On this forum I've made it clear that I've no real interest in an academic or research career and that I'm doing a PhD to give me something to do and a better income as opposed to being unemployed. That said, I have taken it very seriously as I feel it only right to earn my money. I've constantly made it clear to my supervisors that I will work as hard as it takes to complete in three years as I will need to finish at this time. I even offered to start a bit early, before the official start date, but wasn't taken up on it. I also recently learned that big charges have been put on students who run over the three years (but they give a few months grace). Even though I've been very honest with them I don't feel they've taken what I've said on board. I haven't had any supervision in many months and although I worked to achieve certain things to help progress the project, once my part was completed I didn't get any feedback for months. Very, very little has been achieved and I'm angry and soul destroyed because I know this will put much more pressure on me later on. I work best steadily and consistently but not under pressure. They have recently acknowledged that there hasn't been much progress and I'm hoping this will change things for the better (they don't seem to be blaming me).

I actually feel physically ill as a result because I know I can't, and am not prepared to, continue after three years. I feel guilty even though I've done nothing wrong. In an ideal world I wouldn't be doing this PhD but quitting is not an option as I need the money and the way I see it things are not my fault as I know I have tried as much as I can from my end.

Not sure what I want people to say but be gentle as I'm feeling fragile and disappointed.:-(

Sounds like a normal PhD to me! I'm afraid you will have to try and get on with as much as possible in terms of writing, if your practical element can't move on. THen bug your supervisors. In my case, I found that once I had something to present my supervisors then they were suddenly interested and helped the project get moving.

Thanks. I completed all the work in an attempt to move the practical elements forward and waited for feedback which took sometime. If anything, they've implied in a very nice way that I need to get a work life balance and that I work too hard. I don't but I do work. They are lovely but I don't feel they have time for a PhD student and I'm not very demanding at that.

Maybe you should be more demanding then (easier said than done I know!). I know that Universities want PhD students to complete as near to three years as possible etc. etc., but sometimes I think supervisors themselves have different ideas and are quite happy for their students to just plod along at a nice easy pace. If you're not finished in 3 years then they've essentially got free researchers working for them until we do complete, which is advantageous to them, but not us. The only thing you can do is demand more of their time, you have a right to it, and hopefully this will get things a little more on track. The fact that you're realising now, you've (hopefully) got time to catch up and finish in as near to 3 years as possible.

Maybe you should start a rumour that some professors have been fired (in some distant department) for not brining enough funding in - and it was down to not getting their PhDs through on time, i.e they missed out on research council funding and departmental funding or something - might get them to pull their socks up!

Otherwise, keep plodding along, the problem with a PhD is that it can take a long time to get an overview of the subject, and your sups may become more interested in the latter stages when you have fully understood the area (you may think you do now but you don't)

Thanks Starshine and Sneaks! This has actually helped me and I'm glad I posted.

I'm not demanding in the sense that I don't need spoon feeding but I would be quite assertive in what I expect and that I will be finishing in 3 years (I feel guilty because I'm being serious about that and have told them a number of times but I don't think they are taking this too seriously and so they could be in for a shock). In a sense, supervision is not the issue because I know what I need to do but I need feedback on things before I can move on and waiting on feedback for months is hard to take.

If it works out, it works out...

You are probably just too efficient for them!:$. I think sometimes they forget that if you give some people something to do, they get on and do it, and they just wander off and do something else, perhaps not expecting steady progress, so haven't prepared what is next on the agenda. I think it is quite a common problem though , I haven't seen my supervisor for at least a couple of months, and don't expect to see him until at least lateish September, but I'm just getting on with stuff. I imagine most departments are on a bit if a go slow at the moment, waiting for the start of the new academic year, so I would just try to relax a bit, do some background reading, get refs and lit stuff up to date etc. I'm sure things will pick up once they get going again. If necessary make a list of things you would like answers to, like 'I've done x, where are we going now, I think y might be worth a try' - that might not work in your area of course, but I'm sure you get the idea. Either that, or go get yourself a pointy stick and give them a gentle prod - perhaps they are asleep in the corner!!!:-)

Hi Delta,

Sorry you're having a bad time at the moment. Is it possible to enlist someone else in the Department as an extra supervisor for these last few months? e.g. a progression panel member? It's possible to do it in a light hearted way, saying that you would value the extra input, rather than you feel the need to overrule your rubbish supervisors! I've had an extra member of staff in my supervision meetings recently because one of my sups failed to read anything I had sent to him for months.

Regarding the fees for 4th year students, they've jsut raised them at my uni too, but there is a cheaper option if you are writing up only (as opposed to doing lab work/fieldwork) and it is a significant reduction. Perhaps, now that your supervisors are acknowledging their rubbishness, you could get them to sign you off as writing up and avoid the big fees?

looks like you are facing one of the typical PhD problems, as no one is immune ...no matter how hard you work.:$ The only option I can see here is that if you have done the practical part then ask to be moved into write-up which is a year and is lesser fees.
In the meantime, you can ask for regular meetings whether its once a week, month etc...as they have accepted progress is slow from their part. You can be very active in these meetings and set deadlines for them and yourself so everyone is one the same page. Try to do this the nice way first rather than being frustrated and angry at them. Get the best out of them as it will only help you.
Lastly, it would help for you to find another way to vent some frustration and anger (maybe for few hours a day or week boxing....running..music) as this will only get in the way of clear thinking and very careful planning which you need at this moment.(up)

Thanks everyone.

Joyce, I think you're right.

@ everyone - I'm not in write up year and if things continue to crawl at this pace I'd never get to that stage. I think they class year 3 as write up and so I am only a year away. It's a problem I identified quite early on and I feel it was dismissed but now it looks as though I was right. The reality is I'm behind and through no fault of my own and so now is the time to nip it in the bud. Can't remember who exactly said what on here but my supervisors haven't acknowledged a fault at their end and I think it's more a case of time has escaped unnoticed. It is because they are nice that I'm trying to do right by them by wanting to complete as the reality is a PhD is of little use to me (no pressure to pass as such) but the income will see me through the credit crunch. They are in many ways very good but just too slow at feeding back and it's wasting time, in my opinion. I've always recorded what I've to do and I will start to record tasks they've agreed to do and it'll all be documented.

Excellent suggestion about working off the frustration and so I think to break up the day and to help with this I'll attend the gym.