Hey guys,

I came across some research material...but its in an indian language i can't read. I did meet someone who could translate it into English but he wants to know how much i'm willing to pay. The material in question is a 200 page memoir. Does anyone know what the standard cost is (or can be) for translations? I know this is a bit of an odd thread but i don't want to get ripped off

Thanks

hey historybuff, its strange you mentioned that someone you knew was too scared to spend money on anything other than education- i was exactly the same with my scholarship! it made me very ill cos when you are not making any progress with your work then you feel incredibly guilty.

Anyway, i take it you are a history student? If so, what period, country? I focus on indian history during the 19th century?

How is your diet Keep_Calm? i ask because a healthy diet can really help. I stick to fruits like blueberries (which are said to keep anxiety at bay), raspberries (depression) and sunflower and pumpkin seeds are beneficial too. Honestly, i never used to believe it, but what sort of foods we eat really affect our moods and the way we feel (god, i sound like a self help guru, lol)

I follow a really healthy diet and although by nature i am a worrier and will always suffer from anxieety, I do feel better sticking to my 'Superfoods' lol- you notice the change gradually And do not take too much caffeine- it makes the anxiety worse as does too much sugar in your diet. So my advice- a healthy diet and bit of exercise. good luck!

thanks guys for the excellent advice. i must admit i was determined to focus on revising the old chapter before moving onto something new. But you've made me see its better to do it the other way around especially, as you pointed out joyce, if i want to have an open mind and be a bit more experimental. Besides, if i begin revising i won't finish until its perfect which means i will be at it FOREVER.

Bilbobaggins- 2 chapters at the same time? Very impressive, at first i thought 'i could never do that' but i'm slowly coming round to the idea- might try it out. And you are nearly finished the phd- congratulations! what i'd do to be in your position....

Hey guys,

my supervisor just gave back a chapter i handed in February. he says it's OK but i need to work on it more (eg expand, provide more examples). On top of that i need to work on the style and structure of it.

My question is should i spend the next 3 months sorting this out?. Or should i start research on a new chapter first and go back to the old chapter at a later date? Like many of you, i can only do one thing at a time!

Thanks

hi sheena,

i resumed my studies last november after a two year break. it has not been easy but certain things do help.

1. i (try) to work on a specific chapter for a few months. Even if you don't have a chapter as such you can always focus on a certain theme and just stick to this. It's all about taking one step at a time, or one chapter at a time i should say. Don't try to do too many things at the one time, trust me you will just panic and wont get anything done! I try to stick to my GP's advice- 'just do what you can'. Draw up lists, i find this helps me at times.

2. Keep in touch with your supervisor- a good supervisor will always help you whatever your circumstance. Providing them with regular updates, reports or even an email telling them exactly what you are doing is beneficial as you both know how things stand.

3. With regards to concentration problems, set time aside to relax. Friday nights are always cinema nights for me. And i make it a point to read stuff entirely unrelated to my work- novels etc.

4. Accept that there will be times when you will feel overwhelmed and will panic. Understand that these moments are part of phd life and do pass.

Hope this helps and let us know how you are getting on.

you're not alone, and you're certainly not the problem. i still face so many problems socially, five years after first starting my phd- just so shy and intimidated by the academic community. I think feelings of inadequacy and the whole 'i'm not supposed to be here', can take your focus off your work. My advice is to stay focused on that, treat it like a normal job, and try and find hobbies, friends etc outside academia. It will help keep things in perspective. At uni there should be all sorts of groups you can join. I think more than a social skills course, you just need to be surrounded by people you feel relaxed with, that's when your personality can 'shine through'. Try your uni's counselling service, i used mine, and i've found that so many phd students, whatever stage of their phd, feel like you do.

i feel so much better after reading your replies. i did not really think about it that way- when you are so busy focusing on yourself you forget to view things from a more realistic perspective. Thanks- I appreciate it x

Hi Guys,

Posted a while back to ask advice over this conference i'm going to next week. Received some very useful tips so thanks guys!

Now another problem- have just found out that my undergraduate supervisor from years ago is attending too! There was a time when I was one of his promising students who 'would be a good candidate for PhD research'. But I did not cope well with the PhD at all- I had to take a two year break (depression, anxiety, you name it) and have only just resumed my studies and taking things slowly. In a sense I feel he probably thinks 'what a failure- how did I ever think she would do well?

My question is- how do I face this guy? What do I say? What do I not say? It's going to be awkward, and for me very, very painful- it really is my worst nightmare. Any thoughts/suggestions would be most welcome. I am so scared!!

thanks guys for your encouraging messages- was really worried before i posted this thread as my research is still in the developing stages and i dont want the academics to ask complex questions about it just yet!

i agree with hazyjane- i'm actually following a similar method. I too had a highly negative experience which resulted in a two year break from it all. Am back at uni now and giving it my all- as hazyjane says, if it all falls apart again then at least i will know i gave it another shot. For the moment i am 'ok', just plodding along. And Alice, your message made me feel a whole lot better:-)

Hey guys,

There is a really big conference coming up at the end of this month- i think i will attend because after a two year break from my studies i know it is important for me to 'network' and get the ball rolling so to speak. And my supervisor suggested it, which normally translates as 'you better come along'

It has been a long while since i have been in such an environment and am really nervous. I just wanted to ask, at these type of events is it ok to just be an 'observer'. By that I mean, will there be other people there who are not presenting any paper but are just there to observe and listen?. Does attendance always mean participation?

it would be my worst nightmare if i turned up and i was expected to say something...i did email my supervisor to make sure but he has not got back.

sorry if this is a silly question.

hi there bilbobaggins. they just recommended a total target amount. I had a look at someone's thesis, which got published in the end, and he had (excluding intro and concluson) 6 chapters so what you are saying makes sense. trouble is i can only find four issues and maybe dedicate a chapter to each of them- that's why i thought 20,000 would have to be a target of mine. but i find that to be kind of impossible, even by the time i had reached 16,000 i was kind of losing my train of thought and going off in different directions- so you are right, it does need to be shorter and to the point. only problem is i don't have enough material/evidence to that ...this is not gonna be fun:-(

another question- how long does a chapter generally have to be? I heard it was 20,000. the chapter i just handed in was around 16,000-are they quite strict with the word count?

it sure does! thanks ever so much sleepyhead, i appreciate it. guess i'm just gonna have to be brave and read my chapter (i have a fear of reading my own work, all i tend to see are mistakes, i just cringe!).