I echo Button's opinion on both counts and Hazyjane's too!

We all need a break now and again. I've not been here long enough to have followed your journey Pineapple but I know that you're having some difficulties at the moment. Having time off, and very importantly, allowing oneself to enjoy your time away from your work can be beneficial, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed or feeling stuck.

I appreciate that there may be a feeling of 'I need to to this asap' but taking a week off may help you to come back recharged and increase productivity in the long-term.

As Button mentioned, the forum is here for support and, although we are obviously free to have our own opinions, I don't think is fair to criticise someone for seeking help/support. I for one am very grateful for the support I have received over the past several months. To be honest, I wish I'd found you guys sooner as I'm sure my journey would have been a lot smoother;-)

No luck here. Sorry!

Thank you all for your replies.

I'm afraid I have to nominate reviewers for this particular journal or I won't be able to submit (although I'm relief to know this is not the norm!)

Chobba, that's what I did when nominating an editor but I can't seem to find a list of potential reviewers so I'm guessing I'll just have to choose them carefully.

Thank you all for all your suggestions of how I can approach the task. I can't ask the editor as the journal states that nominating an editor doesn't mean they'll be assigned my paper but Rick is right, I know of some relevant people in the field so that will have to do. Let's just hope they're nice and kind!

Thank you very much Podge!

no probs. Sorry to hijack the thread but how to you add it to dropbox and make it available to everyone?

Two questions:

1) when submitting a paper for publication, do you always have to nominate reviewers?

2) How do you choose them? Do you pick them of a list? (I couldn't find one on the journal's website though)

Ady is right, I meant the retrieved date to go on your referencing section and examples 1 and 2 to be used in the actual content of the chapter. Personally, I wouldn't switch references halfway through as consistency is one of the things that is looked at and changing referencing style would mean that you have to change it everywhere (plus I like APA8-)).

This website is great: http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/referencing/apa#journals - it uses the latest edition of APA though (6th and not the 5th). Not many changes have been made so still a good source imo.

Hi all

Lindalou and Batfink thanks for that (and I hope all your meetings go well Batfink). I do feel a bit guilty for not studying (still!) but I think it's the adjustment period. We'll get there eventually.

Button, I hope the article is not exactly the same, fingers crossed.

tokyorabbit - thank you for the tip.

I've only got until lunchtime to study so will make it a late lunch so I can spend more time studying;-)

I've got a book on vivas so will split time between the book and thesis.

I hope you all have a productive Friday and a lovely weekend

I can get you the first one. PM me your email?

Hi Swetchha,

I'd just use '(Wendi, 2003)' within the text. If there's no year I'd use 'n.d.' and add the usual 'Retrieved *DATE*...' on references. What refencing style do you use?

I'd be inclined to be honest and say, @at the time of the analysis the chosen programme was the most suitable I knew of' and look into the newly found one as would have done differently. Saying that, I'm taking the honest approach as I consider blagging a risk. What if they KNOW it's not? You know it's not so your defense may not be as strong either as you won't believe in it! Is the one you used the second best?

Hi Ruxnux,

At the beginning of my phd I approached someone I didn't know who I thought would be a good option. She was quite receptive and keen so I wouldn't automatically reject the idea. However, I'm guessing that when you say a 'foreigner', you mean they live abroad? If so, it could make supervision quite difficult due to practicalities in communication/meeting up to start with so I'd be inclined to look more locally.

My uni stated that if having an external sup, I'd still need an internal one as well so, in the end, I ended up with 2 internal sups - it was just easier! One has very little experience and another with a bit more experience (not sure how many peep they've supervised in the past but not many though). Both are enthusiastic, one more than another. Is experience a factor in their enthusiasm? Maybe. But they both love the subject and are passionate about research and teaching and that's what's helped me the most because they've been ever so supporting.

In my opinion, people require different things from supervisors. I needed guidance with the research process/methodology more than anything so I was happy that my supervisors weren't experts on the field (although they both have an interest on it!). I don't believe that sups need to be the experts as I feel we become experts ourselves during the phd (as we increase our knowledge and conduct research). Plus, I'd like to think that all academics can look at research critically regardless of whether they have an interest or not so a sup doesn't NEED to even have an interest, although it obviously helps!

Hi everyone!

Yesterday wasn't too bad, thanks. I wanted to start my viva prep after lunch but that didn't happen, I went shopping instead :$ some retail therapy was required though as unofficially found out that my internal has not even touched my thesis! Needless to say I'm not impressed. I've emailed sups re: viva date but no reply so far - obviously there won't be anything as the internal hasn't bothered to open the thesis yet though.

Anyway, I'm going to take the advice given here and focus on the prep for one or two hours a day starting from today. So goals for today are:

1) to look at the advice given on the forum
2) start reading the thesis

@Batfink - I normally find starting the most difficult part so I think you've done well.

I think sometimes we're just too hard on ourselves, you know what I mean?

Hi Sneaks,

I don't have much else to add as I think everything has been pretty much covered but I just wanted to wish you good luck.

ps. I completely agree with Rick re: paper. Unless you have a deadline, focussing on your viva prep seems more important at the minute.

I have access to the first one. It'd probably be easier if you posted the articles you need as sometimes we have access to one article but not another on the same journal ;-)