Actually, the figuring out what to do about the stats thing is perhaps one of those things you could delegate - you've got to get past the 'being a burden' attitude. If you feel guilty, buy chocolates for the people helping you!

As for dealing with the sups being away - we could give you all the advice in the world, but ultimately it can only be sorted between you and them. I think you need to start communicating to them some of the things you share here - such as your week by week plans etc. If they don't know these things, it's going to be hard for them to find the right amount of time to support you.

Thanks for the advice HazyJane.

okay so here's my plan. i will wait for their feedback and advice regarding the summary outline and then arrange a meeting with my 2nd sup and ask her for help with certain things i am stuck on, mainly the stats. and a few other things.

and then ask her, if i can give her chapters as they are completed, now that i am aware that she is going to be away from 15th august until mid sept.

basically. i am going to get all the help i can before they go away. because come september it will be too late. as i need to submit my thesis by sept 30th.

i agree, i need to go in and have a meeting with them. so i will ask my 2nd sup, when she is free for me to come in and have a meeting.

it is better to get the help i need from them now before they go away.

once i get their feedback from the summary, i will ask my 1st sup, when he is prepared to sign my exam entry forms. and bring them with me when i have the meeting.

Lara, is the email in response to work you have given them? i.e. are they still planning on seeing you the coming weeks and sign forms etc, because the email doesn't seem to confirm that.

I think you need to determine exactly what their availability is and when they'll be back in their offices in Sept. You should definitely make use of your 3rd supervisor.

I'd say concentrate on the strengths of your thesis, and don't use your time learning stats. It's better to have stronger chapters, and one weak stats chapter than lots of weak chapters and a good stats chapter (although I'm not a scientist so I'm entirely sure just how crucial your stats chapter is).

That sounds like a good plan Lara.

Just one thing - why not start trying to arrange a meeting with your secondary supervisor now, before waiting for the feedback? These things can take a while to organise, and the sooner you can see her the better.

Keep at it. You're doing a grand job.

Yes, I agree with HazyJane. Arrange a meeting asap, and contact your 3rd supervisor now.

Also, I forgot to add. Have a fellow science PhD or friend at the ready to proofread your thesis in early Sept. It will really save you some time.

I'd arrange a meeting with your first supervisor soon as well. Do it now, don't leave arranging it until later. By then time will be very tight, and if you have a meeting arranged it will encourage your supervisor to read your summary first.

Lara, how are you getting on...haven't seen you around for the past few days?

thanks guys for your advice about arranging a meeting. i emailed my 2nd sup today.
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hi miss spacey, thanks for the message. i've been feeling rather guilty. this past week, haven't got much done. but i did go to the british library twice this week and ordered a bunch of references that might help me with the statistics part of chapter 3 and 4.

i spent a couple of days trawling through notepads and lab books and emails and picking out notes I made on cluster analysis.

i feel this week has been very unproductive. so i am making a fresh start tommorow, and will forget about the "unproductive" week i just had.

a few days i completely blew off and didnt do anything.

i will try to control my anxious feelings about the whole thesis ...and just concentrate on doing it bit by bit.

I've made an excel diary and will track my progress from tommorow onwards and see how much i can get done in 2 weeks. i have set myself a deadline of 3rd August. to try to get as much of the results chapters completed as possible.

how are you doing miss spacey?

and tractorgirl?

Hi Lara,

Good to see you back - I thought you may have had a horrible meeting with your supervisors and run off

I wouldn't worry too much about having an unproductive week - you seem to have been working very hard so it's inevitable you'll ebb and flow. I've had an unproductive month!! I've decided a change of scenery is necessary, so I'm going to work in a local uni library rather than at home in my study. Hopefully, an academic environment will increase my productivity.

LOL I was very tempted to run away! far far away from statistics.

finally got over my fear and found a really good article tonight, on the internet - it is really explaining it in basic terms!
but now i dont know how to "reference" it. cause its a website link, and i heard that you are not allowed to reference website links in a phd thesis. but will worry about the referencing later.

i set myself a 15minute egg timer, and ended up working for an hour! making new timers everytime the timer went off lol. love the egg timer website

thanks so much for the kind and encouraging words about not worrying about having a couple of unproductive weeks i must add, you made me feel better. i appreciate that!

that is such a great idea having a change of scenary. its good to have a change of atmosphere. good thinking! i might do the same. maybe like once a week or something. you're right, being around people that are also studying, will be good.

let me know how you get on

"but now i dont know how to "reference" it. cause its a website link, and i heard that you are not allowed to reference website links in a phd thesis. but will worry about the referencing later."

Delegate!