Hi,

I recently got minor corrections for my PhD thesis (very happy with this result!). I am aware that it is important to do all of the corrections that the examiners have suggested, as this almost 'guarantees' success.

However, one of the corrections they have suggested is not possible - they have suggested that I show some data in a way that I cannot do as it will be very unreliable and will not make sense. Is it ok to not do this as long as I support why I haven't?

I do not want to offend them but I really cannot do what they asked!

Thanks for any advice : )

Hi there, congratulations! Great result. You do not need to do all of the corrections listed provided you provide a good reason and argue your case.

With your university, does a minor corrections result require you to show your corrections to your panel chair (or equivalent). If so, you would generally make a table that lists the corrections, lists where you have made corrections, and then indicates the page or section and you would then provide them with this table and the corrections made.

You should have received a written email or letter that outlines what you have to do along with your results from your department admin personnel.

If you are making most of the corrections and have a good argument as to why you can't make one, then this should be okay.

However, what do your supervisors say? Are you expected to meet with them to decide which corrections you will make and which you will argue? (When I say argue-I don't mean write an essay on it, I mean make a short but relevant point on the table under that item that refutes the need for that correction, and explains very briefly why it does not apply to your study.)

Minor changes means the external doesnt need to see or approve your changes.
Simply argue away the things you wont be changing.
I didnt change every single comment either. I suspect most of us will do the same thing.

Just clarifying something from my comment that might be unclear. When I mention Panel Chair, I don't mean an external, I mean the internal person/academic who checks through your thesis and corrections for the admin personnel before they process your thesis-finalise awards and things. That person is called the Panel Chair or Committee Chair at my university. However, I know that other universities may not use this terminology, and/or have a slightly different version of the processes or committees and have often subtly different versions of what constitutes the different levels of corrections.

And just confirming again what PM133 has said. You don't have to make all of the corrections provided you can argue why. There were some corrections suggested by one of my examiners, for example, that really don't apply in my study and I have stated why I won't make these on my table. My supervisors told me that this was common practice and agreed with me completely on the points. (I am just finalising my corrections and table this weekend. My corrected thesis does not need to be checked by externals).

My goodness! Congratulations on such a happy outcome (the one we all hope for, by the way!).
I have also heard it said that minor things do not have to necessarily be changed because this is your research and you are the expert on this topic. So you should know better than anyone else if a suggested change is appropriate or not. Have confidence in your expertise.