Many thanks for the replies everyone! You've helped clarify the issue greatly! It can be hard to know when in the early stages of academia what is commonly accepted practice and what is stepping over the line. I did think it all seemed a bit fishy and unfair, but all the comments have helped make a much more solid arguement than 'it just doesn't seem right'.

Fingers crossed that the arguements will hold up when it comes to the crunch. Thanks again!

Hi,

My boyfriend is writing up his PhD and also working on a paper that will hopefully be submitted in a few weeks. His supervisor is now sticking three more names on the paper, of people who weren't involved in the work. His reason for this is that this will be reciprocated when the other people publish (in theory).
As this will be my boyfriend's first paper and will obviously be a factor in his success when applying for postdocs, he is concerned that having several authors will diminish his contribution and make the paper 'worth' less, if you see what I mean.
Does anyone have any idea what kind of impact the number of authors has on the credibility of a paper? He will still be first author, but does it really make it look like he didn't do as much of the work, when in fact he did most of it?
Hope someone can reassure me/him!

Critical thinking takes a lot of practice. It took me ages to get more critical and confident of my own opinion (it was the confidence to question my 'superiors' that was the hardest), and i've still a long way to go. Problem is, I think I've become more critical of everything in my life, and have turned into a cranky old cow, damn phd side effects :-(

18 months in and everything, I mean EVERY aspect of my project has changed in some way, or been scrapped. I think its the exception rather than the rule for all work to be included in the final thesis - everyone I know has had to scrap months of work somewhere along the way. If you've already written stuff up, don't delete it, definitely save it somewhere as it may well be useful at some stage. Any way of including it as an appendix or a subsection somewhere?

Hi,
Sorry to hear things haven't been going well for you. I have to say from the outset that my post is biased because of my own situation, so its just my experience and opinion talking!
I'm not sure how much it will help but here's what happened to me - the first few months of my PhD I was thrown into practical work that I wasn't prepared for because it needed to be done at that time for various reasons beyond my control. By February it became clear that the way my supervisor and I had envisaged the project going was really not going to work, so we sat down and talked it over and changed things a bit. I was really feeling like I wanted to quit at that point but decided to give it a year at least so I would know Id given it a fair chance. By the end of my first year, after lots of thought I still felt like it wasn't for me, so talked to my supervisor. I can go for 2 weeks without seeing her, but have always maintained a very cordial and honest relationship with her (ie not hiding away for weeks on end when things were going on). I was fortunate that she was very understanding of how I was feeling and did not take it personally at all (which it wasn't - the problems were mainly due to the actual work I was trying to do).
Anyway, I'm still working on the stuff that I did during the first year and trying to write that up so haven't cut my ties completely, but in my mind have come to accept that I probably wont finish the PhD. This was the hardest thing to get figured out due to family expectations, etc. etc. and took a lot of soul searching to realise I would be staying doing something I was miserable doing just to please other people. (potential fame and glory from my phd didnt really come into it, funnily enough!)
Now, looking back over the past year Im glad I stayed on a bit longer as I got various bits and pieces of experience that I wouldn't have got otherwise (conferences, teaching, presenting, etc.) I am also much happier in myself now that the big 'PhD cloud' isnt hanging over my head but am lucky that I can still round off the bits of research I already did.

In response to your reasons fornot quitting: There is always the possibility of starting another PhD at a time when you feel ready for it and perhaps have had some time away from education. The amazing opportunity is only amazing for the right person - if you're miserable then its not amazing. Better let someone else do it who will really love it. Unemployment - at this time with the economy etc its not very good for anyone, but you have a good education behind you already (I presume, or you wouldnt be doing a PhD) so that will stand to you. Academic publishing might be harder to get into without the qualification, but how much more are you guaranteed to get into it with the PhD? Letting people down - I guess family and friends would prefer you to be happy... And the grant, I've no idea about how that works Im afraid, though in my own situation I don't have to pay it back. The grant was for work done, and I did work while receiving it, so it would be like a boss asking for a salary back when you quit a job. I'll have to give my laptop back though :-(

Ok, so I guess from my experience I would say stick it out a bit longer, talk as openly as you can with your supervisor and family, and make a list of reasons why you want to leave, reasons why you want to stay, and the pros and cons of both. Think about taking a few weeks off - this should be no problem once you explain to your supervisor how you are feeling, and they will certainly see it as a better option than quitting altogether. This will give you a chance to step back from everything and clear your head before making any drastic decisions.
And all the very best of luck whatever you decide to do!

Hi
I've been trying to find out the same thing lately. I've heard it said a couple of times that it would be seen as a failed phd, but having said that a lot of people do a masters from the outset and have simply completed their research. I've asked some non-academics what their view would be if it was on a CV, and the general consensus was that, first, a Masters is a qualification and you must have decent skills and abilities to do that, and second, if you have a valid reason for not finishing off the PhD then it should be no problem ('couldn't be bothered' might not strike the right note, but a decision to actively change your career path or focus on other specific interests could be valid reasons). I posted on a jobs/work forum a while back to see what people would say and it wasnt seen as a bad thing, seeing as in the grand scheme of things the number of employees holding a PhD would be in the minority.
I know a couple of people who quit to go into the 'real world' and consider it the best decision for them. If you don't consider your future to be in academia then it would seem silly to waste your time and effort on doing something you dont want to do.
Im not sure exactly what area of research you're in, but I personally feel that continuing my PhD wouldn't give me any more useful skills than those Ive already acquired when I consider the kind of work I would prefer to be doing, but thats because I cant see myself staying in the area I'm in now.
Sorry if that doesnt really answer your question, just my 2 cents!

Hi,

I posted here on 21st November with a very similar problem, though I've been in the PhD a while longer.
First of all, with regard to the money I don't think they will ask for it back. It would be like quitting a job and being asked for your wages back for the time you worked there. Though please dont take my word for it - check what the university policies are.

It sounds like you jumped into the PhD because you didn't know what else to do, and because you felt it was expected of you. As I've discovered, if your heart isn't in it, then it won't go well.
It probably sounds a bit contradictory then to ask whether it would be worth sticking it out for another couple of months so that you are settled in to it and find your feet - the style of working is probably quite different to undergrad and masters so that might be part of the problem. Then, if you still feel that its really not for you, you can tell your supervisor and parents that you've given it a good try, and know for sure its not for you. Would it be possible to talk to your supervisor at this stage and explain that you feel this wasnt a good time for you to start a PhD? They may be open to the idea of you leaving for a year or two and even coming back at a later stage if you decide you are ready. I really think in cases like this honesty and communication is the best policy - its better to be open than to waste people's time.

A big part of my dilemma has been what to do with my life if I quit the PhD, but Ive come to the conclusion I would be asking the same question in a few years time if I kept going with the PhD, with no savings or work experience, so might as well get started on some kind of career path now, rather than delaying the inevitable for three more years. I've heard from a few people that quit their PhDs that it worked out fine, and they found jobs that they were much happier in.

I hope whatever you decide that it works out well

I've been looking at some of the previous posts from people who quit or are thinking of quitting, and I guess I would just like to vent and get some comments on my own situation.

I'm in my 2nd year. The first year had loads of setbacks and the project now looks nothing like the original plan. A few months ago I decided to quit because I felt I couldn't cope with all the problems as well as having to live away from my partner during the week. I'm not a quitter by nature, and have previously done very well academically so it was a very difficult decision to go to my supervisor and say I wanted to quit.

My supervisor was very understanding about this and gave me the option to move away to live with my
partner as I had already done a lot of practical work and can now write it up at home. This was great as I didnt want the first year of work to go to waste, and hopefully it will be a useful piece of research. I ended up saying I would continue with the PhD as it was a relief that my supervisor was so understanding and I was basically scared to make the final jump once there was some kind of lifeline given, even though I'd originally decided I would quit. However, the remainder of the project is something that I really am not interested in and was originally going to be a minor part but is now going to be pretty much the remainder of the project.

I am not motivated by the prospect of being a 'Dr' and have no desire to work in academia, so my current reasons for not quitting are: it would cause hassle for people who have been really helpful to me, and cause disappointment for me and people who had faith in me, given the current economic climate it might be better to stay with the small amount of funding rather than risk no work at all, I'm afraid I'll be making a decision I'll regret.
I have a wide range of 'transferable skills', and feel (perhaps naively) that I would be able to get a decent job as I have a 1st degree and an MSc, as well as other certs and diplomas. I work much better when I have set goals, and at the moment Im floating about far too much and feeling very unrewarded and unmotivated by the research Im doing.

So at the moment, I think I will write up the research I've already done over the next few months, and hopefully get an MSc out of it, and then move on. I've seen a few posts from people saying they quit and it worked out ok, which reassured me a bit, but I'd also like to know if people quit while maintaining a good relationship with their supervisor and not destroying any possibility of returning and/or getting a decent reference. And how do employers view an applicant who quit? Or even other universities should I ever get the urge to return? Am I naive in thinking I can get a decent job when I've been in a university bubble for the last 6 years and only have experience of summer jobs?

Apologies for the long winded post, it would be really nice to hear from anyone who's made a similar decision.