Hmm, where to start.

As many of you know, I'm in the 2nd year of my PhD, starting third year this September. I have funding until September 2013.

Unbelievably, I have a full draft of my thesis (just finishing my intro now). I don't quite know how I've done it, but to be honest I think it stems from starting data collection very early (for various reasons) and not having issues with writing block. Obviously, I will go over and edit all my chapters, but I have actually done that once already so I don't think it will take very long (i.e I don't have any nasty chapters to sort or structural issues, thinkgs do seem to flow).

What complicates matters is that hubby and I are hoping to have a baby very soon, the only reason being that I'm so ahead of everything and think that it would be ideal to have a baby now rather than delay and wait until I'm in a 'proper' job. So this means that I would have funding until March 2014, as I'd get six months paid maternity leave.

So, what on earth do I do for the next 18 months (I say 18 months but it's really 12 months with 6 months for baby)? Options are:

1. Publish, publish and more publishing! I'm very aware that in order to really get anywhere once I'm done with the PhD, journal articles are essential. The only one I have written is currently under peer review, so there's obviously a lot of scope to do this.

2. Finish early- get it done and submitted. But this means saying goodbye to my funding, and the possibility of having a baby, and finishing the PhD with no publications.

The key thing I'm really worried about is it not being original by the time I finished. But I could perhaps get a final draft to my sup before I go off on maternity leave, and get the viva organised as soon as I'm back. I don't really know whether a 6 month extension would be that big of a deal for originality, in the grand scheme of things. And surely publishing journal articles would help with this?

I'm very aware that the above is just a big mumbo-jumbo of my feelings. So basically, what would you do if you found yourself in my situation, with a full draft of your thesis with no publications, wanting a baby, and with 12 months funding left?!

Thanks all!

======= Date Modified 06 Aug 2012 13:21:37 =======
Personally, I'd go full on for submitting it ASAP with supervisor's permission of course. I had my draft ready about a year before my viva, but my supervisor continued to rip it apart and change her mind.

So I would do everything you can do to submit. Then I'd focus on publishing what you can around your baby plans.

I submitted a few of my papers to journals before my viva (still haven't been accepted anywhere :-( ) but the feedback I got from journals was very useful and probably saved my thesis in the end as I did some last minute changes. I think that is the main thing that got me no corrections if I'm honest.

======= Date Modified 06 Aug 2012 13:25:29 =======
In the current climate money should be a big factor in all our decisions so do what you have to do to ensure that you are bringing in a salary every month and start submitting articles now. I got the first chapter of my thesis published as soon as I had written it but getting the other chapters published has been a slow process I can tell you!

But yeah, I'd do whatever ensures that you are still bringing in money at the end of the month.

I guess I meant that be sure that it is ready for submission - mine took about a year to get from 1st draft to submission standard.

Once its definitely there, you can go for publications and hold off on actually submitting.

My sup booked my viva before I had a submission date! So you could have it all planned out, just not completely finishing. There is the issue that you might have to update it nearer the time though, I guess it depends on how confident you are that no one else has done similar research.

Congratulations on getting a full draft done!

Personally I see no need why you should finish up early, unless you have a secure job offer that requires you to do so - and from your post this does not seem to be the case. You have been awarded 3 years funding (plus the possibility of 6 months paid maternity leave) so why give that up? You earned it, do not throw it away unless there is a good reason. The way things are going funded phds may become a thing of the past.

You say you have no idea what you could do for the next 18 months - but there is always more scope for research, field work, theoretical study etc. It sounds like you have done a lot of work writting up, maybe now you need to step back from your thesis and consider other things. Are there opportunities for any paid teaching work at your Uni? Are there any upcoming conferences you could attend/present at? You mentioned publications - as far as my uni is concerned this is very much part of your phD and with so much written you could easily edit and submit a number of papers - and a way you could get your claim on originality sooner rather than later. There is probably more you could do if you are honest with yourself - you say you got your data collection done early but how is your bibliography, does it cover the breadth it needs to?

I'd say take the money, have a lovely baby and try to get a couple of publications. You are in the lucky position of being both ahead with your work, and with guaranteed employment (and pay) for the next 12 months!

I would say stay on until you've got some publications drafted at least. That is what will be likely to make the difference between you getting an academic job or not. That doesn't necessarily mean staying till the very end of the three years, but you might as well make use of some of the time, particularly as there will be lulls while you wait for feedback on thesis drafts.

As far as the maternity situation goes...I speak from a position of zero personal experience, but I wouldn't make my plans around that as such. It might take a while to get pregnant and you might find it happens when it's too late to actually incorporate maternity leave into your funding period. It can be awkward if leave is taken at/near the end of a position - if you're nearly finished your PhD then what would you be returning for?

You also might like to check the university's/funding body's regulations with regard to finishing early. If you're clearly going to be done and dusted in the next six months, they might not be happy to let you hang around, whether for the purpose of publishing, or to subsidise your maternity leave.

Finally, on the 'originality' front - we were told at my uni that as long as our work was 'original' on the day we started then it was fine as far as the thesis goes. Obviously, the journal world is different, which is another argument in favour of getting publications out sooner rather than later.

Hi Button,

Well done on having your first full draft done! I agree with what the others say, it's likely your sup will give you some feedback and this will lead to changes that you'll need to work on (well, I hope they'll give you some feedback!). Plus, no one can actually predict when they're having a baby.

You have 3 years funding, there's nothing stopping you from making the most of it :). I'm sure you'll be able to find plenty to do, publishing, teaching, etc.

As for originality, it's unlikely that you'll be penalised if someone else happens so far into your thesis...

Thanks for all your great advice :-)

Had a meeting with sup today, and we've agreed a deadline for the first official draft of my thesis, which is a month or so away. The I imagine it will take her a while to read it, which will mean time for publications! I'll also look into doing more teaching (I already do some) but thanks for all your help!

So basically, I don't think I'm 'that' far ahead of myself, as obviously the first draft is miles away from my final draft!