Overview of pm133 on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of pm133

Signup date: 08 Jan 2016 at 12:02am

Last login: 30 Mar 2021 at 8:40pm

Post count: 1246

Recent Posts

Help with anxiety and feeling like leaving my PhD

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Mental health is getting quite a lot of publicity right now and probably not before time. The problem is that outside the small sphere of people sympathetic to the mental health problems of others is a vast, and I do believe it is overwhelmingly vast, silent mass of people who think this is all snowflake millenial bullshit and that people are jumping on the bandwagon.

To be honest I really don't know what the solution to that is.

My suggestion here is really about considering what you can control yourself. I believe that every single person has moments in their lives when they go off the rails mentally and that we have a culture of mass denial about it. In my experience it comes down to a feeling of lack of control over your life and a feeling of worthlessness and pointlessness about everything. I think this is down to people living a lifestyle which is not compatible with who they really are. It might therefore help you if you get some quiet time and ask yourself who you really are and what your life would look like in an ideal world. In my case, the PhD taught me that I pathogically hate working alongside other people. I therefore run my own business now with no intention of ever hiring staff. That means I have to accept that I am trading away the possibility of higher earnings in order to get my freedom. It might help you to go through a similar process.

Doing a part-time PhD at the Open University

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From Pjlu:

Quote From pm133:

Quote From Pjlu:

All goals achieved later in life, and if you asked me at 30 whether I thought this was all possible...I would have thought I was dreaming. Life is/can be good at all ages and stages.

In fairness at 30 years old, with the best will in the world, most of us were/are as dumb as bricks with next to no experience of the wider world. In my experience, the majority of young people are too self absorbed with their own perceived importance to take the time to look around them and recognise the value of older people.

Actually at 30 years of age I was the mother of three children, 8, 6 and 4 years of age and newly divorced from an absolutely terrible marriage. I had had a great deal of worldly experience and was an avid amateur scholar but had low self belief and did not believe that my keen interest and reading in history, psychology and literature amounted to a 'row of beans', but was just a quirky habit. Having looked at growth mindsets and underachievement within my thesis, and also having worked very hard on understanding how childhood patterns and trauma can affect our choices, I understand much more about the choices I made as a young person and how they impacted then on my life and even now.

I'm not sure why I feel the need to state this now, PM133, perhaps just a need to acknowledge that unhappy young 30 year old, trying desperately to look after her children, blaming herself for everything, and choosing not progress to honours (extra years of study) and further studies beyond the initial undergraduate degree despite achieving outstanding grades, as her children needed a mother who was there for them and had some form of professional and stable employment.

At the age of 30 I had two kids with my third just a year later so I wasn't far behind you. I wouldn't know how to have done it as a single parent though.

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From chaotic1328:

Ouch indeed :-D
There are always exceptions and as I said in a previous post, I had to improve from a 2:2 myself before I could take the PhD.
In fairness, school level education is such a low barrier to clear that this probably wasn't the best example for me to give. Mind you I dont recall making any comment about devaluing the undergraduate degree. You got the high 2:1 at undergrad so clearly my comment about devaluing the PhD wasn't aimed at you.

Good luck with your application.

Take this as banter rather than anything else, as my head is aching from trying to get two proposas done to what they expect, and so am using this forum as a welcome distraction. I was making the logical deduction that if low undergrad degree grades devalue a PhD, then by the same token, non-existent A levels would devalue an undergrad degree...:)

A levels have never been mandatory in order to enter university. You have always been able to enter without them. A few hundred thousand Scots manage it every year ;-)

What challenges do you think an applicant might face in making a PhD application?

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From PTaliP:
I wonder from a perspective of a professional services staff member :)

What on earth is a "professional services staff member"?

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From chaotic1328:

No I don't think so.
Excellence is an absolute not a relative thing in my opinion.
My ability to excel at playing the guitar doesn't depend on how good you are for example.[/quote]

But surely if everyone can play the guitar like Hendrix, then that's the norm rather than anything out of the ordinary? And only people who player better would be classified as 'excellent'?[/quote]

When that happens, come back to me and we can re-evaluate. :-D

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From chaotic1328:

We genrally don't allow people to do an undergraduate degree without displaying excellence at school level and in my opinion we should not allow anyone to undertake a PhD without displaying excellence at undergrad level as a bare minimum. That seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Ouch! I don't have any A levels (dropped out half way through), plus my O level result aren't much to write home about either. I enrolled onto my undergrad course as a mature student of 27 after my divorce and felt that I wanted to do something different. I got in based partly on my experience of running my own business (I used my accountant as one of the referees!) and partly on my ability to charm the course leader...:) )

Did very badly in the first year, and just scraped 40% pass mark to progress, lucky that did not count towards the final honours. Second and final years were very much better, and I was told by my dissertation supervisor that I only missed a First due to the marking system (not sure if he was trying to make me feel better, or if it was true), and my dissertation was marked down by the second marker to ensure I get a very high 2:1 rather than a First.

Just trying to say that there can be late developers, who for whatever reason, did not do that well at school/undergrad level, and should be given another chance to shine. I certainly wouldn't have contemplated another two years of A level study, or heaven forbid, some more O level courses, and would just decide that education wasn't for me if I wasn't offered a place. Not being vain in anyway, but I certainly don't think I've devalued the undergrad degree in any way, nor cheapen the Master's that I completed this September, and I wouldn't like to think that I would contribute in any way in devaluing a PhD if my funding application for 2018 is successful...:)

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From chaotic1328:

That would be extremely unfair to limit the top grades to that extent. Your grade should be a personal achievement and not based on how good the rest of the class is.

But isn't excellence comparative in a competitive system?

No I don't think so.
Excellence is an absolute not a relative thing in my opinion.
My ability to excel at playing the guitar doesn't depend on how good you are for example.

Imposter Syndrome

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From kenziebob:
Hi all. I am a first year PhD student, and it's all going really well so far (I think). I'm dealing with the constructive nature of feedback from supervisors (my first article review had over 30 comments from three supervisors!) and I am getting to grips with writing a systematic literature review (my supervisor wants to aim to publish). I suppose the way I'm feeling now is quite natural given that I have never been given this breadth of feedback before - I know it's needed as the research/my thesis needs to be valid and informed, and it's all constructive which is very helpful. But I keep feeling like I know absolutely nothing - I'm guessing this is normal for being two months into a PhD?

I know I'm a lot further along than a lot of other new PhD students - I have already been writing for my supervisor every couple of weeks (and have a good few thousand words by now), she wants to publish a systematic literature review, we have some basic research questions to consider and I'm heading to a conference soon (not to present, just to network/go to talks). But I can't help this feeling of knowing absolutely nothing! My office mates say this is good as it means I am accepting that my knowledge is always growing (and not there yet), is this something to just get used to?

Anyway, apologies for the ramble. I've been lurking here for a while and beyond my question I just wanted to pop my head above the surface and say hello. You all seem very knowledgeable :).

Yes this is a very normal feeling. You should get used to it. Right up to and after passing my viva and getting my PhD I still feel the fingers of imposter syndrome clutching at me. Get used to others thinking that you are faking this and that you know everything. I think it is because when you commit to something like a PhD you learn very quickly how much stuff you don't know. Less knowledgeable people, parents friends etc, have no visibility of the overwhelming amount of things to be learned and so don't understand where we are coming from.

Knowing eveything is not the point. Knowing how to find things out and make links which others can't is what the PhD is teaching you.

Supervisors as co-authors but relationships sour

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From tru:
Hi, Tudor_Queen,

I would not worry about references from your supervisor.

I disagree with DrCorrine. I got jobs and volunteer work both in academia and non-academia without any reference from my supervisors. Same with my friends. Whilst you are a PhD student or even a postdoc, they instill this fear culture about reference letter that basically made you a slave to your PhD supervisor or PI. Not completely true.

I can tell you that while it is not ideal to not have your supervisor's reference letter, you will live on and still get jobs after you have left your supervisor's side. People may ask, as they have me, why I did not have my supervisor's reference. I just answer - things happened and we don get along. Amazingly, people actually understand and don't press on it. And honestly, after that first job post PhD, you no longer need your PhD supervisor's reference anyway.

So, Tudor_Queen, there is hope yet. All is not lost.Keep your chin up and bravely march on.

From someone who has been through that shit,
tru

Yep this is a great post.
Don't overestimate the power and influence of your supervisor.
If Dr Corrine is correct you are screwed on the reference front anyway so really it doesn't matter now. Industry really doesn't on the whole care one iota about academia and academic staff. That is my experience. As long as you have a reference from someone.
Again if you want to work in academia, you cannot fix what is currently broken with your old supervisor. Just keep it professional and make the break.

That's quite a wide range of conflicting advice you are getting on this thread :-D
Ultimately it's your call.

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

One final thing I want to address for now is the issue of self funding.
Self funding should be banned unless the person has the qualifications I specified above. No exceptions.
We should jealousy guard the PhD qualification.
There should be no short cuts for those with deep financial pockets or those prepared to go into unimaginable debt.
Do the groundwork properly and THEN go for the PhD. It will mean so much more when you finally achieve it.
There does seem to be a very strange attitude out there at the moment of entitlement and really it needs sorting out. Earn your achievements and don't take short cuts.

Look, I know people will be upset at my posts (I've been attacked on here before) but it's just my opinion. Ignore it, agree with it or write it off as crap. I have genuinely no problem with either of those responses. Just for the love of God don't get upset. It's just one opinion out of many and there are plenty who will disagree with me.........just as it should be.

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From chaotic1328:

Quote From bewildered:
But are those not attributes that if possessed should have produced 2:1 / merit results in the earlier degrees given how few don't manage to get a 2:1 nowadays. That's how unis tend to see it anyway.

That might be true. I saw an article a couple weeks back, and some top unis give out Firsts to near 30% of students, and apparently, the numbers of Firsts and Two-Ones given out are part of the criteria for rankings. Not sure if my memory is playing tricks on me, but I think when I graduated back in '94, marking and grades were based on a curve. The top 5-10% would be on a First, and the next 10-15% on a Two-One etc. Are there any similar marking schemes for undergraduate/post-grad grades these days?

That would be extremely unfair to limit the top grades to that extent. Your grade should be a personal achievement and not based on how good the rest of the class is.
The problem AGAIN is league tables. It tempts lecturers to dumb down the material and make the exams easier. This gets happier students and better feedback which boosts league table positions. I have spoken before about being put under pressure to upgrade lab reports for no good reason other than to make an angry student happier. I refused to mark any more labs after that. It is absolutely crazy what is happening.

Now for a little twist.
When I graduated in 1990 I gained a 2:2 myself so I already know how poor a grade that is and how little you can do with it. Before doing my PhD, I went back to uni, got my 1st and THEN went for the postgrad route. I am a bit old school on this. I believe there should be no short cuts. Demonstrate excellence at the lower levels first and then move on. I don't think that is too much to ask.

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From chaotic1328:
PM33: I really enjoy reading most of your comments here, and found them very useful. I do wonder, though, why you are so against people with lower grades taking on a PhD. Is it really the case that only people with very good 2:1s and above can hope to complete one? I've been told that a PhD demands not extreme intelligence, but self-discipline and perseverance. If that is the case, then a degree of whatever classification is evidence of some intellectual capability, so maybe people on lower grades, but with the right attributes, can excel in a PhD environment, or at least, be able to complete the degree?

It's very simple. I think it devalues the PhD.
Only people with a 1st or a very high 2:1 should be doing a PhD.
In my opinion, too many supervisors are simply wanting cheap research labour to get papers and boost their own careers and this is why people with all sorts of backgrounds are now being allowed to undertake one.

I have also said a few times that when you are looking for evidence of someone who has self-discipline and perseverance in addition to academic excellence then those with a 1st class will have that in abundance. Those with lesser degrees will not. If a supervisor is taking on a person with a 2:2 they are only interested in cheap labour and this really benefits nobody.

We genrally don't allow people to do an undergraduate degree without displaying excellence at school level and in my opinion we should not allow anyone to undertake a PhD without displaying excellence at undergrad level as a bare minimum. That seems perfectly reasonable to me.

A PhD should certainly require self discipline and perseverance but that should complement extreme intellectual capability and not replace it. The fact that someone can gain a PhD without displaying intellectual excellence (and we all know people who manage it) is a disgrace and should be rectified.

How can I get PhD offers? Please help

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From TreeofLife:

Quote From pm133:
[quote]
I always recommend not doing a PhD unless you have a solid 2:1 in your background but it's your choice.

Solid 1st I think you usually say.

You are quite correct. Solid 1st it is.
A very high 2:1 should be OK though as boundaries are a bit fluid between classifications.
2:2 though and low 2:1 ? Not for me.

Imposter Syndrome and Stress

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From samaylett:

Quote From pm133:
I would also add that "second year syndrome" is a real thing.
My second year was awful. I put so much into the first year to get the upgrade that I hit the wall in year two. Took a wee while to get over that.

Sorry to hear, I hope you managed to pull through it. That is how I feel. I guess it is comforting in a way (of course I feel for the fact you went through that), that we share experiences.

Yes I got through it and have my PhD now but it is very rare I think for people to undertake an entire PhD without having some problems like yours.

Everyone encounters difficulties at some point so you are not alone.

PhD Viva voce preparation.

pm133 1246 posts
7 years ago

Quote From alexandercarey1989:
Hi all,

I'll be having my viva voce next two weeks. What should I prepare? I have reread my thesis multiple times and attempted to find mistakes but I'm still nervous. Also, I don't know what to include in my power point slides. I'll be given only 20 minutes to present my research but everything on my thesis seems so important. Help me

It's hard to know. Every viva is different. My 20 minute talk would be a story covering the main topics I had published in. An intro to the general motivation for the PhD followed by a short summary of each piece of work and ending with a conclusion.

I have to say that personally I would be in a blind panic if I had not written a single slide with two weeks to go !!!