Hi Sneaks

Sorry for appearing to go AWOL, - I've had trouble posting in the last 24hrs, and I was wondering if it was related to soliciting (stars).

You've had some excellent advice from Jepsonclough, - specially on taking a strategic approach, and not filling charts with generic cv information. Sounds as though you've ample experience, and are a credible candidate. Rehearse, check your timings and good luck.

C'mon Sneaks, it's just 10 slides. I've got some ideas, is there a star in it for me?

Ok, hands up if you've received your first quarterly maintenance payment in advance, due on October 1?

My RO is trying to pull a fast one, offering monthly payment in arrears instead, so that they sit on the funding each quarter. I've sent them a copy of the AHRC Studentship Grants Guide 2010, and the terms & conditions for the payment of maintenance 2010-11.

So it's been removed from it's comfort zone then, eh, sneaks?

Hi Jepsonclough
Museum attendance is at the centre of my own "comfort zone." Would love to hear more about your findings.

Hi Bill,
Wow, 300 words? I struggled to cut mine down to 1000, and thought 500 would be nearly impossible.

Still, if you're exceptionally focused, it must be possible:
Introduction, research objectives, research questions, significance, framework, literature, method, ethics. So, about 35 words each section? Good luck mate.

Mine's a Collaborative PhD, Social Sciences.

..by the Director of the Doctoral Research Programme, whilst I was in the room :$ So happy. Bit inappropriate of me to mention it, but can't help myself.

Well done you, Joanna. I'm a first year too. When are you starting?

OMG, well done Sim. I'm at the very start, so unreasonably jealous of you. I can't imagine the magnitude of the gulf between where I'm at, and your achievement in actually submitting. Yup, I'm going to have to sit down. Well done.

Hi Figaro85
I'm on a fully funded AHRC, and was due to get my first payment today. It hasn't arrived. My understanding is that I'll receive payments on a termly basis, for a collaborative PhD, but I'm reserving judgement until I see the ££.

Why would you want to read online proposal guidelines? That's like doing your A levels, based on Letts Notes. Have confidence in your own ability to craft a reasoned argument. It's worth the sweat.

Options b, c and d aren't honest representations of 'her' feelings. That leaves option a. Simples. (By the way, I was in a similar situation...and we've just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary).

Hi Williambriggs79,
I just wrote a standard bibliography, as I've always found that footnotes tend to interrupt the flow of a developing rationale, but maybe that's just me. Opting for a bibliography in preference to footnotes didn't prevent me from winning funding. It's the ideas that really count. Good luck.

Hi Aotema

Hope you're feeling reassured. Sounds like you're way ahead of me: I'm just starting, and am still faffing around getting the correct registration, inter-library loan cards, timetables etc, so I haven't read any papers since writing my proposal in June. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and I haven't even bought the trainers yet :-)