The Contradictory Feelings Thread

[MacAnDàil]

Procedure varies from country to country and institute to institute: I fortunately had post-defense corrections before the thesis was published, but this was in Luxembourg. In the Netherlands, they do all the stages of review and proof-reading before printing/distributing the Ph.D. thesis before the defense, but the defense in the Netherlands rarely has any stakes attached to it. (And, apparently, given the train-wreck defense I saw in Luxembourg, neither does the defense here!) That said, I think MacAnDàil has nothing to worry about with the defense, but, still, [lights incense for a positive outcome]

Here it got printed before the defence but can get modifications up to 3 months after for the final version. What made the defence you saw in Luxembourg a trainwreck?

[lëtzeshark]

Procedure varies from country to country and institute to institute: I fortunately had post-defense corrections before the thesis was published, but this was in Luxembourg. In the Netherlands, they do all the stages of review and proof-reading before printing/distributing the Ph.D. thesis before the defense, but the defense in the Netherlands rarely has any stakes attached to it. (And, apparently, given the train-wreck defense I saw in Luxembourg, neither does the defense here!) That said, I think MacAnDàil has nothing to worry about with the defense, but, still, [lights incense for a positive outcome]

Here it got printed before the defence but can get modifications up to 3 months after for the final version.

The correction period here is also normally three months, but they actually don't insist on printed copies until after the defense and the jury has approved the final version of the thesis. Perhaps to save trees.

What made the defence you saw in Luxembourg a trainwreck?

The guy didn't manage to answer a single question from the jury, even the softballs they started with: it was as if the lights were on, but nobody was home. So that was a little over an hour of sitting through a very painful question-and-answer session, where the guy wasn't forming any coherent thoughts or sentences! Incidentally, the guy still hasn't gotten the corrections approved, and the clock is ticking...

[MacAnDàil]

My thesis defence went well. I would like to be more optimistic.

Procedure varies from country to country and institute to institute: I fortunately had post-defense corrections before the thesis was published, but this was in Luxembourg. In the Netherlands, they do all the stages of review and proof-reading before printing/distributing the Ph.D. thesis before the defense, but the defense in the Netherlands rarely has any stakes attached to it. (And, apparently, given the train-wreck defense I saw in Luxembourg, neither does the defense here!) That said, I think MacAnDàil has nothing to worry about with the defense, but, still, [lights incense for a positive outcome]

Here it got printed before the defence but can get modifications up to 3 months after for the final version.

The correction period here is also normally three months, but they actually don't insist on printed copies until after the defense and the jury has approved the final version of the thesis. Perhaps to save trees.

What made the defence you saw in Luxembourg a trainwreck?

The guy didn't manage to answer a single question from the jury, even the softballs they started with: it was as if the lights were on, but nobody was home. So that was a little over an hour of sitting through a very painful question-and-answer session, where the guy wasn't forming any coherent thoughts or sentences! Incidentally, the guy still hasn't gotten the corrections approved, and the clock is ticking...

That seems disappointing. Was there suspicion of plagiarism or other cheating if he did not manage to defend any of his work? I sat for 4 hours answering questions and just did not have enough time to answer all of them.

[Raphael]

My thesis defence went well. I would like to be more optimistic.

Good luck!

[lëtzeshark]

My thesis defence went well. I would like to be more optimistic.

Félicitations. Did they tell you the result, or do you have to wait? (At least in most places I've been, you get the result right after the defense.)

That seems disappointing. Was there suspicion of plagiarism or other cheating if he did not manage to defend any of his work? I sat for 4 hours answering questions and just did not have enough time to answer all of them.

I honestly don't know: the guy is a bit "special" to begin with, and I also had some concerns when I was going through his thesis for the practice defense about whether or not he actually wrote some of the material that was there. (But this is perhaps a different story; I raised my concerns with my boss/his supervisor, and the boss didn't seem to worry.) Probably had a very long and heated jury discussion.

And that's quite a long defense, though I've heard French defenses can take quite a while.

[Travis B.]

My thesis defence went well. I would like to be more optimistic.

Good luck!

Seconded/thirded!

[MacAnDàil]

My thesis defence went well. I would like to be more optimistic.

Félicitations. Did they tell you the result, or do you have to wait? (At least in most places I've been, you get the result right after the defense.)

Yes, and congratulations were mentioned. Also, one member of my jury, Sabine Erhart, has already cited my thesis and the new notion in a colloque.

[Travis B.]

My thesis defence went well. I would like to be more optimistic.

Félicitations. Did they tell you the result, or do you have to wait? (At least in most places I've been, you get the result right after the defense.)

Yes, and congratulations were mentioned. Also, one member of my jury, Sabine Erhart, has already cited my thesis and the new notion in a colloque.

Congrats on the citation!

[Raphael]

I assume that would make it a bit awkward for them to fail you?

[Travis B.]

Just out of curiosity, what was your thesis about?

[Travis B.]

I assume that would make it a bit awkward for them to fail you?

I had assumed that they cited the thesis after the defense myself.

[Raphael]

I assume that would make it a bit awkward for them to fail you?

I had assumed that they cited the thesis after the defense myself.

Being a dropout myself, I don't know that much about thesis defenses. I had kind of assumed it was a "We'll get back to you with your results in a while"-kind of thing.

[lëtzeshark]

I assume that would make it a bit awkward for them to fail you?

I had assumed that they cited the thesis after the defense myself.

Being a dropout myself, I don't know that much about thesis defenses. I had kind of assumed it was a "We'll get back to you with your results in a while"-kind of thing.

Normally (in most places I've been), the grade/result is announced after the defense: no waiting required, and the party can start immediately after the result. Also, it rarely, if ever, happens that somebody is allowed to defend if there's a risk of a fail, and the few cases when this has happened is where the person insists on defending without the support of the advisor/against their advice. I had some waiting in the stages leading up to the defense (I had to formally request an authorization to defend my thesis, which, while bureaucratic, didn't take very long), but the times you often deal with waiting are when there are defined exam marking/evaluation periods and particularly in written exams. As examples, it took me about four weeks to learn the results of the Sproochentest Lëtzebuergesch I had to do to prepare to pledge loyalty to the Grand Duke (combined written and oral); candidacy exam as a Ph.D. student in the US took about two weeks and change for the result (combined written/oral); and the centrally evaluated AP exams I did in high school took about two months for results (written, but with essay sections).


Thing: One of the things I enjoy doing is design and graphical design-related stuff (as a lot of people here have probably seen). The problem is that (a) it seems like I'm the only person in my lab group who likes doing it, so I get tasked with a lot of design stuff, and (b) trying to get feedback from people other than my boss sometimes feels like I'm pulling teeth. Fortunately, new people in the group are giving ideas and feedback, but as for the others...

Other Thing: I noticed that, since moving to Luxembourg, I've put on some weight, about 3-4 kg. It's a bit strange because I'd been close to the same weight for close to a decade and a half... but the weight I was at was borderline underweight, and now I'm more squarely in the "healthy" range. (At least my clothing still fits the same.)

[MacAnDàil]

On the negative side, the final member of the jury criticised more and sometimes for things that were already present in the thesis. I feel I reacted overly passively. That may be due to the tone or due to the fatigue. I'm not sure to what extent it would be appropriate to go back to the jury members and offer an answer that defends my arguments more.

Just out of curiosity, what was your thesis about?

The English title is Comparative study of the use of the local languages in the diglossias in Réunion and in Scotland.

I had assumed that they cited the thesis after the defense myself.

Being a dropout myself, I don't know that much about thesis defenses. I had kind of assumed it was a "We'll get back to you with your results in a while"-kind of thing.

Normally (in most places I've been), the grade/result is announced after the defense: no waiting required, and the party can start immediately after the result. Also, it rarely, if ever, happens that somebody is allowed to defend if there's a risk of a fail, and the few cases when this has happened is where the person insists on defending without the support of the advisor/against their advice. I had some waiting in the stages leading up to the defense (I had to formally request an authorization to defend my thesis, which, while bureaucratic, didn't take very long), but the times you often deal with waiting are when there are defined exam marking/evaluation periods and particularly in written exams. As examples, it took me about four weeks to learn the results of the Sproochentest Lëtzebuergesch I had to do to prepare to pledge loyalty to the Grand Duke (combined written and oral); candidacy exam as a Ph.D. student in the US took about two weeks and change for the result (combined written/oral); and the centrally evaluated AP exams I did in high school took about two months for results (written, but with essay sections).

Indeed, I have never seen anyone fail either. The main difference is whether the jury mention 'congratulations' or not and whether they insist on changes before the final version. For me, a few spelling mistakes are to be corrected. The final member suggested changing the title but I think it would be a bit awkward to change it after it has already been cited.

Thing: One of the things I enjoy doing is design and graphical design-related stuff (as a lot of people here have probably seen). The problem is that (a) it seems like I'm the only person in my lab group who likes doing it, so I get tasked with a lot of design stuff, and (b) trying to get feedback from people other than my boss sometimes feels like I'm pulling teeth. Fortunately, new people in the group are giving ideas and feedback, but as for the others...

Likewise, I am the only one to have major amounts quantitative, even statistical, methods in my lab. It's a good thing that my supervisor added Miki Mori to my jury.

Other Thing: I noticed that, since moving to Luxembourg, I've put on some weight, about 3-4 kg. It's a bit strange because I'd been close to the same weight for close to a decade and a half... but the weight I was at was borderline underweight, and now I'm more squarely in the "healthy" range. (At least my clothing still fits the same.)

I have put on weight in the past few years also. Unfortunately, it has been even 15kg in the past I-didn't-even realise-at-first-how-long>. Also, I was already in the normal range and am now overweight and I am particularly uncomfortable about it.

[bradrn]

Just out of curiosity, what was your thesis about?

The English title is Comparative study of the use of the local languages in the diglossias in Réunion and in Scotland.

Ooh… I knew you studied Réunion Creole but had no idea you studied Scotland too. I’d be interested in reading that!

[Travis B.]

Just out of curiosity, what was your thesis about?

The English title is Comparative study of the use of the local languages in the diglossias in Réunion and in Scotland.

Ooh… I knew you studied Réunion Creole but had no idea you studied Scotland too. I’d be interested in reading that!

I too'd be interested.

[Lērisama]

The English title is Comparative study of the use of the local languages in the diglossias in Réunion and in Scotland.

Ooh… I knew you studied Réunion Creole but had no idea you studied Scotland too. I’d be interested in reading that!

I too'd be interested.

Me three. That sounds interesting

[MacAnDàil]

Ooh… I knew you studied Réunion Creole but had no idea you studied Scotland too. I’d be interested in reading that!

I too'd be interested.

Me three. That sounds interesting

Thank you for your interest. I warn you that it is in French.
Would you like the current version, the corrected one or the latter replacing the former?

[bradrn]

I too'd be interested.

Me three. That sounds interesting

Thank you for your interest. I warn you that it is in French.
Would you like the current version, the corrected one or the latter replacing the former?

French is fine for me. What do you mean by ‘the latter replacing the former’?

[Travis B.]

Me three. That sounds interesting

Thank you for your interest. I warn you that it is in French.
Would you like the current version, the corrected one or the latter replacing the former?

French is fine for me. What do you mean by ‘the latter replacing the former’?

Unfortunately in my case I don't know French at all, beyond je ne parle pas français.