Overview of catalinbond

Recent Posts

Should I contact potential supervisors before applying?
C

It can't hurt to try and contact them, particularly if you have further questions about the project.

But I will add I am currently doing a PhD that i saw advertised on findaphd.com and i didn't make any contact with the supervisors before hand so it is not absolutley necessary to do so.

PhD interview tomorrow, help!
C

make sure you have a good answer for when they ask why you picked that particular project and/or why you think you're suited for it. I've had quite a few PhD interview, some very informal (which i prefered) and some very formal where they questioned me on all sorts of aspects of my previous research including why we chose particular methods. Best preparation would be to make sure you really know your previous project (amazing what you forget in a few months even after handing it in)

good luck

Over qualified and under qualified- but not qualified
C

are you looking for clinical psychology work or work as a research assistant or looking for a phd? I found even with an MSc i struggled to get a research assistant position, and even with some clinical experience and an MSc i didn't even get an interview for a clinical position (and was later told 400 people applied for one job!) i ended up working for a year as a teaching assistant and feel working in an academic environment helped me when i went for a phd (which i've now started this september.

I guess my advice is try not to get down hearted and keep trying and applying. I worked for four years mainly in bars and restaurants before getting to where i am now. may sound liek rubbish jobs but they were flexible and allowed me time to do voluntary work to get more experience.

good luck

the basics....life as Oliver Twist
C

london can be a bit wwierd, try talking to someone on the tube and they'll probably get off at the next stop! I move to the north to do my UG and I hate to perpetuate the whole north south divide but you couldn't get on the bus without someone starting up a conversation!

As for your flatmates they sound a bit odd, but i have no idea whether that's normal postgrad halls behaviour as i only lived in them as a first year undergrad when everyone goes out of their way to make friends with everyone.

The issue of 'originality'
C

I'm kinda in the same position and had my 'it's all been done before' moment just before christmas. But the more I looked the more I realised that yes broadly my PhD had been done before but there were other angles to be explored, and t come be done in more depth. It was a review that really panicked me, until i realised that a whole load of the papers were all from the same research group and included small numbers of participants. keep reading and don't panic, things will emerge.

Interview - what to ask about
C

this is something that always bthered me about interviews cos I always felt I shuld have some questions prepared and then they'd get covered in the interview, I always feel stupid asking nothing. Anyway maybe something about social aspects - how many other PhD students are in the lab group, do people socialise together, etc as especially if you're moving to a new place you can end up feeling isolated if there aren't other people about.

New Year Resolutions
C

mine is to get up and get into uni earlier instead of staying in bed when my boyfriend gos to work. So far did it today and just dosed off at my desk!

other one is to play less scrabble on facebok - problem is i'm in the middle of 17 games!

research passports - does anyone know anything about them?
C

Anyone got one of these? or applied for one?
I'm going to be testing patients in the NHS, and I would presume I'd need a research passport, however the exemptions form this scheme include 'students who will be supervised within the clinical setting' does anyone know if this means supervised in general? or supervised at all times?

I asked my supervisors and they're not sure as research [ssports are relatively new.

PhD versus "Life"
C

3 months in and I'm not missing either cos I'm not missing out on either!

Introvert or Extrovert?
C

wow this is weird. i have brown hair! and i can't think of many blondes doing phds.....

also, i'd say i'm more extrovert than introvert.

what are your views on taking time out versus going straight from UG into PhD?
C

I was thinking about this more in terms of which makes you more able to cope with the stresses of doing a PhD. There seem to be a lot of posts about people feeling inadequate and not being able to talk to their supervisor/other academics.It got me wondering whether these people went straight from being undergraduates, and whether this affects your confidence, or whether it all depends on the individual and spending time doing something else before starting a phd makes no difference.
Personally I graduated 4 years ago and only just started PhD. I think the time off has made me more grown up and perhaps more confident in my knowledge and ability, however I've also not been a student for two years, and find myself procrastinating a lot.

stats help trying to find an overall standard deviation.
C

hi there, does anyone know if this is possible.

I have a list of 12 mean and standard deviations for t-scores. I want to get the overall mean and SD of these, but I don't have the raw data as they're in a journal. Can it be done?

Trying to get them to do a power calculation. Guess otherwise i'll have to do 12 power calculations!

Coming up with a topic once in PhD
C

anyone else been in this situation? I got a uni funded PhD, where the topic was already set, so I went into it thinking the supervisors had a good idea what they wanted to achieve. I started nearly two months ago, and had realised they don't really seem to know what they want to do. The topic has been covered at length and I'm struggling to get my head around what will make my PhD different. My supervisors are great and approachable, (i have 3) but they each have different expertise and don't know about each others areas. We came up with a general plan of acion but it's all been done before. How unique does a PhD have to be? How did other people come up with the angle they want to persue?

Everyday life and PhD
C

Started PhD in Oct. I've come from a full time job so trying to stick to 9.30-5.30 (just can't get in for 9!) and keep my evening to myself as I've moved to a new city with my boyfriend and he's not a student. Not sure how this will change when i start testing/deadline start looming, but want to try and keep to this structure as much as possible.

ESRC Recognition Requirements?
C

for ESRC you have to have a recognised MSc in research methods and you cannot get it without. But other funding bodies are not so strict. Could you apply to another funding body for a studentship? what do your supervisors think your chances of getting the studentship are? it might be worth doing the research methods to get the money so you don't have to work later in your PhD.