Hi all, long time lurker on this forum but never posted, not visited since my Viva nightmare last November but need some advice about publishing my failed PhD.

Long story, mature student who spent five years working on a charity funded PhD. During write up my 2nd supervisor ignored all contact and first provided positive feedback although on study leave for the last three months. Submitted on time and waited for Viva.

Viva was the worst experience of my life and it was obvious one of the examiners would not have passed me the sugar let alone a PhD! I was frankly not believed when I said how awful the viva was, exam advisor denied any problem despite reading academic papers and ignoring proceedings all the way through....
Given revise, resubmit and re-viva which I am not prepared to do as 1) the entire thesis needs rewriting according to the report and 2) I am convinced one of the examiners will never pass me and 3) lost all faith in the value of a PhD.
Advised initially by my 1st supervisor to complain about the exams advisor but basically fobbed off and unable to make big formal complaints as I work at the Uni concerned. The only way to view my examiners independant report was to make a subject access request which supported my view of events with one examiner saying pass with minor typo corrections and the 2nd saying not even worthy of a masters qualification.
So, fast forward six months and I have withdrawn from the PhD as I am not prepared to waste another year of my life on almost certain failure of a resubmitted thesis unrelated to the research undertaken.
I really don't see though, why I shouldn't publish an account of my PhD experience but obviously want to avoid being sued...... So my question is, who owns the rights to my failed thesis and can I be sued if I publish an online account of my experience and treatment at a Russel Group University?

Well there are lots of disgruntled ex-students out there who do exactly that, but what are you hoping to get out of it, if you don't want to either appeal or do the revisions? You could get sued yes, just like any other citizen, by anyone who is identifiable in your account if what you say counts as libel or defamation of character, so I guess it would be up to you to ensure that it's legally watertight, if you do it.
The really relevant part of this though is that you are an employee of the university concerned. Does your contract contain anything along the lines of not bringing the university into disrepute? If so, I guess it depends on how much you value your job.

Budgie,

Sorry, given the widely differing verdicts of the examiners I'd have complained. Whilst you might not have been able to overturn the verdict, if the process was considered to be unfair then you could have been re-examined with two new examiners. First, you exhaust all avenues at your University then go to the Ombudsman. I do recognise, however, that you are working for the University concerned and you want to keep your job. But getting angry and not doing anything about it rather than bitch (via publishing your online account) is even more damaging that at least giving it a go. And yes, you are asking to be dismissed and sued if you do what you say you are going to do. Who's going to employ you after that?

You question the worth of the PhD process and whilst due to problems with a second post-doc I'm not where I wanted to be, I still feel if I had my time over again (despite a tough write up period - for the right reasons under a good supervisor - that thankfully ended in minor corrections for me) I would still go through the process. I needed that challenge, I wanted to give it my best shot and I'm glad I did.

For the record, you own copyright. But think twice about doing anything stupid, even if you're not apealling and have withdrawn.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)