======= Date Modified 24 44 2009 09:44:05 =======
Hello all,

I would like to get something of my chest... I started my PhD in Oct 2009. I would like to send some work to my supervisor who has not directly asked for it but I would like to share it with him to discuss it. When you carry out work and summerise the work (as you do in engineering and science), even if your supervisor has not asked for it do you send it to them anyway? I am just thinkning if I send all this work to my supervisor then he may expect it all the time (almost like setting the standard from myself)? Or is it just standard that when work has been set between me and my supervisor that it is expected for us to share that work and report it when we are done. I know thats how it worked in industry.

I am probably worry about nothing. Just thought I would talk/type it through. Ultimetely I want to benefit from sharing my work and talking it through with my supervisor for feedback and improvements.

Thanks

Hi there! I guess it depends on how you and your supervisor work together, but I guess you are still figuring this out as you have only just started! Personally, I send my supervisor all of my work to check, whether that's written work such as a draft paper, or my initial analysis of my data etc. If I have supervision coming up then we would usually discuss her feedback at length in supervision, or if supervision is while off and the feedback isn't too complicated then she will just email it back to me with comments usually within a day or two. I get her to check pretty much everything that I do with respect to written work- and she asks me to send her pretty much everything anyway. I think if you're learning new skills etc, whether that be academic writing for journals, a new type of analysis, a different type of methodology, then it's important to check things out with your supervisor regularly to make sure that you're on the right track. Obviously you are expected to be independent to some degree with your research and use your initiative, so I don't mither her incessantly with things that I should be able to work out for myself, but in the early stages you will need guidance so best to make sure you have regular supervision and feedback on your work. There seem to be vastly different supervision styles out there, going on what I have heard from people on the forum, but I am sure you and your supervisor will soon get into some sort of routine with this anyway- everybody has their own styles! Happy Xmas!! KB