Thank you all for your replies. The difficulty I have is that I am writing my thesis in the form of 3/4 scientific papers, plus the introduction and conclusion chapters. As one paper has been published, should I just rewrite this chapter/add in more supp information etc? For the remaining chapters, am I better off not submitting these as papers before I finish on the off chance they get accepted, to avoid further problems re self plagiarism?! Thank you

Can anyone please help in clarifying how publications fit into thesis? My PhD is in the sciences. My sup says that the publication can obviously go in the thesis but needs to be different to how it appears in the journal. I am just having trouble understanding how to differentiate the two., and would appreciate any advice anyone could offer on this. Does the thesis chapter just need to be a bit more detailed, with additional supplementary info etc?

Thank you

Thank you all for your input. It's a tough one - I think what Chickpea has said is right in that guidance differs between supervisors. I think that at the end of the day we just have to trust them as we've little alternative choices!

Hi everyone

I am now over half way through my 4 year PhD programme.

I am wondering what everybody thinks the typical milestones passed for this stage should be, and am trying to gauge my progress. My supervisors tell me I'm on the right track and not to worry but I can't help it!

I have 2 chapters worth of data (I hope!) so far and my project is in the biological sciences.

Would really appreciate any feedback from anyone in similar position

Thank you so much

MicroWest

Hi Tru, I too am in my third year. It took me about 18 months before I began to generate data. Are your supervisors happy with your data so far? I'm sure if they thought it wasn't up to PhD standard they would tell you.

Hi asallili, I know how you feel. I too have just recently completed my second year. I only have one experimental chapter completed and am still collecting data for my second proper experiment. My whole first year was taken up by reading/researching my methodology and forming questions, so it was only really in the middle of the second year that I started properly collecting data. I think what derose says is right, just look back on your goals and what you have achieved so far. Also, I find it helps if I write as much as possible, it helps in showing that you are progressing. Keep going and we'll get there in the end

Hi Caro, thank you for your reply. Yes I just thought that if my supervisor is advising it then it's worth a try. If it gets rejected should I still keep it as a stand alone chapter, refine it and try again after the viva in your opinion?

I am almost 2 years in to my PhD, in the biological sciences. After completing a pilot study in my area, my supervisor has suggested that I try and publish it. He thinks that a lower impact journal would be appropriate for this work, whilst my current and future studies might have a chance in a higher impact journal down the line. I am a little worried however about if my paper gets rejected, how would I explain this in the viva once I submit? This study will form my first chapter. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you

I have the same concerns MaryDee. I think that you'd have to be informed that progress was dissatisfactory, probably at your end of year review. However, I am constantly anxious as to whether I'm on the right track!

I am 18 months into my PhD. I have some useful data, enough for maybe half a chapter or a maybe a full chapter at a push. I have more experiments lined up to collect lots more data. I am constantly worrying however that what i'm doing may not be enough come the end of my 4 years. My supervisors tell me that I am on the right track, but with the proviso that what I achieve in the end will depend on the results I obtain from my experiments. If you make it to the viva is there a good chance you can still fail even with your supervisors insisting you're on the right track? Thank you

Agree with Wowzers - lots and lots of reading, practicing and refining protocols, research questions etc. I did manage to generate some preliminary data at about 14 months in, but have been analyzing/interpreting/writing up this data ever since and I am now 18 months in. I have now planned my next study that will soon start and I hope to have this finished by the end of year 2. Other than that I have presented my initial work to my sponsors and in my department at the university. Hope this helps!

Great work Tulip! How far into the PhD are you? How long to go?

I know every study and project is different, but what would be the general consensus on achievable or acceptable goals for the end of second year of a PhD program? My PhD is in the biological sciences. Is two experimental chapters by the end of the second year acceptable or achievable? What would be the norm?

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, I really appreciate it. It was for my first set of samples from my first exploratory experiment, and indeed it was using next gen sequencing apparatus that we didn't have at my institution at the time. We are however getting this apparatus shortly, so I should be able to prepare the next samples for my next chapter myself. It was more to see if this apparatus was the correct one to use moving forward into my next experiments, but this data should definitely form my first chapter.

It is pyrosequencing data. The company also did some of the bioinformatics?