Hi Joyce - I had already spoken to my potential supervisor and our areas of interest overlap so these are really just the first attempts to get something down in writing after doing some reading. I'd gone with the view that if I send him something which is 500 words long (my original thoughts also) he would only send it back to me and ask me to expand the points up to 1500 words so, I may as well start with the 1500 words proposal after all.

I think this is where I've got confused and having read so much hasn't helped.  Yes a handbook would have been nice but there isn't one. Something with headings would have been helpful on so I could at least follow some sort of structure and focus the reading. Oh well, another notch for experience.

I sent something over on Friday (after Magic's post) for him to peruse and dare say will get some direction on how to proceed.

5000 words sounds a bit steep but what would I know.

Thanks Joyce

What Eska said.

This is the Internet, the last refuge for people to speak freely.

There are too many trying to control it as it is.

Oh dear, well I suppose it happens......

I'd be careful what was written in that email and not commit yourself i.e. 'I shan't be volunteering for you because Joe Bloggs said you has misappropriated funds' could land you in sticky stuff.

Perhaps something along the lines of your previous voluntary work has not met your career objectives so you've decided to move on.

Have you spoken to the librarian at your last university to see what options are available to you? As an alumni student you would still get access to reading materials. I use my ex uni library and it only costs £10 for 5 years (think it is 5 years).  Anyway it's cheap.

Just give them a call (try and speak to the subject librarian in your field) and see what they can do/suggest for you before forking out money is the best I can suggest.

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sausage finger syndrome - ignore

How long should it take to get a PhD proposal sorted?

It seems I've been reading forever and as soon as I think I'm ready to start writing it (5th attempt at least by now) I have to go and read something else.

If I keep on at this rate I am going to have done my literature search before I get the proposal in :-)

How long should it take someone to get it sorted or is it one of those "as long as it takes" situations.

Thanks


Thanks

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Ogriv



You and me both.  My ideas are continually stolen and any attempts to claim ownership have been met with "we had already thought of that" and I just can't prove otherwise. I've always been happy to share my ideas as long as I get recognised somewhere in the project. I never have been though. 



We should just 'shut up' more but I've always been interested in learning for the thrill of pushing back the boundaries of science so keeping quite when I spot something runs against my natural grain.



Perhaps we just need to be more assertive rather than pushy.

Right, so when is the house warming due and do we all have to bring our own bottles :p

Well done you!

Honestly it's so great to read a positive thread for a change - gloat away (up)(up)(up)

Pamplemouse - would be really interested to hear of your experiences of what's involved getting a poster sorted out for a conference if you care to share.

Sorry I can't help any other way as I am still in the "what do we have to do then? stage but wish you the very best with it.

Have heard of a PhD (fully funded too) to see if budgerigars could tell the difference between constants and vowels.

Hijacking the thread for a moment...

phdbug - congrats on the upgrade. (I can't get that thread to open so have put it here!)

............carry on