I wouldn't entirely agree with the senior lecturer either but it can be a useful guide. I think you need to continually ask yourself whether the work you've completed is publishable and one day when the answer is "yes" then you can stop and start on the next part of your thesis. It's kind of how I'm planning my thesis.

i'm an 8

you guys are crazy! :D

hehehe :D

Entertain me.

academic politics suxs

you can pick something decent up from stores but dabs.com and laptopsdirect.co.uk often have decent deals.

ps. also, get one with a dvd writer, so then you can archive stuff on to disk.

if you can publish anyway then do it. if it is peer reviewed the examiners won't be so picky about it come your viva (unless he is being really difficult).

its been raining. no bbq for me :(

im having a bbq :D

my friend doing theology took university run language courses. i think they ran some specialist courses.

there has always been a hatred of phds or anything related by some in the engineering sector. i dont know why. however, the fact that british energy are sponsoring you suggests they are not phd adverse.

I don't see why not even if it is on a PhD-related matter. Sometimes getting external advice can be less biased and honest.

i do science and i can say quite authoritatively that i know bugger all.

its not uncommon in certain fields. engineers and management lecturers who have worked for many years in industry and move into academia dont start at the bottom.