Overview of WanderingSage

Recent Posts

Rejection
W

I think NearlyFinished hit the nail on the head. Just like we will read and 'reject' a conference because it isn't quite what we are after, the abstracts we send in may not quite fit either. Just keep going with it and you will hit the right ones.

It is just an abstract/paper/(written work), it is not you (I need to heed this right now as well).

BSc to PhD
W

I hate to state the obvious, but your university should provide those courses. If your specific college doesn't, you should be able to get them at one of the other colleges. Have a chat with your supervisor and/or the head of postgraduate research.

Article request (pleeease!)
W

Sorry, no access. If it goes for a bit, you might consider asking the authors for a copy. That has worked for me in the past.

Thesis or thesis
W

The way you have it listed , use the lowercase "t". Capitals are for proper names (including actual titles of work) or beginning words of a sentence.

Should I stay or should I go?
W

I am going to have to agree with Smoobles. Ask yourself what the Ph.D. means to you. Most degrees are bargaining chips to help get a job. Hopefully, it is a job that we enjoy. Take an afternoon, day, weekend to write out your thoughts about the PhD and job (pros and cons). Black marker anything that is based on emotion (~5 hours is not that far for weekend visits with the girlfriend) and go with what matches your goals the best.

Supervisor being made redundant
W

This has happened to 2 people I know. In both cases, the university shuffled a temp supervisor while the the powers that be worked with the student to find a suitable replacement. In both cases they found somebody - 1 was an amazing match, 1 has not been so good due to their different interests.

Website/PM troubles
W

Just wondering, is anybody else getting errors while trying to send a PM? I emptied the in/sent boxes, tried new people, re-logged in... no joy. Curious if this is me or an issue worth mentioning.

Here is the 404 message:
"Unfortunately the following page was not available:
http://www.postgraduateforum.com/ErrorPages/404.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/MemberPages/PMViewer.aspx"

My supervisor wants to get to know me
W

I am always amazed when people say they are starting to develop a personal (i.e. non-professional in the strictest sense of the word) relationship with their supervisor(s). I have never even considered anything like that, either here and now or in my previous work in industry. Having said that, most of my current office mates have some degree of personal relationship with their super (either meet for coffee from time to time, hitting the pub after 5 p.m. Friday or even dinners - not like that, well maybe like that, I don't know). It also seems that these people who develop a personal relationship have a bit of an easier time when things get rocky - rapport and all that I suspect.
Hmm, this may say more about my socialising and networking skills than I previously believed. I would have likely asked them what it has to do with the work at hand, yet most of my colleagues seem to find such an experience normal. But to the point, it is probably only a problem if you perceive it is about to cross some boundary that you are not ready to cross.

Beaten Into Submission
W

Congrads on the submitting. But red suede? If you had gotten a pair of blue suede shoes, I would have been impressed (hehehe).

Best of luck with the upcoming viva et al.

Dictaphones
W

I used the Olympus DS-40. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-Digital-Recorder-Playback-N2271421/dp/B002APH2Y0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343809509&sr=8-2
It looks like there are a few that are in your price range. The DR was good, but the software to help with transcription was really key. (Olympus DSS Player - I think you can find it for free in a non-pro copy as comes with the DR). I have recommended this recorder to many of my friends at my current Uni.

Please someone say something..anything to help me
W

Wow, what a great way to start my day, reading that you passed the viva after battling your way through all the muck and mire! It is a bit of an inspiration to keep going. Congratulations Dr. Heidi and enjoy Bath!

Yipeeeeeeee! I passed my viva with minor corrections
W

Awesome news, congratulations Dr. Hairui.

'Findings' Chapter & objectives question
W

I am of a slightly different opinion about objectives. I am assuming your objectives and research questions are slightly different.
We the researchers set out the objectives for ourselves. If we find that we have not met an objective, we should probably not include that objective. At least, that was the feedback I got from my supervisor when I ran into similar troubles.

Example: 1) To find out what flavour ice cream penguins like. 2) To see if penguins get cramps if they swim immediately after eating ice cream. 3) To see if penguins like a cherry on top of their ice cream.
You were unable to determine objective 2 as penguins did not go swimming after eating ice cream.
This study has 2 objectives: (1) and (3).

Interested to hear if others disagree and why (i.e. so I have something to counter argue with my super). Good luck Mog.

FAO mods
W

I am also having this problem... either just the original post or just the "add this page to your social networking sites:" and below + side ad/links but no 'content'.

Losing motivation...HELP! I want a life/uni balance and some freedom!
W

A lot of people in my office tend to work from home. I see them about once a fortnight as they come in for meetings or admin stuff. If you are somebody who just can't work in a shared office environment, let your super know that is why you don't work from the office. Mention that you tried working from the office and ended up getting nothing done. So you had to work at home that night anyway. If you are not a 9-5er, it doesn't matter for the PhD. I think a few forumites do live 2+ hours away from their uni and seem to get on just fine.
Let you super know and spell out how that won't be a problem for you because you can still access the journals you need via the school's website and other details like that. Or you can put it bluntly: either you work from where you see fit and finish or you work from the office and don't finish. Oh, and they can pay you train tickets after you move in with your partner if they seriously insist on the office thing.