  The random-phase approximation has been used to compute the properties of
parabolic two-dimensional quantum dots beyond the mean-field approximation.
Special emphasis is put on the ground state correlation energy, the symmetry
restoration and the role of the spurious modes within the random-phase
approximation. A systematics with the Coulombic interaction strength is
presented for the 2-electron dot, while for the 6- and 12-electron dots
selected cases are discussed. The validity of the random-phase approximation is
assessed by comparison with available exact results.
