I also published a couple of times during a Humanities PhD, but I think it's fair to say that there's less expectation for students to do so - which is perhaps what rewt is really getting at? All peer-reviewed publications should, of course, be worthwhile contributions to their field - by definition ;)

Hi,

First up, people have definitely quit and gone on to lead full and happy lives. I know a few. You're also at a very early stage so getting out now won't leave you with a large amount of wasted work, or an odd looking gap in your CV. Some reassurance there, I hope.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like you're not enjoying the actual work and don't feel an academic career (or other career 'with the PhD') is for you. There's no shame in that, but do sit down and discuss with your supervisor. PhDs evolve quite a bit and your experience three months in won't necessarily be a good indicator for the remainder (the first three months of my PhD were probably the dullest and most 'grindy', for what that's worth).

I'd also suggest chatting to some other students in your field. How did they feel after three months? Did they ever feel like you do now?

Best of luck with the decision.

Mark

Thanks pm133,

Really though, it's the scope of the argument and projected outline of the project that's being identified as (potentially) sufficient here, not the total amount of material researched. In my case there was plenty of further research required before the thesis itself was ready.

3-4 years is typical for a full-time UK PhD. I'm aware of one person who managed it in 2, but they were fairly exceptional.

Hi Camparisoda,

This very much happened to me, actually - and I don't think it's all that uncommon.

In my case it became apparent that there was simply far too much to cover in my first chapter and that the argument I was constructing there was sufficiently detailed and significant for a PhD. This was about two years into a part-time PhD, so a little earlier than the point you're at.

However, if you've got sufficient material and feel confident that you can write it up as a thesis, I don't see that you'd necessarily have a problem making this switch. I'd definitely discuss with your supervisor though; they should be able to say whether the new plan for your thesis works as a PhD and advise on how much (if any) additional research is now required to expand the chapter material.

I'm sure others here will also share their own advice and experiences.

Mark

Thanks for sharing your story here William. It's great to see that the application and approval process is working well.

We've covered the PhD loans in detail over at FindAPhD, producing what we hope is one of the most comprehensive FAQs around.

https://www.findaphd.com/funding/guides/uk-phd-loans-scheme.aspx



Student stories and experiences are also something we're always keen to share on our blog. I'd be up for chatting if you're at all interested in that - you can reach me at editor[at]findaphd.com

Cheers - and enjoy the PhD!

Mark

Thanks for your contribution Hansalagoa. As one of the original participants in this thread, I feel obliged to respond.

It's not my place to say whether or not LAP is a legitimate academic publisher and there's no need for me to reflect on their business practices when a quick google search will turn up plenty of well-written analysis from those who've spent more time on the subject.

As a moderator on a forum for current and prospective postgraduates who might be approached by LAP I would simply point out the following:

1) Make sure you understand the rights you're giving any publisher of your work. You'll normally need their permission to republish the same research with an(other) academic journal or press and they aren't necessarily obliged to give it.

2) Make sure any publisher or publication you do place your work with is recognised in your academic field. If you aren't sure, ask a supervisor or similarly experienced researcher.

Cheers

Mark

Hi Witching Hour,

You mention that you've already looked at some blogs on this topic, but just in case you've missed it, I thought I'd share a page from FindAPhD that brings together different students' experiences:

These were actually drawn from some very helpful folks on the forum a few years back. Perhaps they'll be helpful.

There isn't much to add to the (very helpful) replies here already, but one thing that may be encouraging is that the UK has recently extended fee and funding guarantees to EU students starting a degree (including a PhD) in 2019-20.

What this means, in a nutshell, is that access to domestic fees and public funding (including loans, RC studentships, etc) won't change during a student's course, regardless of Brexit.

I can also confirm that Chaotic1328 is completely correct: the new doctoral loan only affects eligibility for other public funding (RCUK, NHS, etc). It won't stop you applying for funding that's provided directly by your university, or awards from other organisations (charities, trusts, etc).

We've recently updated our PhD loan guide and FAQ (if that's useful):

https://www.findaphd.com/funding/guides/uk-phd-loans-scheme.aspx

Hi folks,

Just to double confirm (from a funding geek) that you're still eligible for the doctoral loan if you have funding from a source that isn't derived directly from public funds (main examples being full or partial Research Council awards or NHS funding). Charitable grants, university scholarships, etc, all fine.

Details in our guide (which is currently being updated) and more info / advice to follow on the FindAPhD blog over the next few weeks.

https://www.findaphd.com/funding/guides/uk-phd-loans-scheme.aspx



Cheers

Mark

Apologies - missed your reply here. Yep, that's the limit. As with the Masters loans, the intention is for the money to make a 'contribution' to a student's costs. Remains to be seen how useful that ends up being. . .

Not to worry - we are mainly interested in what prospective student think, yep. I'd still be happy to hear other people's thoughts here on the forum though. It's all useful.

Of course -


;)

Hi folks,

You're *probably* aware of the UK's new PhD loans - £25k per student, no additional public funding, etc. We're carrying out a little research into the new funding over at FindAPhD and would appreciate it if any prospective students here had time to complete a quick survey. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes and there's a chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher as a thank you.

I'll be speaking about the results at a policy forum later this year (with several fairly important student finance people in attendance) so this is a chance for your views to be heard (in a manner of speaking).

Cheers!

Mark

FindAPhD

You could always consider sharing some of your own on the FindAPhD Blog


;)

Cheers to those who've been in touch so far. Just to confirm that there's no deadline for this. I'm happy to hear from any interested bloggers now, or later in the year. Also fine to get in touch now to discuss blogging further down the line - we know postgrads are fairly busy people!

Thanks,

Mark