I tried to get business cards from the department when I first started - as I'd come in from a professional organisation where they are clearly commonplace - and as others in my office had them, I knew that they would come in handy when doing interviews / meetings etc. But the department told me they wouldn't provide them (fair enough... but not really cool that other PhD students had them!) and wouldn't even let me pay them to provide them for me (not fair! I was willing to pay to get them printed!)

The suggestion they gave was to write my name on a piece of card in pen on some spare ones they had in the office.

I don't think I've ever felt as small. It really reinforced to me that departments like mine (at my university) treat PhD students as kids (regardless of age).

It still angers me! :-s lol

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======= Date Modified 27 Aug 2008 17:19:58 =======
MissSpacey: That's actually a really good idea that I really hadn't thought of - I've just realised (checking their website) that we have a German department here!

Thanks for your help - I'm emailing them now (up)

I'm feeling incredibly stupid that I have wasted half a day trying to dream up an advert though!

walminskipeas: I'll check out Systrans too as nobody might be able to help in the department. Thanks for your help.

Well because I have an upcoming interview with someone who wrote the document, I wanted to be fully prepared to ask questions based on this. If I don't get any replies - I'll have to use Google translate alone.

I am currently looking for someone to translate some German documents using an advert as I cannot afford the prohibitively expensive professional transcription services (unless someone knows any different) and I'm unsure of how to effectively recruit someone to do this. I have pretty much done the advert and asked people to quote how much they want for the translation - but how do I assess quality when I don't even speak the language. Do I just give the work to the person with the lowest quote? How do I even pay them - cheque? Paypal? lol

I've also spent half the day ensuring that I am following the Employment legislation on advertising.

It's such a minefield!

Any thoughts? Anyone had to out-source translation or transcription?


:-(

I'm signing in for duty - for transcribing until the early hours.

Wish me luck - I have Pepsi on standby and episodes of Roseanne for my breaks....

Surveymonkey is ace and free

To benefit from exporting data and routing questioning you may have to upgrade to the professional model at 20 pounds or something - but after using it for many years - I find it invaluble and incredibly simple

I want Helene to win, she seems the most normal out of the ones left and least likely to be a nightmare for Sir Alan - she seems intelligent and dedicated.

Lucinda, Lee and Michael are all mad and uncontrollable.

Alex, Claire, Helene to win!

I think I'm biased to northerners though

I had to change all my Vancouver referencing (footnoting) into Harvard the other month - it was incredibly tedious and I really sympathise

The worst part is usually people think I'm just being lazy. My partner especially thinks I have some kind of problem with laziness and procrastination - but I think a lot of PhD students chalk off inaction as procrastination - but most of the time its a serious writers block where you can't see things objectively and can't possibly continue for a while.

My supervision today went really well and I'm really enthused about summer PhD work now.

I hope people read this and think twice before branding themselves as lazy.

Just a message which will hopefully be a bit inspirational for anyone who is a bit low at the moment.

After 7 weeks of literally no work on the PhD (give or take a bit of sporadic editing) I have finally got over the depressing writers block overnight. I don't recommend the night shift - but since midnight I've been a revelation and actually got some stuff down and reorganised my writing. Although in effect I have only added 1000 words to my lit review - it has finally given me a bit of direction.

I have to admit that the only thing that kept me motivated was my supervision at 11am this morning - so it was more *necessity* rather than *divine intervention* that got me so inspired.

But still...work is work ... and I've got it done and now have a bit more of the bigger picture worked out.

If anyone is lacking inspiration - try waking up early for the sunrise... really clears the head.

anybody?

I was encouraged to do a paper within 2 months of starting which shocked me. Thankfully I didn't submit an abstract - and just attended the conference instead - and I'm glad I did - as I now realise what goes into the process.

We are told at my institution that we should aim for at least one paper a year.

internal email systems like Microsoft Outlook (web version) are evil.

I did the same thing last week....I almost cried because I had spent forever trying to write the thing. I can sympathise !

Just a quick question about books relating to the positivist route of 'surveys' in social science research. Whilst I have done an MA looking in-depth at survey research - is there one book (textbook) or article that you have found invaluble to accompany survey research? I've read so many but can't remember which were the best.. as I spent a year working in between the MA & PhD.

Thanks!

I think that living a fair distance is fine - many other students where I am do the same (even 300 miles away - but travelling for supervisions)

My accomodation contract is up soon and I will hopefully be moving about 50 miles away and commute each day. Hopefully it will reinforce my "office job" mentality and get me working.