Well done on passing your MSc - that is brilliant news.

With regards to the grades, 57 is nowhere near a merit.... as has been said, 59.5 may have been looked at again with a view to potentially upgrading your classification, but 57 is way off. Let me expand on that - in the real world its very close - in the academic world if you're hoping for review of grading its just not close enough. I know that in my uni they will look at the grade if it is within .5 (that is to go up OR down...) but no further - 59 wouldn't justify consideration for example.

Please don't focus on the actual grade, it really isn't that big a deal. If you want to go on to PhD they will look not at the blanket mark but at the whole breakdown paying specific attention to the dissertation and you did really well in the bit that mattered! Of course we all understand how upset you must be, but in the grand scheme of things for the rest of the planet you have an MSc - that is a big deal. Most people aren't aware of the grading and some unis don't even use it!

I hope you didn't go in!!! Take photos if necessary to show how bad it is ;-) There's no point risking yourself, your health, not to mention the inconvenience of a totalled car. My hubby did that earlier this year, did the martyr bit, went to work, nearly killed himself when the lorry in front stopped and the car behind him didn't, he was alright but battered and the car was a write off - utter nightmare! The students will survive. Those within walking distance who can be bothered to get up will, the others won't. I'm working from home today - the kids' schools are shut and I've asked my boss (if she gets in and finds the email) to send me work to do. I'm on a temp contract so only get paid if I work but I figured the excess on the insurance is more than I'd make anyway so not worth it a long and difficult journey

oh wow, that is one extremely cute coat!!! my dog only has the bog standard round the back one and her little legs gets all snowed up (not that we have any atm) that's a really nice one :-)

Sneaks that's terrible!!!!! Bad enough they aren't running but to let people go there only to be turned away is bloody criminal - especially at that price!

My cat is trying to get on my lap - wouldn't want to risk the dog though - she's rather bouncy! My ability to write is shot as it is, she may just push it over the edge lol.

bug, I'm jealous! I want a radiator *sob* I'm 5.2C in my study right now.... *shiver*

giant dog??? that's cheating :p

No point braving it for me, no snow where I am (or hardly any, just bloody cold wind straight off the sea) but the campus is pretty deep in it apparently. Friends 20 miles up the road are snowed in and I'm watching it trying to snow but melting - very odd. I'd prefer to be in the office as my desk is right next to a radiator and I could take some layers off - feel a bit like the michelin man atm!

Incidentally, must say, love Gizmo :-) I chose my puppy cos she looked so much like him ;-)

I also have:
uggs (cheapo tesco type)
underwear
tights
thermal long johns
thermal long sleeved vest
jogging bottoms
majorly thick supposed to be for mountain climbing or something thermal socks
long sleeved top
fleece
wrist warmers
throw on lap
eyeing up my hat

sigh :-/

I miss cleverclogs :-(, hours of procratinating fun for all the family! Its a bit like the three billy goats gruff around here some days!

Sounds brilliant! Huge congratulations, very very pleased for you and best of luck for your future career Dr Barnaby (up)

Well I think its lovely :-) They are a cute couple and I hope that they'll have a good life together - certainly better than his parents'! They both seem like really nice young people, good luck to them - and I love a good wedding - I'd rather my taxes paid for that than for the legal team for some mad mullah! And yes, I am a royalist, I think they bring far more to the country in terms of tourism income etc than we understand. The thought of a republic makes me shudder - I hope I'm long dead before that happens - President Cameron and Clegg - can you imagine.....

Well aren't you a ray of sunshine! Congrats on your PhD (not that it sounds as though you deserve it). FYI most of us here are not in Oz, the few that I know of that are would never dream of behaving like this and submitting substandard work to prove a point. I've seen many fail their vivas, people who'd worked damned hard - I've also seen people who drop out being replaced so your experience is nothing like that of the majority of the rest of us. Enjoy your doctorate - i just hope that you don't want a reference having behaved so badly - spoilt brat is the phrase that comes to mind.

Yay :-) Bug :-) xxx

I certainly don't think standards are falling, not in my discipline anyway - if anything they are improving massively! I look at theses from 20 years ago and the language, the arguments, the presentation, the typos etc are far more problematic than current theses. Some were quite awful - I remember as an UG reading one and feeling quite relieved that the standard looked easily attainable - that is not to take anything from the argument or the research itself however- that was excellent - more language and presentation.

I too think that so much depends on who your examiner is - one of the ex-profs in my dept is a complete bugger! He will mark you down for leaving a full stop off of the end of a footnote (even though in a recent journal submission I had to remove them all again!). He'll take you to pieces for things that other profs consider not worth mentioning. Another will shred your argument, but worry little about your presentation - its all swings and roundabouts and tbh I'd worry more about my argument than my presentation. Of course I want it to be perfect, I don't want typos, I want it formatted properly - but tbh all of that can be addressed at any time - the argument, the core of the thesis and the quality of the research itself is what matters - without that your presentation can be astounding, it can be the prettiest thesis ever, but it will be rubbish.

oh I hadn't even though of using a different font! I must check our regs (although I'm still a year away yet). I've always automatically used Times New Roman as that is required for UG and didn't think of using something nicer - what fun :-)