Hi all

Thanks for the replies. Ju ju- yes I am getting invloved in research in my current job and think I am so much more prepared to take on and complete a PhD. Plus, I would do well in my current job if I was heavily research focused.

Thank you all, I wish you all the best. I hope to enrol in the next year where you will be hearing a lot from me again! Watch this space :)

Hi guys

I enrolled on a PhD in 04-05 and sued this website alot for guidance. I returend to it tonight for an update and noticed some familiar names were posting (ok it was only one- bilbobaggins).

Just wondering if any of you were posting around this time and how you have got on. I left the PhD, got a job in academia, and am now considering trying to take on the beast once again!

B

Ever the optomist, I was wondering if you guys could shed light on this issue. I am 18 months through PhD and taking time out. Have been upgraded on the basis of my transfer report (which was a nightmare in terms of ammendments). With no data collected, and simply a literature review, would I qualify for an mphil or do you require data to be collected. I would imagine this issue varies between uni's (and I have heard that our uni will not give mphil regardless- not sure of truth in this) but I was wondering if I could get your thoughts.

Cheers guys
(Have not been on for some time incase any of you were wondering)

Thanks Jojo. Yeah the support from my supervisors has been really encouraging. They have shown belief in what I have given as a proposal which is certainly something I admire and appreciate. Will keep you posted on the progress.

B

Hi guys,

many of you will remember that I was quiting PhD. Well, having spoken to supervisors we have decided to suspend my studies for 3 months. This gives me a bit of time to catch up and time to reflect. What do you guys think of this?

B

To those of you who remember me, I have been doing a PhD for 18 months and have recently been contemplating the idea of quitting. There are a number of reasons (see previous posts if you are interested but Im sure your not) and I have decided that I am going to leave the PhD.

I thank you all for you engouraging words through my 18 month ordeal and wish you all the success in the future. The likes of DanB etc have truly made this forum a shoulder of support.

Barry

Thanks for your replies guys. I really need to weigh things up. Unfortunately my supervisor is away on holiday for 3 weeks so I cant speak to him as yet. I am having a few days to really consider my options and where I go from here. I will let you all know what the outcome is.

Once again thanks for all the replies, it has certainly made the decision even harder lol

Sorry Sue I dont follow. I am in a position now where the two examiners have agreed to upgrade me on the basis that I submit a first chapter of thesis at the end of April (end of my 18th month). However, even though I have a very good grasp of literature, and have developed an interesting initial question, I feel I can not continue because I am so far behind in terms of time. I am at 18 months of PhD- no data collected and would probably take at least another month to get initial experiment up and running.
Do you agree that I am too far behind on the time scale of PhD? If I was where I am now at 12 months I would be very happy.

Ok Guys= so what would you do in my situation? Keep going even if it seems inevitable that time will run out or continue on regardless?

Also, my supervisor has be pretty good with me but as I dont know how the process works, I cant say whether I have been mis-informed. What I would say is Im his first PhD student so that may be a factor but I can not complain about how he has treated me or the support given.
(PS- We both agree the proposal I have created is a sound idea with definate publishable qualities).
Zelda- 3 month wait was for the examiners when they were assesssing the transfer report.

Jono- Yes it was ridiculous that the examiners dont know the field. In this department, you have one internal examiner (a postgrad supervisor) and an external examiner who should know the field in question. However, my discipline is somewhat different from all the other fields in the school so the internal examiner has no idea about my field. Secondly, they cut a corner and elected the external examiner to be someone from a seperate department but who has a very vague association with the field (and I say that in the weakest sense). So yes it is ridiculous that this has occured.

I am 18 months into PhD but I feel I have been let down slightly. Please read this and give me your opinion on what you would do- Im desperate.

At 12 months handed in transfer report (wasn't fantastic standard but not bad).
It took 3 MONTHS FOR FEEDBACK!!!!!! Should only normally take 4 weeks. During this time I am can't really move on so work halted (apart from bit of reading) during this time.
I was not upgraded and given recommended alterations to complete.
I did these and re-submitted recently.
However, the two examiners aren't from my field and dont understand the topic area so eventhough I had made ammendments, they were still not convinced (even though my supervisor was).
Now, 18 months in- no data collected.

I am SERIOUSLY contemplating quiting. It would probably take a couple of weeks to get some data and it seems that every step I take I get a door slammed in my face.

What would you ddo in this situation?

Your thoughts really are appreciated.

Well your right guys and like you sue, I think a like in academia is not for me. I am now contemplating (as I do every couple of weeks-but this one is a bit more serious) jacking it all in. I am going to start a new post up asking peoples opinion on my situation so have a look.

B

Writing proposal, writing ethics application, researching area, waiting for ethical clearance, supervisory meetings, recruitment, seting up apparatus...............................

It is all taking so much time to do. I am bursting at the seams. I have a million and one things going through my mind at any given moment. Please tell me someone else feels this way?

B

:(

I dont use Endnote. Tried it but didnt like it. It took longer finding the articles to put into endnote than actually manually inserting them into word document.
B