Juno, you have to recognize that half of the papers published in conferences, especially in less important conferences, are crap or near to.

Anyway, my publications could be summed up in two, but my tutor, who had the obsession of the number of publications, despite their quality, kept me rewriting the same things over and over, changing the words, adding some graphs, just to have them published again. That's why I had those publications. Thi work of rewriting of course stole me time to study in order to find something new.

After 18 months I dropped out the phd. By that time, I had 7 papers published, but they were just crap.

Otto, don't drop out. You would regret it a lot.

I can't understand what one is supposed to write in the "statement of research interests" (1 or 2 pages), which is requested in all the phd applications.
If the topic is completely new and unknown, what can I write? (besides "i'm interested in studying this subject")
Should I go through a lot of pubblications of the research group, understand the topic, and propose a sort of research plan? this could take months..

As I already said on the other thread, i also quitted my phd after 18 months. The main reason (but not the only one) was that my supervisor was no good at all, he kept me doing useless thing and he didn't actually know anything about the topic and of course he couldn't help me. I had the impression (more than just an impression...) that I wasn't learning anything and wasting my time... it was too frustrating.

No, i mean that you need contacts, reccomendations from someone authorative (a university profressor) to obtain a scolarship (fundings) for a phd. If you are an unknown guy, no-one will ever give it to you.

Nimrod81, you hit the point. I didn't want to offend anyone.
Simply, in Italy if you aren't very young and/or you don't have the right contacts, you don't have many possibilities.

Of course I could move out of Italy, but it's too difficult for me (new language, new culture, added to the already difficult phd course). Anyway, maybe the whole researcher career was too difficult.

because i've no contacts, no references. And I'm already 27. That train has already passed...
I'm angry with my ex-tutor beacuse if she wasn't so unbearable, i could have my phd finished.

I'd like to say to anyone thinking to quit the phd... don't do it!

I started phd after graduation here in Italy, then I left it after 18 months, because I cannot stand my tutor any more, and because my research group wasn't good at all (yes, I admit I didn't investigate enough before starting it).
Now I have a boring job, as a computer programmer, I pass all my days in an office, and I haven't any possibility to do anyhing interesting, because I haven't any contacts or raccomendations.
So.. follow my advice... don't give up your phd!