Have you had a professional help or only tried to find it?

How about getting some professional help to deal with your stress, anxiety etc.? Then, after you have dealt with your emotions, it would be easier to so whether you really really dotn want, cant finish PhD.

Thank you , BigDave, I will have a look in it;)

well, a guy who in our first meeting with our supervisor annouced that he will finish his PhD in 2 years, did not pass hist first year report....:)) It might be possible, but only if you 1) have nothing else in your life for 2 years, apart from your PhD, including having somebody who cooks, cleans and does loundry and shopping for you; 2) if you have very clear idea what you are doing and everything goes very smootly (as it never does).

I think I got a really good supervisor and relationship with him. He reads my work carefully (spots mistakes I javent spotted myself), gives a contructive feedback and supports in hard time. At the same time there is always a distance between us, so it means there is no much personal relationship and I think it is good while I am doing a PhD.
Regarding your examples:
-Email them general (depressive) rants .... Yes, if it is really, really serious.

-Tell them your research - in the grand scheme of things - means poo?- Yes, but preferably not too frequently because he thinks what I am doing is very good:)

-Phone them (home/mobile) ... NO, Never.

-Have meetings in informal settings (...Havent tried to invate.

-Spend hours chatting ..? NOpe, he is too busy.

-Tell them that when you complete you plan t... Yes:) But then he usually says that it will be a great loss for the whole Academia;)

Maybe here is somebody doing economy who could help me to find a formula how to calculate equalised household income per person if I know the total household income, number of adults in that household and number of children in it? Simply diving income by number of people doesnt work, as children need less money than adults. I am not an economists and have spent whole last day trying to find the asnwer:(

The same here:( Despite a positive feedback from my supervisor and past achivements, constantly worrying about everything and doubting everything I do. Seems to be a normal PhD experience;)

dear Goods, you can always get a MPhil but you definitely wont get a PhD if you will not try. If your supervisor says that your work is good, and you have past all 1st and 2nd year interviews or whatever you have had in your university while doing your Phd, your work must be a PhD level. Writing up is very depressing because we have to give up our 1st year fantasies about 'the paradigma'shifr we will make in our Thesis and accept that , well, in fact, it is just a small piece of a research.

If you have prepared your paper according to the journal's guidelines that are on its website and in general your paper is OK (as I understand your supervisor thinks it is OK), then just send it off.

BTW, are you the only author of this paper? If your supervisors name is on it as well, you might be able to post it from your department with no expenses for you. Ask superviser.

In general, I dont think that contacting the editor is a good idea. because, imagine, an average journal usually receives hundreads if not more submission a year, and if everyone will want to contact the editor before submitting....s/he will get crazy. Not having editor's email adress on the journal's website is for a good reason:)


Post it to the adress that is on the journal website, if not: Editors name, journal name, publishers adress


Good luck!

around 15 000 word research project, including well developed literature review

Ask your department. My usually doent mind;)

I wrote my paper in a gap year after MPhil while waiting for a funding for my PhD. I was working then but I had set aside a certain time --Monday&Friday mornings-- for writing this paper. As it was from my MPhil dissertations, it took me only 2 weeks to prepare and then one morning to make corrections suggested by referees. In any case, if you want something to get done, plan it, dont wait for inspiration (it usually never comes;) . And my suggestion is that wrie a paper that is very closely related to you PhD work, then you will get two things at once.

Basically I try to keep my morning when I am tho most productive free from other activities for working on my PhD. becasue PHD is the top-most priority now. I do not write papers currently as I already have one and will write them only after I will have my PhD.

the sooner it is over, the better;) keep my fingers crossed:)

pea: yes, it is much harder to publish as in natural sciences, but you not always need a PhD if your paper is good enough thanks to 'blind review'process.