Your very welcome. Hope tomorrows appt goes ok. xxx

I would inform them that you have been ill and attended the hospital for a medical procedure that has left you out of action fora week or so while you recover. They shouldn't really need to know more than that. If they try to dig deeper I believe you are within your rights not to disclose and just say it was for 'womens' issues that you would prefer to keep private. This covers any number of things from ovarian cysts, heavy periods etc etc. Most people actually shy away as soon as you mention 'womens issues' so I bet they daren't even ask. Good luck :-)

Maybe you should bring it up that it was not made clear to you that you couldn't apply for funding after you had enrolled. Are you sure there is nothing in any correspondence you have had or on the uni website that states this, if not I'm sure you could argue the case that as it's not mentioned then you should be able to apply. I'm not sure on your age of family commitments but I can certainly say for myself having worked for what seems an eternity now, 3 yrs is nothing out of our life. You'll blink and miss it! you can do this and you can ignore this person, without having to hide from them. Be pleasant, say hello/small talk etc. it will totally grate on her nerves. I've worked with people like this for a long time and have learnt that their issues are their issues and not to let them get me down. :-)

Hi. I have a studentship interview coming up at relatively short notice. It's a presentation plus Q&A/interview. The guidance makes the presentation look morelike a speech is required rather than the usual PP presenttion. Any tips/advice very much needed.

Thanks in advance :-)

Apparently unless the 'm' sounds like an 'em' check this out http://www.dailywritingtips.com/when-to-use-an/

Does anyone have anything on Cultural Historical Activity Theory and how to analyse qualitative data? I've read loads on CHAT but can't find anything that directs to a method of analysis e.g content analysis, grounded theory etc etc, it seems to steer clear of preferencing one type of analysis over another. I need to beef up my analysis section of my proposal on how I will analyse and use information from questionnaires and interviews.
Thanks in advance. :-)

No I agree, learning is never a waste, just the learning I did could have been better put to use in a different qual and my qualifications are not appreciated or recognised by my current employer. Oh it's totally relevant to my job just they don't ever utilise my knowledge so that's when it feels like a waste. 10 yrs, a list of quals and skills gained yet no promotion, 2k payrise in all that time (nothing for the last 5 years) and I'm still not eaning over 20k!!! It's such a specialist job I do in teaching it's nigh on impossible to move without re-skilling. I'm hopeful something good will come of my MA, eventually :-)

I've had an explanation of the offer and it makes total sense. Not enough research taught modules. Tbh I feel demoralised after getting a distinction yet finding it's not good enough, it seems never ending. I am annoyed with current uni as I made clear I wanted a course to progress to PhD and now it seems I've wasted 3 years of my life and a lot of money when if I'd have done an MRes or Msc research (which is basically what I now have to do) I'd be on a traditional 3 yr PhD. I suppose the upshot is +1 means you can try your methods before the PhD and will in essence still be working towards your PhD, which can be a good thing but I feel I've wasted time and money on an irrelevant first MA. Sorry for the rant :-(

Thanks for the reply Satchi. It's an amazing offer and in a sector that is high in gov priority and policy. It's such a great uni, I really have my heart set on doing my PhD there. I do have another offer but again atm it is without funding, they are expecting to release some funding soon and I would have to apply. The dept I have applied to at the other uni is one of the top in its field but the uni itself is no where near as high ranking. The issue is, I'm late 30's with a mortgage and two small children and living off one wage, even for a year is a no go plus I'd have to find 4K fees. Atm I'm banking on a lotto win!!

I have a second question in that with a 3+1 would I be expected to be full time in the first year, if I could work part time I'd just have to find the 4k from somewhere, I say just, that's an awful lot of money to me.

So I'm being offered 3+1 at a top University. I missed the funding deadline for the 3+1 as my lead tutor on my MA never did a reference (despite my numerous appeals) and the 3+1 rules me out of the other funding on offer. Uni suggest self funding first year then apply for funding in next years round. I've got 2:1 degree, Distinction Masters and a small research grant for a 9 month project, plus 10+ yrs professional relevant experience so I'm not exactly sure why the offer is a 3+1 but it's a great uni. Would you accept the offer, try find the funding and cross fingers they fund the other years or should I be looking for a straight 3yr funded PhD at a less prestigious uni? Thanks in advance :-)

Well done Ants, and now enjoy and celebrate, then...relax :-)

“kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings”

― Stephen King, On Writing

Are you sure everything you have written is necessary and vital to the argument and not just you like what you have written? yo can cut, you just need to be ruthless and critically selective. Good luck :-)

Great advice bewildered :-)

Is your PhD 3 years? If so and you are at the start you have about 2 1/2 years to put up with this person, which actually isn't that long. I've worked at the same place for 10 years and don't socialise with colleagues as I too am settled. Maybe this person thinks the same of you as you do of them, that they have invited you but you don't come so they feel you don't want to be their friend? Just a thought. Ordinarily I'd say don't bother but as I see it getting on after PhD can rely lots on your circle of aquaintances and keeping these sweet might be a good thing. I'd either, start to go along to more social events (it could do your future career good and if this person is a nasty piece of work, it will annoy the hell out of them so bonus) or arrange your own social gatherings (but beware, this person might see this as unwelcome competition/alternative group to their own) Yes bitchyness is not ever left in the schoolyard! Sometimes you have to learn to play the game, even if it is immature :-( Good luck