well done! can't wait to hear your story!!

Good luck PinkNeuron!!

Hi

First, you have to admit that we are all human, and we makes mistake. Don't take it too hard when you make mistakes, because we do too.

I don't intend to do any advertisement here, I once found it very difficult to write, until I read this book "How to write a lot" by Paul Silvia, it basically addresses the writing problem of ALL researches. He then suggest that we should set ourselves a target and a time to write every (working) day. It's normal that sometimes you will don't feel like writing etc, but it's good to keep it as a routine, and you will be surprise how much you have written by the end of the week.

Suggest to you have a read of that book (it's thin and small), or you can search online for time management advice, I believe those help too!

A general discussion will do, you don't normally go into specific of your research until you actually start your PhD. You will be required to write a research proposal in your formal study application once you have a informal agreement with your potential supervisor that he/she is willing to take you as a PhD student.

Hi

Postgraduate tutor (or Chair of Postgraduate Studies) is paid to help with things like this, I don't think they have an excuse not to see you because they are "busy". In principal, I don't think you can find anyone who is not busy in an academic environment.

By all mean, if your postgraduate tutor is busy, you can talk to your Head of Department (HOD). For any reason, no one in your department can help you issue with this, you can go to your university Graduate Association or Welfare Officer, they will help you to discuss this issue with the department.

I hope you can sort out this soon, I understand how annoying it can be when your supervisor is not being supportive, and I regretted didn't go to this option during the early stage of my research.

It's always better to solve this soon rather than later!

Interestingly, I have actually been told that sending letter of interest is better than applying normal job....it's nice to know second opinion. Thanks.

I have just submitted my thesis and are waiting for viva, as well as doing some teaching in the department.

I wonder when is the best time to send out letter of interest inquiring about job opportunities (with the prospective employer).

Did anyone get a job from their letter of interest, instead of going through the conventional job application process?

Thanks

Thanks for sharing, pineapple!

Thanks all.

It was all email communication, but the term is a little ambiguous. I told him my budget is £xxx and asked him to read whatever that is within that budget only, he was more like "I will see what I can do" and refused to answer my question directly. Now thinking of it, I think he did that purposely so that he can charge me whatever he wants. Anyway, I asked my british friends to read our emails, and they agreed that he "did sound like he has agreed to the budget term".

I think he was hoping that university would reject my work if I didn't pay him for what he asked for, as he claimed he has done the same thing to his other client before. Anyway, the correction was mostly grammar and spelling, he himself even agreed that the correction was very minor.

I suppose he does not have a case to complain to the university or the department?!

Does anyone know which department in the university might be able to handle case like this?

Hi all

I have some problem with my proofreader. Basically before I start sending him any work, I have told him that I have limited budget on proofreading hence I will send him portion work instead of the whole thesis. He didn't like the idea of "reading portion" of the work and suggested that I should send him the whole thesis and pay him slowly. I rejected the idea, said no, I reiterated I only have £xxx amount of budget and that's what I am going to pay. He agreed on this term ambiguously and replied "he wil see what he could do" and that he would not spent as much time as he would normally.

I assumed he agreed to the term and sent him portion of my work, he even said that there was not much "wrong with it" and he won't charge me sensibly. The main reason that I trusted him because I have used him in the past, and he had been charging me reasonably.

Now he suddenly sent me a invoice of double the price that we have agreed. I was not happy about it and asked him to explain his charges, I also mentioned that that's not what we agreed. He was angry about it, refused to explain his charge and threatened me that if I don't pay him what he asked for, he will send our previous conversation and the work that he has done for me to the department or university.

I don't understand what university/department will do about it when they receive his email, but to be honest, I'm not afraid of it because I have proof that I have made it very clearly that I only have £xxx budget before I started the whole proofreading process, and that he refused to explain his charges clearly.

I wonder if anyone has this experience? Who can I get advice for a situation like this?

I don't mind to pay him for what he asked for if I have truly misunderstood him, but if he is just trying to bully me and intentionally charged me double the fee without a good reason, I won't just give him money like that- and I consider that a scam if he intentionally to do so.

Can anyone give me advice on this?

Thanks.

i have read some awful stories as well, and it's not helpful at all.

I think passing PhD is also depends on the matter of luck........:-S

I am in the same position as you!!!

Are you considering academic posts only or any job?

You can ask what does he expect from you and what you should expect from him.