* oops i meant supervision not invigilation

invigilation for others varies....but barely anyone gets less than once a month and all have accessible supervisors. Some meet once a week too.

Sheets are not necessary, you need to record things yourself via email or as you feel.

thanks for the help

thanks! well u seem to have had great panels.....im in my 2nd year and my supervisors dont want to upgrade me but proposed to make my annual meeting a "survival" meeting, which of course i accepted as i have no choice.

they are not very polite and their emails in fact have become other people's entertainment as i forward them to astonished friends(within reason of course).

unfortunately, their impoliteness can only be proven via email as in front of a panel their status will help and their attitude will change as expected...

i can only hope to pass this survival and then discuss with them what to do.

My work is not directly related 100% to theirs either (e.g. i never cite them ) so they dont have direct interest in it or any gains......which is evident since they are generally not really interested in helping but helping with gaining (although they get money); be it reputation, papers or whatever...

my second was passed to me a specialist in the field but is a lecturer and basically obsesses over my structure but has no say on any theory or issues (most of the time).

my first told me he has a "hands off" approach meaning he reads only final drafts once a month with no more interaction and gives no or minimal written feedback, so u have to keep fast notes as he gives u a 25min monologue, along with being quite aggressive (doesnt say hi or even bye generally..)

the only conference i was ever email or told to go to was his own and mostly to work for it and organise and also forcefully present a poster which he had never seen!(for which i one a prize)

i am not perfect, but like this its no wonder i struggle twice as much.

thanks, but how can a panel understand thata a supervisor is unsuitable? i mean especially if the supervisor says your work is no good or you are lazy...?

you would end up having to use emails as proof, making it abit nasty and giving you a bad rep...

or not?

yes i get the same exactly, pressure stories included! although i am very diplomatic and simply ask when we can meet....but seems like one should just wait and hope instead.
I keep copied of all the emails and have shown people who were not impressed.

has anyone tried changing such behaviour succesfully?

true, but what if the question is not a problem but a "what is the effect of...." etc.

you can make hypotheses and sub-questions but can you really call it a problem to solve? or simply expanding the knowledge on a topic?

true, but what if the question is not a problem but a "what is the effect of...." etc.

you can make hypotheses and sub-questions but can you really call it a problem to solve? or simply expanding the knowledge on a topic?

Hi, i've posted before about my troublesome supervision (minimal meetings with no written feedback) but would like to ask, out of curiosity how can one change supervisor? can one also ask for an extra(possibly more flexible timewise) supervisor?

what about tranfering unis? is it common?

thanks!

i think everyone (albeit academic lovers) goes through this stage.......make sure it is the phd you hate and not the topic, because that's diferent.

I do agree that boredom can ensue, and to be constantly fascinated by an academic topic one must either be very diligent and devoted or disturbed with no other interest lol

the key is to find the interest in the topic whilst leading the same life you led before and remembering the topic is also your creation, making it more interesting then just crunching numbers or data entry.

good luck but i would think twice.

well thats actually it.....if you are not getting the opportunity for dialogue but just a monologue to which you must take notes (as fast as you can) then you would expect at least written feedback.
And by written feedback I dont mean an essay....I mean to receive your paper back with the corrections on it. Supervisors have to read your paper, so on the way they must write on it, especially if you are working via email and long distance they must give you extensive written feedback (unless you call each other by phone).

you are completely right, but as i said im in the 2nd year and my supervisor is not giving me time for amends.....end of may i must present at the annual workshop and hence convince him+her before that or they wont be happy...

I plan to re-submit in 2 weeks and hope for the best....i wish i could take brain breaks but time is never on my side. Maybe if i split the day in 2....but i need all the hours i can get..:-(

it's about choice....everyone is different but everyone should be allowed to decide that. My supervisor claims she met hers once every 4 months......now i do hope she wasnt paying for that. unfortunately now this seems normal to her and im lucky if i get once a month....

thanks alot! well my expectations arent really high...i just want what everyone else gets, or at least the option to decide if I want less or more.Also i doubt asking for written feedback rather than a verbal 20minute monologue (ininteruptable btw) to be asking for too much...

I have already submitted a proposal which was trashed, and am now talking to fellow phds close to my work in order to see exactly what they did in their cases.I do know what is required but pleasing my possibly uninterested supervisors is abit tricky. keep in mind my work is also not of direct interest to them as my field is not their main field nor do i use their work.

i do believe though that a solid proposal would convince them.....the sad part is that for others this is not required, or at least mistakes are allowed.

true , and as they say there is formal supervision and informal. Unfortunately the informal differs ALOT, and it is fair for everyone to be treated the same, but unfortunately it depends on characters.

As far as morality is concerned, its easy to disguise....but not helping others is also lack of character even if you are not directly harming them. For example, pretending not to know anything or not sharing any info (not even stuff that can be shared without danger) is part of the ridiculous thinking behind supposed success, and yes we see it everywhere.

well there are degrees and varieties of self-preservation.....but overcoming odds at the expense of others , especially when other options are available is definitely a loss of character (or moral if you prefer), and is easily found when competition gets stiff or insecurity rises.

no wonder all pensioners are relaxed and pretend they were always relaxed LOL