Recording the impact of Covid-related disruptions for extension requests

We are required by UKRI to ask that any request for an extension to thesis submission due to factors related to Covid disruptions includes an outline of the reason for the request.

For this reason we are recommending that our doctoral students keep brief notes of the effect of the ongoing disruption so that they have a contemporary record for any final submission extension they may need to request now or in the future.

This is not meant to be an onerous or intrusive task. We are not asking anyone to keep a detailed diary, reveal personal information or produce proof of disruption. It is to allow us to understand the different ways in which people’s work is being affected and to be able to support people in the current situation and as things get back to normal.

Below we give some ideas of the kind of statements that might be useful to include in your notes. These are not intended to be comprehensive and the impact on you may be different but equally valid. An idea of the time period concerned would be worth noting – days, weeks, months.

Examples of disruption notes:

• I have been unable to access my laboratory/studio/archives/fieldwork site (delete as applicable) because of their closure and other restrictions on movement. (Please also mention the precise facility you cannot access e.g. which archive or fieldwork site.)
• I have not been able to continue with planned data collection/interviews/practice because of restrictions on movement and face-to-face contact.
• I had to change my research methods and activities so they could be done online.
• Caring responsibilities have kept me from making expected progress on my research.
• My own health has been negatively affected.
• I have experienced financial/economic/housing problems (delete as applicable).
• My home was difficult to work in/ I lacked equipment at home.

If you use one of these statements in your notes it would be good also to keep some accompanying extra details of how the statement is particularly relevant to you. 

If you have any questions, please contact your Research Student Administrator (RSA) in the Doctoral College. See our contacts page for details. Many thanks for you cooperation around this.