstration of evidence) was the attitude of the student. I think it is about whether those sitting on the panel think that if the appeal were successful, the relationship between the supervisor(s) and student can easily continue and be successful. If the latter doesn't look likely, then even if there are possible grounds to reject the original decision, they may not vote for it simply because they can't see it ending up working.

I agree with eng77 about looking for a job (or other PhD opportunities) so that you have Plan B firmly in place should you be disappointed with the outcome of the appeal.

Fingers crossed for you!!

Based on this and your earlier post, it sounds like you want to appeal and think you have a grounds to do so, and so I think you should. What do you have to lose? I'd ask myself that seriously and just be prepared for if my appeal wasn't successful. For example, would that affect my confidence etc going forward. In the other hand, if you don't appeal, I think you might regret it / not forgive yourself for not at least trying. So again, it's what do you have to lose vs. what you have to gain.

You asked in your other thread if I had personal experience of this. No, only through being a student rep on someone else's appeal panel. I don't think anyone can really advise you what to do here one way or the other, or suggest whether it would be successful or not. It's just impossible to know.

Hi! I spent about 1 week preparing for mine. I would have got all wound up and anxious had I started earlier. You just have to do what works for you. Personally, I would want to wait till I at least had the date and then factor some days in for prep. I originally had 2 weeks spare for it, but got ill so it ended up being just under a week but was fine. You could use this time for some "me" time and be nice and refreshed ready to start viva prep! Just an alternative idea in case it appeals!

Totally second all this. Project and supervisor (plus student) make the PhD. Place is only secondary. Maybe you could find another project at the dream place? Or work there afterwards?

It might be worth talking to someone impartial in your academy / student union who can advise you better as to whether they think it is worth appealing or not - and get more than one opinion. I think it boils down to do you think you have a grounds to appeal and do you have strong evidence to prove it? And would it also be apparent during the panel meeting that you and your supervisors could still have a good working relationship if you won the case? This was something that was a factor in the panel I sat in on. And personally, I wouldn't want to continue when my supervisors had not wanted me to - unless I was right near the end and had already invested so much that there was no way I was going to let go of it without a fight.

My only advice though would be that if you do go ahead an appeal, be ready to move on with a Plan B in case not successful. Good luck in making your decision.

I don't know about odds - it would all depend on the specific case, I think. You could speak to the people in the student union who deal with the appeals, and ask them how often it is that a student wins their case. I don't have personal experience of being a student in the appeal, I was just a student representative who sat in on an appeal once. In this case, the student lost because basically it boiled down to his word against the supervisors', and there wasn't hard evidence to support his word (or theirs incidentally). I would really try and get advice from the academy or student union or whoever it is that deals with these things in your university.

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences. The appeal process is not a nice one, as you are pitted against your institution (or so it feels) and have to end up attending a panel where it feels very much like this. I would only do this if I felt I had a very good chance of a) winning and b) being able to continue on with a good relationship with my supervisors. So one idea is that you could go down that route and see what happens. Or you could think about pursuing a new PhD later on - make a new start. I think that's my take on things without knowing full details. I hope this helps.

Hi Kahn

I think all vivas are different and the best advice I ever had and would give anyone else is just to know exactly what you did and why you did it. That is all you can be questioned on, reasonably. So if you know that then although you might need to look at things from different angles etc, you should be sorted. Now I'll try answer your questions based on my experience and opinion.

1) No need to make anything up! I can't imagine you being asked this but if you are then it is just out of interest probably - not to test anything. If they didn't change, they didn't change!

2) Say exactly what you said here! But again, I seriously can't imagine this question being asked!

3) Hmm, I think they'd make the question more specific... like what do you think of x theory now? An example from my viva is that there is a debate in my field and people tend to take one side or the other. They asked me which side I was on! I couldn't have prepared for that question. But I knew what debate they were referring to, so could spend a moment reflecting and then give them an answer based on what I thought.

4). Oh my goodness! I wasn't asked this! But seriously, if that is how you feel then just answer it that way.

I'm just going to stop now and say that really these questions are things you probably don't need to be preparing for. Not that they won't come up, but it is way more important to just know your thesis the best you can. I'd spend the time preparing for that and then answer any curve balls on the spot. You just can't prepare for every question they will ask. But if you put your time in preparing for the ones you CAN prepare for (i.e., the science), you should be sorted.

All the best!!!

3.5 (or +3 as I knew it), unless you feel a need to do research methods again, more in depth.

I think you need to talk to someone really in the know - and then get a second opinion if needed. Make sure you keep all written (emails, uni system etc) records of everything that supports your case for if this all ends with you making an appeal. I was thinking - you may be ENTITLED to a supervisor. You just need to find out what is what. Good luck.

Defo - take no risks! Use the better referees!

Good luck! I just replied to your SEM post (probably not very helpfully), but I hope you aren't getting too hung up on the stats for the mini viva tomorrow! It's fine to tell them you are only just starting to learn the stats piece! All the best!

Hi Huubte

Is there a class you can audit, or an online course / set of lectures that is comprehensive and has examples you can follow? Something like that might be helpful. I can understand your frustration though if you are diving into SEM without any stats background. I don't know how to do SEM yet myself, but I have some experience with advanced stats. About the two books differing in their instructions - sometimes stats is more of an art - different authors can have different ways of doing things. I would suggest use the book that you find easiest to understand / follow.

This should be helpful, as it's by the renowned Andy Field who has a knack for making complicated things simple:

Hi Goodberg

Probably no one on this forum will be able to advise about this. You might be better of asking on a forum related to security in Canada, or by just researching online - it's a straight forward question and the answer should be there. You could also inquire directly with those advertising the role.

Good luck

Tudor

Hi, I hadn't seen this before, otherwise I'd have replied sooner. I haven't been in this situation with the major corrections. But I certainly have been in a position where my thesis meant basically nothing to me and when I had to talk about it I had inner sulks. I don't know if you want advice, or maybe just venting helped. I hope you get it done and submitted. Once it's done it's done - once and for all. You'll be totally free to focus on the things in your life that interest and energise you. I don't think you should quit by the way :D