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PhoenixFortune
Thursday, 31 October 2019 at 1:55pm
Sunday, 24 November 2019 at 9:38pm
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page 1 of 3 recent posts

Thread: Self-funded PhD this year or possible funded PhD next year?

posted
17-Jun-20, 10:37
edited about 28 seconds later
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posted about 2 weeks ago
It depends on the field, but some research councils will not fund current PhD students, only students will are yet to start their project.
Also, I'm not sure what you mean by looking for a fully-funded project for next year. If you've started a PhD elsewhere, you may find that it's frowned upon to up and leave after 1 year, and is a bit of a waste of time and money honestly.

Thread: Overwhelemed and too stupid for PhD

posted
13-Jun-20, 12:04
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posted about 2 weeks ago
Your mindset seems pretty persistent, so I think seeking mental health support is very important at this stage. If you need to apply for an extension in order to complete your project satisfactorily, then look into doing that. If you've had to restart your project in your 3rd year, that definitely needs addressing - by your committee, and by the university.

I think a big question for you is: what would make you feel less incompetent? And how could you go about achieving that?

Thread: Still triggered by PhD experience

posted
03-Jun-20, 17:31
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posted about 1 month ago
I can relate, not at PhD level, but some things to do with my undergraduate degree can give me a very visceral response. Like you, I received very little support during my undergrad (even when I actively sought it), and felt like I wasn't wanted. My particular course had a small cohort, so it was easy for people to stand out for the right or wrong reasons. Only a few weeks ago I was reading an academic paper about a certain topic highly relevant to my undergrad, and I found that I suddenly felt very tearful and panicky. I graduated in 2014, so I was surprised to still feel like that.

What helped me was making sure that every career decision I made from then on came from a place of seeking happiness overall, and not doing anything as a means to an end. It also gave me a good measure of who are good people for me and who aren't, and to trust my gut instinct more.

Thread: Part-time PhD while working full-time

posted
29-May-20, 17:52
edited about 4 seconds later
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posted about 2 months ago
Quote From ellen_xo:
Hi everyone!

So I’m looking for some advice from people who have done this as to whether or not it’s feasible or possible.

I’m currently working as a secondary school English teacher, and I’m desperate to do my PhD. I’ll need to do my PhD part-time, so I can self-fund and continue to work, and as it’ll take 6-7 years I’m keen to get started next year. However, I won’t be able to go part-time at work. While it may be a possibility further into the future, it isn’t at the moment, and I’m concerned about an economic recession or crisis hitting which will mean I need to stay in full-time employment regardless. I do get about 18-20 weeks of the year out for holidays, and I’m wondering if there are any other teachers or people who worked full-time while doing a part-time phd on here, and if you could tell me whether or not it’s realistically to do this?

I‘d really appreciate any advice!

A friend of mine did her PhD alongside her full-time job: she used all her weekends and most evenings on it, and she was exhausted most of the time. She said it probably would have been easier if her PhD had been related to her job (which sadly it wasn't), as there would have been more mutual benefits.

She also didn't have any dependants, which is admittedly significantly easier to fit a PhD around. If you have young children or other caring responsibilities, it might be a difficult mix to juggle.

Thread: Confusion about major revisions

posted
22-May-20, 15:04
edited about 16 seconds later
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posted about 2 months ago
Quote From Hopeful75:
Hi, I really hope that someone can help me understand the examination results. Today I received my results from my examination (I am based in Australia), and I have been told that I have major revisions to make to my thesis. The university has given me six months to get these amendments done.

What I am confused about is that my supervisory panel has written to me, congratulating me on a good outcome and that I have not long to go now. I thought that a" good outcome" would be either no amendments necessary or minor revisions. How exactly are major revisions a good outcome? And does a six-month deadline for the changes to be made indicate how bad my thesis was? My stomach has been hurting since I read the email.

You still passed your viva (or final examination, whatever you call it in Australia), so it's a very positive outcome. You should be very proud of that achievement, and the revisions are only to make the final submission the best it can possibly be.
As for the 6 month deadline, I believe that's relatively standard for anyone who needs to do minor or major revisions, but I'm not 100% sure.

Thread: How do you deal with comments on your work?

posted
21-May-20, 18:37
edited about 29 seconds later
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posted about 2 months ago
Everyone NEEDS constructive feedback, even if it's not necessarily something you WANT to hear. I always try to only look feedback when I'm not tired and in a reasonably pleasant mood, that way I am more able to appreciate what is being said and why. I also think that you need the mindset of: would I have noticed the need for these changes if my supervisor hadn't pointed them out? Maybe not, as we are all guilty of being 'too close' to our project/writing, and an unfamiliar reader can help with that.

Comparison is the thief of happiness, so you won't make yourself more productive/generally better by doing that. Also, everyone's PhD structure/trajectory/process is different, even those in the same discipline, so there is literally no point in comparing yourself to where others are and how they are doing.

Thread: I have been cring whole days about why this happen

posted
21-May-20, 12:14
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posted about 2 months ago
Quote From hamster101:
My viva is yesterday and one night before that i was told my viva is cancelled due to examiner sick

I have been prepared so long for this, I feel very annoyed, i wonder what i can do here

i crying for whole days, it has been four month since i submit and they told me i have to wait at least three weeks for the person to recover
is there way to regulate the sudden sickness of the assessor which bring huge damage to your life and life plan

You can't do anything apart from wait. Many people have to wait longer than 4 months for their viva, so you aren't the only one to be in this position. You sound a bit arrogant and dramatic - your life isn't ruined because your viva has been postponed for ~3 more weeks.

Thread: Offered a phd but only 3k bursary - stressed!

posted
19-May-20, 19:03
Avatar for PhoenixFortune
posted about 2 months ago
Quote From Jojoarmo:
Hi, Thanks for this. I'm 44 with kids etc so a mature student lol with own home etc. I think I'll have to accept their offer and apply for loads of grants etc which is going to be a lot of extra work as I'm finishing my MA dissertation at the mo. I may postpone my start date them as you suggest. Thanks for your time. Ps. The loan is not given if you get other financial awards so I can't combine unfortunately.

Maybe double check with Student Finance - I know if you have RC funding you can't get the loan as well, but if it's just a grant you might be able to get it. The fee waiver might be a spanner in the works though. Is the grant from your university or another source?

Thread: Offered a phd but only 3k bursary - stressed!

posted
19-May-20, 12:53
edited about 12 seconds later
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posted about 2 months ago
Quote From Jojoarmo:
Hi, apologies. I'm a home student. I start my phd in Jan 2021. At Huddersfield uni as that's my home town. Ive been offered a fee free course and a 3k maintainance grant. Thanks,

Will you be living at home or will you need to rent somewhere? If I were you, I would keep searching for relevant grants, but also think about getting the doctoral loan. If you want to delay your start date, maybe you could apply for research council funding (i.e. AHRC) for September 2021?

Thread: Offered a phd but only 3k bursary - stressed!

posted
19-May-20, 12:22
Avatar for PhoenixFortune
posted about 2 months ago
Quote From Jojoarmo:
Hi all,
Please can you advise?
I've been offered the above but I can't live on this amount - even though I'm grateful to be recognised.
I'm panicking that unless I can obtain further funding then I won't be able to continue with my Phd studies in Linguistics.
Has anyone got any advice as to the best places to source etc funding as I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed and stressed at the mo. Thanks in advance.

Firstly, are you a home, EU, or international student? Have you already started your PhD, or are you still at the application stage? Where are you studying, in the UK or elsewhere?

Thread: Difficulty working from home

posted
14-May-20, 17:24
edited about 25 seconds later
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posted about 2 months ago
Quote From littlejayg:
Is anyone else finding it really difficult to be motivated to get work done at home? I'm a lab based researcher and the work I am doing from home isn't directly helping me progress my project further so it's making it hard to want to do it. I'm feeling quite lost to be honest and feel like I'm in a constant cycle of not doing much and then feeling guilty about it and so on.

How is everyone else getting on? Does anyone have any tips to help encourage productivity or to not feel so guilty about not getting so much done?

Have you spoken to your supervisor about how you're feeling? Does your university have only guidance on what to do in your lab-less situation?

Thread: Going around in circles and feel pretty lost

posted
13-May-20, 13:18
edited about 10 seconds later
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posted about 2 months ago
Quote From datadroid8:


I'm stuck in a position where I feel the expertise I do have in web development can't be applied to a PhD topic and common areas of research in computing (such as Data Science, Artificial Intelligence etc) are far beyond my capabilities.

I'm not one that normally finds situations overwhelming but this is becoming a major strain on my mental wellbeing. I feel as though I'm spending hours and hours reading journals trying to find something I feel is within my range of knowledge (or at least something I can learn within any reasonable period of time).

Does anyone have any experience of being in a similar situation? Any advice?

I've had some topic ideas. However they don't really tickle the taste buds of my supervisors who continue to push me towards topics that feel out of my depth. Some of the ideas I have are being reached heavily so there has also been originality concerns raised by my supervisors.

Would it be possible for you to do a distance-learning MSc to help fill your knowledge gaps? Or are you committed to doing a PhD right now?

Thread: Recently started my PhD and completely lost

posted
04-May-20, 17:27
Avatar for PhoenixFortune
posted about 2 months ago
I don't understand how you don't know what your topic is; just to clarify, did you apply to a pre-proposed project or did you propose you of your own?

As your supervisor is new to the position, I'd say that you can't be backward about coming forward - make sure he knows what you want from him and then ask for his expectations too, then you can negotiate if they don't align. If I were you, I'd also strongly request a second supervisor.

Thread: Grant mention in thesis/paper acknowledgements?

posted
22-Apr-20, 19:04
edited about 23 seconds later
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posted about 3 months ago
I have the opportunity to apply for a small grant (probably under £300) to spend on any costs associated with my PhD. I am otherwise self-funded - I receive no research council or university funding. One of the conditions of applying for the grant is that, if I am awarded it, I must acknowledge the awarding body in all papers I write during my PhD, and in my thesis. I was wondering if this is a typical request?

Thread: Tempramental Advisor

posted
26-Mar-20, 13:45
edited about 19 seconds later
Avatar for PhoenixFortune
posted about 4 months ago
Quote From masterdisappear:
Hi, I am a first year Master Student. I found it really hard to communicate with my advisor. Since I am only first year student and everything is new to me. When I came to present my work to him, I give Powerpoint but he yelled at me and told me to give Word Document. In the next meeting, I give him Word Document, but he yelled at me and told me to give Powerpoint. I asked Senior Student but they told me that I was right to gave him powerpoint. I expect to get input when I met my advisor but he never gave me any input or feedback to what I did. My advisor never replied any progress that I sent to him, but when I met him, he yelled at me and he claimed that I never sent him any report. I already told him that I always send weekly report but he resisted. It seems that it became personal that when I met him on the street. He yelled at me for something that is not my fault. If you guys ever faced the typical problem as I did, please share.. Thanks

That doesn't sound like acceptable behaviour from your supervisor, especially if he is literally yelling at you over everything. Make sure if you send him anything by email that you tick the box that requests the receiver to send a reading receipt. If you have a personal tutor or second supervisor, speak to them about the situation. Someone at your student union might also be able to help.
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