Hi Guys, I am entering my third and final year of funding for my PhD. I was just wondering how do you know when you have enough research to start writing-up? Does your supervisor just tell you to stop and write-up, or is this a decision that I should make for myself? Thanks.

I am not in my final year, so I don't really know. But I would have thought it would be a joint decision, you would have an idea when your research is enough, and suggest so to your supervisor, then they may agree or disagree.

I suppose you need to look at the whole package, would the final thesis be sufficient? in a viva will it be easily uncovered that you really could have done more? are you happy that your research is complete? is the contribution to knowledge you provide worth a PhD?

Hope this helps, as I'm not in your position, so am just giving off a few ideas.

I think it looks like USA want to be the only country in the world with weapons. They just want to scare all the countries out of testing. Testing missiles is one thing, actually using them against someone is another

Damn, I hate americans

No piece of research will ever be finished, there will ALWAYS be something else that you could do next! I was told at my research student induction (all those years ago, getting misty-eyed..) that "a thesis is never finished, merely abandoned at it's least damaging point". Wise words.

Thanks for all the info guys...I'm a Computer Scientist but not getting much in the way of guidance from my supervisor generally. I think I've still got quite of research to do before I get to the writing-up stage tho!

Err, you get thrown out of the lab after exactly 36 months and then are told to write up as a PhD (or mphil if there's not enough data). Simple, really.