======= Date Modified 28 38 2010 18:38:22 =======
======= Date Modified 28 37 2010 18:37:39 =======
Hi all,
I have been a lurking reader on the forum for a bit but this is my first post.
I am coming to the end of my first year as at PT PHd student but am concerned that I may not be achieving / moving along fast enough. I am working fairly full time (48 hrs pw) and fitting in my studies around this - although I do get an hour or two in at work during breaks etc. My concern is that working away from my Uni and other students I don't know if I am 'on - track'. What should I have achieved by now?

Also wanted to make a post to say hello cos its a little lonely working alone (sniff sniff).

My questions are well fleshed out and I published a preliminary study in the area before starting the PHd (which I just found out I can use in the Thesis - :-) ). I hope to start data collection early in the new year for one of the two studies I am running. So I think all is well however other than the publication, the PHd application and an ethics application my supervisor has not seen anything from me.

Hi Dafydd

You have highlighted a massive problem with postgraduate research, you have absolutely no sound way to figure out how well you are doing, whether you need to work more or less etc.

It's probably made particularly difficult by being a part timer working predominantly on your own, but having done a FT PhD I had no idea how I was doing untill 3rd year, when I had to pull my finger out big time. Now I'm a post-doc, and the immortal question still remains, I'm 8 months in, I've learned a few handy techniques and have got some decent data, I may appear on two papers but the main body of my work will probably count for nothing due to problems with the reproducibility (with the comercially available proes i'm using). My boss seems ok with me, but he's quite easy going anyway.

Best thing for the first half of your PhD is probably to try and make progress as much as possible, but keep something in reserve, as you may have to go all out in the final year to get the job done.

I hope this is of at least some use to you