well done for getting the interview. As Tudor Queen says, treat it like a job interview. I too am a "mature" PhD student, and the one stand out question I remember was being asked what my post PhD plans were. I laughed and said it was a high class problem, and that today I was focused on being awarded the place to study! I then did add that I was interested in lecturing etc. I must admit I've always hated this sort of question in any job interview, but it often comes up, so have an answer ready.
Good luck, remember to see in your experience as a benefit.

If you don't feel comfortable raising the issue with your supervisor or ethics committee contacts, then your institution should have a confidential whistleblowing policy which enables you to raise concerns anonymously.

Hi Random, just a thought. It's obviously not possible to go to another institution and get them to accept a thesis written elsewhere, but you did say you already have a couple of papers published. Would it be possible to register elsewhere for a PhD by publication? You'd need more than 2 papers, but you could use the time left now to work on that? Hope that you find a path forwards through all of this

Hi all, I keep seeing lots of very dubious spam messages on this site about buying certificates etc. Can the moderators of the forum do anything to block, or remove this type of message?

Well done with getting the interviews and the job offer. In my experience processes are quite slow! AFtre my interview for a full time research position I was promised feedback after 1 week, when I hadn't heard after 2 weeks I chased the HR department, who were very nice about it. I then got a phone call and job offer the same night! Follow up with the HR department and just say that you are keen to get an understanding of the process and get feedback on your interview. Good luck.

TreeofLife gives good advice - practice your teaching session, ideally at least once or twice with a friendly audience who are prepared to give you feedback on both your visual aids and the verbal presentation. For the interview itself go through the job description carefully and if they haven't already been identified, pick out the key competencies for the position. For each make sure you have a couple of examples to demonstrate that you posess the competency, and be sure to be able to give a "STAR" for each example - what was the Situation or Task, what Actions did you take and what was the Result. I've found that even if the interviewers are not formally using this approach, just having this structure in my head helps me feel calm and organised. Finally, remember that you are also interviewing the organisation! Make sure you have some questions prepared which you want answers to, for example, how many teaching hours are expected, what are the opportunities for further training etc. Write these down and take them with you, along with a copy of your CV, completed application form etc. Very good luck.

I'm using a case study approach for my PhD and well underway with data collection and analysis. My supervisor has suggested that I write the findings as a "theorised narrative". I've been reading around on this, but wondered if anyone is familiar with this approach and can offer any suggestions for good examples to read an / or any guides on how to write in this style. My subject area is management control, but happy to take any examples in different disciplines. Thanks.

Hi, I have an impingement in my shoulder, which gets very painful if I need to do a lot of computer work. I bought a vertical ergonomic mouse some months ago, which you hold like a handshake, so much less rotation of shoulder, elbow and writs, and whilst not perfect it's made transcribing my interview data somewhat less daunting. There are a number available, mine was from a company called CSL- Computer and cost just over £10 on Amazon (other retailers available!). I tried a wireless version first, but the batteries ran out v v quickly, so moved to a wired version which works just as well for my shoulder. Good luck in finding something that works. PS Also make sure you have your workstation set up well: having the keyboard at the right height (i.e. adjusting chair height to desk) makes a big difference to me.

Hi all, a friend of mine has recently successfully passed his viva, being awarded his PhD with minor corrections. Our question is, can you begin to use the title "Dr" immediately or do you have to wait until minor corrections have been completed and submitted? My friend is applying for jobs and of course it will look much better if he can say "Dr" not "Mr". Thanks for your help.

Hi bashu, I am 50 and in my third year of a full time PhD. As chickpea says, there are lots of us mature students around, and we can argue that our life experience gives us an advantage (organisation skills, time management, communication skills etc.). However, depending on your study area, you may find it a challenge to get offered a place, particularly if you are looking for a funded PhD. I worked as a scientist but in a management role for many years, and when I decided to go for my PhD my lack of recent experience in the lab seemed to be a factor. As it is I am now very happily looking at a scientific area but from a business management perspective in a business school. So, think about what you really want to do, and persevere with the applications. Good luck!

Hi everyone. I am a second year PhD student and am project managing a pilot study where we want to use z-tree to programme an economics experiment. I have been asked to try and source either a physical or on-line training course. I know there are useful tutorials available with the software, but wondered if anyone had used this package and if they knew of any upcoming courses in the UK or could recommend any on-line courses / tutorials. Thanks for your help

Thanks for the recommendations. I will take a look at the brands mentioned above.
Whilst I have used the record facility on my phone for personal work, the University makes strong recommendations not to use such devises for research, as they are seen as insufficiently secure to hold research data (we also have policies for downloading data into secure storage etc. even when using a standalone recording devise), hence the need for a shopping trip!

Hi, can anyone give me a recommendation for a small digital recorder suitable for use in recording interviews and focus group sessions? I am borrowing some equipment from my supervisor, but have been advised to have a second recorder as a back up. I need something suitable for use by a technophobe (i.e. me!).

I'm currently writing a proposal for a PhD application and am struggling to get hold of a key paper which has been referenced in the studneship advertisement. Can anyone help me get a copy?

Johns, N, Lee-Ross D and Tyas P (2000), SERVQUAL and PAT: alternative disconfirmation approaches to the measurement of service quality in the foodservice industry. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism, 1 (1): 13 – 29.

Thanks