I got told by my supervisor that my writing style is way too informal.. he was totally correct and even now, when composing emails I have to try and 'think professionally' (else all emails end up with smiley faces and kisses in them :-S)

Have you read 'The Elements of Style?' - It's a pretty good book for understanding how to put across ideas and regardless of what your research area is.. you might find it helps in terms of 'good english'

I did... But that's because my Supervisor was very laid back with me and didn't push me to publish anything in my 3 years.. so I had to do all the hard work. In my mind.. if I write the thing, I am first author.. kinda simple really - and thankfully my supervisor agreed. I think I published in an IEEE journal after 11 months of starting my PhD but I do know that if it hadn't been for my supervisor editing / rewording things, it would have been rejected as apparantly 'I talk like a chav' :-S

My friend had a supervisor who would demand to be first author.. even if she had done all the work, she would be first and my friend second.. and then the supervisors friend came to work at the Uni... and my friend got pushed down to 3rd author after the supervisors 'friend' gave 5 minutes of input to her paper...

My friend found this, he got turned down for loads of interviews when he had amazing qualifications AND prior experience. He changed 'PhD' to 'Postgraduate degree' and all of a sudden, the interviews were flooding in... The question he got asked was 'Why do a PhD and not go into academia?' ... When applying for my job (graduate position) I just took 'currently undertaking a PhD' off my CV... I then found out, having started, that my company weren't supportive to PhD students and my manager + others kept trying to tell me to quit..but that's another story..

I'm hoping mid Jan... but it technically doesn't matter when it is as nothing changes afterwards (apart from my mental state being more stable).

I dreamt last night that I was re-reading my thesis and the lyrics from a kids song had somehow managed to get included in my abstract and I woke up in a cold sweat thinking 'Oh God.. ' My 2nd supervisor said this is normal... I'm not so sure :-S

You nervous? Do you think about your thesis most days or are you pretty calm and collected about the whole thing?

- I think in the last year I have spoken to my first supervisor about.. 15 times... mostly on the phone, seen him in person once...I think 2nd's are important as they give you a different viewpoint on things - I wouldn't be happy about my PhD being pushed into a different area... but I wouldn't burn all your bridges - is there any kind of compromise you can reach?

My 2nd supervisor was pointless for the first 2 years... I didn't speak to her once as I didn't feel the need... I was happy with my first and we had a good relationship, so she was my 2nd supervisor on paper only. Then, after 2 years she sodded off as she got asked to leave over some 'sensitive' issues she had handled wrongly. As it was necessary to have a 2nd supervisor, I asked a very good friend of mine to be mine when we were down the pub.. he agreed, I told my first supervisor and he was fine. Then... half way through the third year my first supervisor became very busy, moved from Systems Engineering to the Business School.. started a new research group - he didn't have much time for me so I went to my 2nd Supervisor. As I went over my 3 years, I had to write up whilst working full time and every single Sunday my 2nd supervisor would give me corrections, I would do them.. he would do more.. etc

I would suggest you consider your position carefully. All the things you have written about may just be down to your Supervisor being a p**ck and people being rude. When I was doing my PhD, I was told my writing skills weren't as good as other PhD students - they weren't so I accepted this and tried harder. My supervisor was pretty good, however if he hadn't seen me for a while I would just carry on pesteing him and making his life harder until he finally acknowledged me (I learnt an awful lot in my 3 years... and pestering people was a real skill )

I can empathise. I'm female and have been doing a Computer Science PhD - I've not actually experienced any discrimination in my research... nor in my current job believe it or not.. most places are pretty hot on making sure discrimination doesn't happen.

Yes, I am... I'm working full time though and have been since August 2006...

I submitted last Thursday and am actually more nervous and stressed than before... (I think it's the control freak part in me). My supervisor has told me he's sure it will be fine.. however I keep having dreams of the external saying 'It's crap.. you've failed' and saying 'You've plagurised' (I have been so careful to reference everything.. or so I think)...

Sorry, not the most helpful of messages.. but hey, look on the bright side.. you could be working full time

I'm a 4th year PhD student, 3 years full time and since August 2006, have been writing up and submit next week. I know I'm going against the grain, however I decided to do a PhD because:
1)I didn't want to get a job - at 21, I didn't feel responsible enough
2)The title sounded funky
3)I got on well with my BSc 3rd year project supervisor
4)I loved student life
Well, I've been working full time since Augist 2006 as an IT consultant and writing up in my spare time and the last 4 years have been bloody fantastic. Not everyone has the same reasons for doing a PhD Just *do* think carefully about the 3 years, do you really think you can hack it?