I agree with TreeofLife that it probably doesn't matter too much but on the other hand maybe it's best just to keep everyone sweet. Nowt wrong maybe with a thank you card and a box of chocolates or bottle of wine or something just in the interests maybe of passing yourself with everyone.
Edit: Oh and to the OP I'd say defo after viva. I understand it'd be nice with it being Christmas and all but as someone who got majors I'm glad I held off. It would have seemed a bit premature now given this outcome. They're going to be seeing me for awhile yet! I'll be giving them something when corrections have been accepted and I get it printed and bound (although I'm not sure either of us will want a copy at this point ;-))

Hi Timmy, yep, happened to me but only once. I was peeved because I had travelled 15 miles to the university for the meeting and then 15 miles home for nothing. If he has apologised I'd imagine it was a genuine error. I'd be peeved if it happened regularly but it could be a once off. Don't worry. I highly doubt it's anything personal.

Very sad. Are we surprised though given how third level institutions have become businesses and how callous and cut throat it can be. Major corrections has indeed had me pondering whether I want to go on with this. I have found it all very bully boy and petty. I have an interview for a decent non-academic job soon and if I get the job I'm going with it. I know the non-academic world is not immune from all of this but there is, I find, a really callous nature sometimes in academia as if it's all an endurance test of some sort and dare you show any perceived 'weakness' then goodbye. What makes it worse for most of us here is we likely have very little money. Is it all worth it? Maybe Stefan Grimm's death will prompt some discussion about the corporatisation of third level. Was third level really different in previous times? I've only known it to be a business in my lifetime.

There is definitely a level of subjectivity and unfortunately as we see on this forum it also spills over into the viva examination. People get various experts to read it and all is fine then another expert comes in at the end and makes you rewrite it. I did witness in a group grading session the lecturer (who the rest of us grad students were grading for) say at about 3pm "I'm tired now...whatever...50". So, yes, very much marking on a whim without even reading the thing. I think there is also an element of them taking care with grading the papers of students who they know will come and complain if they're not happy with the grade whereas it's easier to mark down a quiet student who won't say boo. It's true I am very disillusioned with academia at the moment but that disillusionment was steadily growing witnessing all these things over the years. All you can do, chickpea, is strive not to be like that. Just be you, conscientious etc. but I personally wouldn't challenge the tenured staff on anything. They can't be touched and the academic world is a small one.

Found myself in this situation before and didn’t feel I could assert myself any further really. I just pretty much accepted that the full-time member of staff is the one with the power not a PhD student like me. I even found cases of plagiarism that the full-time staff didn’t want to hear about. I’m not sure what you can do to be honest. I was subsequently grading work for a different lecturer a few years later and they did take cases of plagiarism that I found seriously and so on. So not every lecturer will be the same, Chickpea. I guess my attitude was just ‘choose your battles’ and this is one I didn’t pursue as I didn’t feel I could as a grad student rather than a colleague.
Maybe someone else will have a different perspective.

My best wishes to you both, Butterfly and Marasp. It's really bad form to leave people waiting in limbo. Really bothers me that these people in their ivory towers don't realise they're messing with people's lives leaving them waiting. There's been plenty of success stories on here from people who got the R&R outcome. You'll get there in the end. Go to the conferring ceremony and do a somersault across the stage when picking up your scroll :-) That's what I'm planning ;-)

Good for you, DJPorsch. Congratulations. I'm now working on major corrections which shouldn't have happened tbh. Concur with what you said. You've got to have good supervision and of course a good work ethic but no replacement for a bit of good guidance along the way. It shouldn't be all up to the student.

Hi CPsychStudent. What jumped out at me was is there a possibility he wants to just get your work to publish it himself/get on it as a co-author. Sounds like he is going to be co-author anyway as you are working on a publication together. I think there's a difference between everyday chat with your supervisor and the kind of things he's saying to you. I mean I'm sure in the 5 years I've been working with mine he's taken the piss out of my taste in music and vice versa but that's what I'd think of as light-hearted banter (which didn't happen all that often in 5 years and my project was about music). Please don't go there with the thing about having feelings for him and him for you. It can't end well. It just can't. Now maybe I'm reading it wrong and it is just banter and once you know that line will never be crossed by you or him then it's fine but I'm inclined to feel wary of this one. It's got to be about the work and that's it. Hope that's of some help to you. All the very best.
Edit: I think we forget sometimes that these people in power are actually just humans too and they can abuse that power and they can look at their students in a way they shouldn't really. sometimes we trust these people a bit too much.

Ta, Marasp. Ok, onwards and upwards. I've started on corrections. Thank you, folks.

Great news, Pineapple. You deserve every success :-)

Aye, I agree. Thanks marasp. Most people are of a particular standard surely or we would never have reached submission stage but then it's as if it's partly down to who you get as an examiner. Marasp, I have followed your story and admire your resilience to get up and get on with it. Can I ask you about whether you put your job as a sandwich artist on your CV for the academic job that you now have? I remember back in June you were working briefly at the deli job and I wondered whether you had that listed on the CV you put in for the job you subsequently got? Would really appreciate an answer. I'm in a bit of a pickle like that myself. I guess that makes it hurt all the more too being judged by people on bloated salaries while you're on the breadline.

Thanks Kelpie and Ganesha. I know some people are saying congrats and it's not that bad but to call a spade a spade I think it's very disappointing to get this outcome when your supervisors said it was all hunky dory. Presentations were always a blast. Everything was great. If it was so great why has this happened. I'm just bitterly disappointed because I loved what I was doing and it just doesn't feel like mine anymore. Anyway, no-one died I guess. Build a bridge. Move on eh. Ta folks. I do appreciate it. Thank you v much and Ganesha I wish you the very best. These things shouldn't happen. I don't get how supervisors (who are also examiners at times) can ok something and then someone else come in and rip it up. Onwards and upwards. Keep going :-) It's not the end of the world.

Ok, thank you all. My supervisor wasn't happy either with the result. We weren't expecting the kind of big structural changes that are being asked I guess. Anyway, thank you. Much appreciated.

Thanks both. I have the puffiest sorest eyes imaginable this morning. Hardly slept a wink but cried so much last night. What's really hard is family and friends (who haven't gone to university) asking how it went and just having to say it went great but I've to make some changes. Also, I feel the messages I got were very mixed. We love it but do this, this and this. No longer my thesis then. Ho hum. But what can you do. That's life. It's taken the passion right out of something I loved.
Bilbo I followed your story and you gave brilliant viva prep advice so thank you and CharlieB I also followed your story and it really angers me when people get r & r or majors. Shouldn't happen imo but I can't help but feel there's a big element of luck of the draw at play. Thank you for your kind words and I'm wishing all the very best to you too.
Edit: I should add that I began crying when the examiners were gone and I was talking to my supervisor. I said I had to go before I really went in for a shoulder heaving cry at least. It was only the beginning of sobbing but jesus it's embarrassing. I'm not the sort that would ever do that but it just came out. I feel so embarrassed now. Anyone else ever do that?

Hi guys, i'm crying my eyes out. I know some of you have been here before. Can you give me any kind or sage words or virtual hugs please? I'm in a bad way. My supervisors loved my thesis as did i and my examiners gave me mixed messages today saying they loved it but want 6 months corrections that they think i'll get done in less than 3 months. Please. Any kind word would mean so much to me right now. Thank you.