======= Date Modified 17 Feb 2012 08:42:02 =======
Hi there,

After getting an R&R verdict :-( and receiving my examiners' report I noticed that there is an issue with respect to my corrections.

First things first, the list of recommended corrections in the report is rather detailed, providing specific instructions. The report has allowed me to make a table with what needs to be done, so I track my progress.

However, there is a problem. On the day of the viva I took notes of everything my examiners mentioned. I listed some recommendations that were suggested by the examiners on the day (these were all specific recommendations) but there is no mention of them whatsoever in the official examiners' report (which, btw, refers to every problem that needs tackling in detail).

Of course I am planning to discuss this issue with my supervisor but I would like to know what you guys think about this. Time is an issue here, so I don't really want to do more work that needed, unless I have to. If the report does not mention any corrections that were suggested to me on the day, should I ignore them?

Good thing is that nothing said on the day contradicts the examiners' report. Though, if I do those extra corrections suggested to me on the day, that means I may have to do an extra month of work or two before I hand in.

I think the examiners report is the 'official' list of corrections and your corrections will only be judged against this list and not what was said on the day, as they may not even remember what they said on the day. If you meet everything on the list I don't think they can expect any more. However, confirm with your supervisor.

Good luck!

======= Date Modified 17 Feb 2012 10:20:46 =======
======= Date Modified 17 Feb 2012 10:18:58 =======
Thank you Delta

I will certainly have a word with my supervisor about this problem - I cannot take the risk, especially with an R&R.

I wonder if others have experienced similar problems with their corrections. I assume that the examiners should not expect to see corrections that are not asked in the official examiners report.

Btw, I am not even sure that the examiners had read the thesis properly. On the day of the viva I was asked to do corrections (i.e. to add specific things) that were completely out of my topic (and the intro of my thesis clearly said I would not refer to them due to space limitations). Maybe they realised their mistakes later on, when they re-read the introduction, and decided to omit these corrections from the examiners' report.

Proof that the examiners have not read the thesis properly is also the report itself: My corrections (i.e. my official examiners report) clearly refer to chapter 4 as 'the chapter on Human Rights', whereas in fact my chapter of 'Human Rights' (all 50 pages of it) is my chapter 2, not chapter 4, and in chapter 4 there is nothing about 'Human Rights'. I don't know if this mistake is accidental or not, but to me it proves that the examiners have not taken the necessary care when reading my work. They only had to look at the titles of the chapters in the table of contents in order to avoid this mistake...

Very honestly I feel for you. I say this because I feel the process is in some respects a lottery and certainly not fair. Sadly, regardless of whether or not the examiners read your thesis, or read it in full, you cannot voice your concerns as they would not be well received. It's a bitter pill you have to swallow and I don't envy you.

I don't believe my supervisors read my thesis and although I passed I'm still quite angry at the prospect they didn't as it made for an unpleasant viva. I have more confidence that my examiners did and their feedback has resulted in a much better thesis. Try to focus on the end goal. If you do what your examiners want you to do you'll be fine.

======= Date Modified 17 Feb 2012 17:58:25 =======
I'll add to the below in saying that no, at times the entire thesis will not be read. I'll recount a comment way back for M.Sc. when my project supervisor said at congregation "Do you think we really read right through these dissertations?"

I suspect also that my PhD thesis wasn't fully read by either my internal or external examiners and only key points were looked at. However, I ended up with minor corrections so am not complaining. I found three glaring typographical errors they missed in the final copy too.

Basically, the inference is there's not enough time in the day to read right through all the literature to be assessed. It's annoying to you, especially if an external examiner DOES take it upon themselves to go right through and finds things wrong the supervisors have missed or doesn't and picks up errors that aren't there.

Do you feel you could approach your internal examiner to voice your concerns and gain greater clarity? After that, stick to the corrections you've been given and don't create extra work for yourself.

Delta, you only had minor corrections. You must be near sorted by now.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

======= Date Modified 17 Feb 2012 19:34:00 =======

marasp, you've a fantastic attitude and this will help you through. I've no intention to publish at the minute as I've other priorities but maybe in due course.

My corrections have been approved, Ian, but I don't like the idea that supervisors want PhD students but don't offer good supervision, don't provide feedback on most chapters and it takes months upon months to get any kind of feedback. To actually be told I had done something right (specifically when I asked directly if it was as I had reservations) and only to be told by my examiners that it wasn't was embarrassing to say the least.They get paid for supervising and so they should follow through. My examiners provided much better supervision than my supervisors and that's not even part of their job. On a positive note, I'll not need to go shopping for a thank you gift:-)

I wish you best of luck Delta. I always thought that every PhD should be published. If the examiners and the supervisors have done their job properly, they count as 100 editors. Sad but true, this happens very rarely.