Dear all

First i would to say happy new year for all, and wishing you a nice and lucky year.

I am a new phd student and will start in January 2014 in uk, after two weeks I have first meeting with my supervisor and I am a little bet worried, can you give me your advise and experiences?

Happy New Year to you too and congrats on being a PhD student!!

The first meeting with your supervisor is absolutely nothing to be worried about. In my case, I had already read a lot about my supervisor (his biography, works, publications, books, etc…) and so I knew exactly how he thinks and where he stands on issues. Make sure you do some background research on him/her and the publications. That's the first advice.

The second advice would be to go into the meeting not expecting it to be a viva but just a chat- in my case I remember I met him in his office and we ended up chatting for 2.5 hours about all sorts of things, not just my research. If you talk about other things besides your research you develop your relationship with him/her so it's not just about work: trust me, this has paid off significantly in my case as he really liked me and supported me whenever I needed references, signatures on forms to ask for extensions, leave to work away, etc…

Finally, when it comes to discussing your work, always listen more than talk!!! If you talk too much and dominate the chat many supervisors wouldn't like that. Just listen to him/her chat and then intercede briefly to ask a question or make a comment on your proposal, methodology, research plan, etc…

Relax and enjoy it! I remember just going there as if I'd be meeting a mate and the payoff over three years was amazing…man I wish I were still working on my PhD!

Layan,

Please take a glance at my blog on what exactly a PhD is, set up as a question and answer format for commonly asked questions.

Best of luck!!!

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Thank you very much ncognito for a very useful advise , i will take it in my consideration and start reading about my supervisor research.

Mackem_Beefy I will look in your blog soon , i am sure it will help. Thanks a lot

Good post incognito, thanks for the link beefy.

Question: I have been putting down a laundry list of questions for my initial meeting with my supervisors, but I wanted to know how wildly can your originally proposed research vary from what you and your supervisor(s) agree upon?

Since I deferred for 4 months, I spent that time doing "pre-enrollment lit review" and discovered that A) My proposed research is not that great B) I have found a much more detailed and interesting research gap directly related to what I originally proposed and C) I had another idea that was originally an article idea but realized that it can easily become a full blown PhD related to my secondary supervisor's interests.

I have already decided that while I will put all ideas on the table, I will do whatever they ask in order to get the PhD and get my academic career started.

Few issues with your post:
1. The fact that you'll do whatever they ask (even if you don't feel comfortable enough with it or have enough of a background) is a recipe for disaster: this is a 3-4 year full-time course (or more part-time) you don't want to end up doing something just because they want you to do it. A similar situation happened to me in fact: I got accepted on the basis of a proposal that was ENTIRELY DIFFERENT from my PhD topic.I just told my supervisor the truth: that I think my new topic is more original and that it is something I'd like to research.
2. As long as you don't change fields altogether, changing the proposed research topic in the 1st year is common (as in my case).
3. Focus on point (B) when you discuss things with the supervisor and don't even mention where you got the idea- just say it fills a gap and is interesting. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Happy New Year and Congratulations!

I 'm also starting my PhD next week and I am a bit nervous about my first ever encounter/meeting with my supervisors.

Thank you for starting this thread, the tips are very useful.

Your blog is helpful and so insightful! Thank you @Mackem_Beefy

you are welcome,, I am like you very much, stress , thinking all the time about this meeting.

but our friend here post a very useful link and blog and advice

thanks for all.

Thanks again Incognito for the insight, really appreciated. Happy New Year to all!