Hi,

Just about to start writing my thesis and the biggest issue is that I think my research is crap.

I know it wasn't well thought out (I was immature and inexperienced when I started my phd. Followed my supervisors lead and got trapped in a bunch of experiments that mean F*** all). I can't publish anything and have been told to 'try writing up, it might be ok'!!!

Anyone else had any vaguely similar situations and hav any advice?

Difficult situation to be in. I think this is where a GOOD supervisor will come into their own and really help you through. If there only advice is to "try to write up", I suggest you need to be firm with them and find out exactly how to go about this. Unfortunately my work is in the social sciences and cannot therefore comment on experiments etc. but I would assume your supervisor is the person you need some straight answers from. I also suggest if this is an awkward situation, perhaps speak to your advisor or another mentor in the department. Good luck.

Hey, I know exactly what that feels like. I am writing up and the whole time I am finding experiments I should have done differently...why did I do x at pH 6, when pH 3.5 would have made more sense? Why did I incubate at 40 degrees, 20 degrees would have been more logical? I just console myself with the fact that a PhD is meant to be a learning experience. If you can see when your work is not perfect, and why, it is a sign you have learnt from the experience. Don't despair - just do the best you can with what you have and know you are not alone in feeling like you are the only one in the world with a poo project. Good luck.

I agree with Piglet, I have said before on this forum that I have never yet met (myself included) a pre-viva student who didn't think that their thesis was the biggest pile of rubbish ever written. As students we learn critical appraisal skills and become our own harshest critics. The work we did early on can seem naive or lacking in depth and all you can focus on is how much better (and how much quicker!) you could do the PhD if you could start again now. Take this as a evidence of how much you have developed as a researcher. PhD theses don't have to be perfect, indeed there is no such thing as a flawless piece of research. Know the weaknesses and limitations of your work, discuss them in the thesis and have an awareness of how you would do things differently next time and you'll be well prepared to defend your thesis.

My supervisors were smiling wryly when I was expressing my concerns about my work - apparently all final year students go through this 'my thesis is a trivial description of a poorly considered series of near-random experiments and could have been written by a chimpanzee' stage. Trust your supervisors, if they think you have problems then that is time to worry

Not just me then. Like your post Ann!
I seem to actually be getting the hang of it now I have a month's funding left (famous last words).

yes, part of the Sunshine Band

Who is kc? cc is short for chocchick which is my username on another forum. Was trying to go incognito.....