I PASSED!!!! Pass with minor corrections!!!!

I am so delighted although I have to say it is one of the most surreal feeling I have ever experienced.

The Viva was not one tenth as bad as I expected. The mock one was far worse!!!

Back to work tomorrow and hopefully now, begin the rest of my life and really get to all those "things I will do after the PhD" (up)

======= Date Modified 08 Jun 2012 21:44:00 =======
Smoothles and Pootie thanks.  I have my fingers
crossed!! Hoping for the best but expecting the worst :-( so everything else
will be a bonus!! Dalmation thanks hopefully it will be ok!  I do think we must
be all nutty to start it and actually finish it. But I really haven't met
anyone who has had a good PhD experience, wonder how we all get through.  Is it
ambition, determination, stupidity, confusion? For me it was a fear of failure
(which I still have... even more so this weekend because of Monday lol). Busy
Bee, for me the job really helped me.  I think it will help you too. You
realise that the Phd is just a process that we have chosen to go through.  It
will not be your entire world anymore and you will see that there is so much
more to life!!!

If your paper is coming from your PhD and they have contributed to your PhD then even if they haven't contributed directly to the paper you need to put your names on it. Just from others I have heard of it is only manners and you will retain your reputation in the department! Just my thinking on it!!

Thanks folks!! Have to admit my first 2.5 years
were a nightmare with change of supervision and major writing problems.  As a
result of this, I think I spent 3 months in bed crying, doubting myself and had
a massive crash in confidence. However, towards the end of 3rd year I secured
a  full time lecturing post which I think was the best thing for me!!! Gave me
something else to focus on while slowly plodding away at the PhD.  I can now
safely say that I started the PhD to get a job. I have a job now, so even if I
have to resubmit, I know i'll get there in the end!!!  The job is amazing and I
can honestly say I have learned more in the past 9 months than the entire
course of my PhD.  I have never been so busy but equally so happy. For me the
worst  part of the PhD was the loneliness, I think the job helped to alleviate
this and I am slowing regaining my confidence because of the wonderful people
I'm working  with. Whatever happens Monday at least I know I have tried my
best, gave it my  all and I still have my job :-)

======= Date Modified 08 Jun 2012 12:16:33 =======
Just wanted to know if anyone has came through a PhD without having a mental breakdown?

I have just submitted, my PhD Viva is on Monday (which I know is not going to go very well from mock vivas). However, i look back over the past 3.5 years and think of the many, many lows I have had. I'm startled that I am at the end (even if I do get a resubmit in a year). Think I'll be proud that I have came through so much mentally even if I don't pass and have to resubmit!

Think this could be a phd topic in itself lol!!

======= Date Modified 02 Feb 2012 21:14:26 =======
Hey folks,

Thought I would say hi! Haven't been on this forum for about at least eight months.
I am now 3 and 1/2 years into my PhD and about to submit. I can honestly say it has been the hardest thing I have done in my life. If you look back to my previous posts I was so lost and genuinely wanted to quit many times. I never thought I was good enough (still don't and still have doubts about passing viva). However, I secured a permanent full time job as a lecturer in September so I must have some academic qualities???

When I logged on to this site tonight I seen so many posts that reflected my thoughts during the PhD. Supervision issues, confidence issues, depression and motivation I think are terms that PhD students are very familiar with. In my experience it has been worth it so far.

The next five years might tell it's tale but I can honestly say the PhD is the worst experience of my life but so far it has been worth it. I wanted to say to all out there lost and confused, keep working at it! Genuinely, you are going to come across so many obstacles but in relation to your life it is only short term.

I hope I pass my viva, I’ll keep you updated (I’d need to or I’ll loose my job lol).

Just remember everyone else doing a PhD feels the same (i.e. lonely, depressed,confused, frustrated, lazy, guilty etc...).


Rant over lol

I wrote a conference paper which won best paper... Went back to it a couple months later to rework it into a journal piece and it was awful. Genuinely didn't even make sense, supervisors was amazed that the mistakes and gaps was let through to the conference, never mind best paper!

Thank you all for your help.  I have bought the book Style, and I am currently learning the fundamentals of English all over again.

jepsonclough Thank you so much, this link is genuinely amazing. I have tried to create my own phrase bank, but nothing to the details of this. 

Thank you all again,
Donzy x

Right after 106 days I finally got some feedback as to what is wrong with my writing. I have a limited vocabulary and I need to read my work out loud.

Can anyone make any suggestions how I can tackle the limited vocab problem. Thanks x

To pass the PhD would be groundbreaking enough for me. As long as I have found a gap in the knowledge that I can fill I'm happy. I first thought that when I started out I wanted to change the world, I now know that this will not happen. In fact apart from my supervisors and external I would be shocked if someone ever reads my thesis ever again.

The main thing I want from my PhD is a secure, well paid job... Again I can dream!

Hi Jenny,

I have bulimia and depression and for the past 2 and a half years I have been struggling to do my PhD.  Not only am i a weak candidate I really can't get it wrote up as my writing is very poor. I have been thinking the same as you since I started.  I am due to finish in Oct when my funding runs out and after that I have responsibilities and bills to pay with no income. However, I WILL COMPLETE THIS.  Then I will worry and sort my health out. I know I cant fight my eating disorder while doing my PhD because all my effort and strength is going into my PhD.

Finish it, keep going and don't worry about the stage you are at, everything will work out in the end.  For instance I know I am going to be stacking shelves come Oct but as long as the PhD gets finished some time I can cope with it. I have stopped worrying about getting reassurance from supervisors or other people, just believe that you will finish it.

Don't think this is much help to you but thought I would share my experiences.

Keep sane and well x 

You can use a wired keyboard that connects to a USB port or a wireless one (both are really cheap). If you have a newish TV and wireless/bluetooth on your laptop you can connect it to the screen of your tv if your stuck.

Yep, your printer should have a USB cable that connects to your laptop. If you have not got a disk for your printer settings on your laptop you can download them on the internet.

Good luck x

There is one main question to be answered... what are you adding to the body of knowledge. If you can answer this keep going. If not revise your aims and objectives, there is always something new or innovative that you can add.

Good luck x

No, we looked into that last year and there is nothing useful provided by my Uni. Do you know any that are given in the UK?

Have you any advice on how to learn? I have wrote 3 different chapters, 3 different conference papers and numerous reports at this stage and I still have not improved any.

So do you think it might be a waste of time for me?

Ok folks. I am in my third year of my PhD. I have all my data collected and analysed (I'm qualitative). My biggest problem is my writing skills. Basically I have very little. I handed in my lit review chapter (3rd draft) and my findings chapter (1st draft) (bout 50,000 words and over 6 months work) to my supervisors. Their response was this:

With my lit review they chose not to talk about it because it was so bad. I asked about my findings chapter and they responded by saying the quotes were good but I could use nothing else.

My biggest problem in the whole PhD is this. My writing has not got any worse since applying, so I dont know why they took me on in the first place if they think I am so bad.

My supervisors are really nice, give good feedback and are very honest. However, they say my writing is "bad" and every time I ask how I can get better they tell me "it will come." I am so frustrated with this and I don't know where to turn to.

So my main question is can you learn to write? If so how? Do I turn to the option of people someone to rewrite my chapters? Am I wasting my time?

Please help, so frustrated and utterly at my wits end.

Thanks