Help, my supervisor is an alien.

S

Well, note quite and I need to avoid specifics to prevent my identification.
I'm seven months in, five weeks away from my first year review and I have no methodology. Every time I mention this to my supervisor he tells me I'm getting too deep into things, but it seriously worries me because I'm supposed to be developing a new methodology and a number of things he's suggested I don't think will work.
Last supervision we agreed I would do some work on methodology and write it up for yesterday. I didn't because of a number of issues I was having that I needed to talk through. When I brought these up he suggested I was doing the wrong thing (despite me having emailed him ten days ago explaining what I was thinking, with no comment to those ends). He then told me I needed to do this work ASAP (I do have a clearer idea what it is now), I suggested Monday, he insisted this afternoon. This is impossible. He told me it was possible because he is very confused as to what I have and haven't done this year. He then asked me about my First Year Review presentation ('have you been thinking about it?'), to which I responded 'no, not yet'. He told me 'you really need to come up with a better answer than that'.
I left feeling humiliated and upset. He never remembers what we've discussed, has no paper trail, and doesn't really have a clue what I've been doing. He frequently makes comments which both I, my counsellor and my friends think are overly harsh.
Sorry to offload, I know supervisors are a thorny issue, I just can't see working with mine for another 2 1/2 years!

G

Get it sorted, fast - my supervisor is part of the reason I'm in the process of trying to quit my PhD. Note, a part, not the whole reason.
This will just end up making you more and more miserable as the years (YEARS!!) go by. Either tell him straight, with brutal honesty about how you feel, or try and get a supervisor change. That'd be my advice.

M

make a paper trail yourself! it doesn't matter, if the guy doesn't remember what he told you, you do and you can write things up after each meeting and either send him an email with the writeup or if he doesn't like that, set up a private wiki and post your reports about the meetings and your progress there (that's what i did). whenever my supervisor comes along with something we already discussed or dismissed the last couple of times i just point to my wiki. that usually works like a charm....

don't take it personal! from my experience for many supervisors phd students are either a nuisance or a paper producing machine that at best doesn't require any input from their part but still adds their name to the publications :-(

M

Oh my! I feel for you really. I have been experiencing the same problem, although having read your post, I realize that my supervisor is not THAT bad after all! Now, I think there are only two options. First one is that you speak to him openly and tell him how he actually has been treating you (trust me, he might not even be aware of that) and how it is affecting your work and your wellbeing. This hopefully will be a wake up call for him. If that doesnt work, I would not just apply for another supervisor. I know stories of people who either changed their supervisor, or were left by their supervisor and as a result, in most of cases, they ended up with really good supervisors! I wish you all the best really! Let us know how it all went. Good luck!
M

P

I can only emphasise what has been said before - create a papertrail yourself, and know what was decided when and when amendments were made. I can understand your siutation completely - you are in your first year and as well as guidance regarding the work, some general encouragement and some positive feedback would be nice, and good supervisors do give that, but alas, not all. I think doing a PhD is very much about developing a strength in yourself, and becoming more self-reliant. It is important to take on your supervisors comments and approaches (e.g re your methodology), but also follow your own thinking and "intuition". From what you describe, I think it will be key that you take a "professional" approach to meetings with your supervisor (that is not to say it has to be formal), but basically: be prepared (i.e. you have done your analysis) and have something to say and know how to defend yourself. So, if you have not thought about the First Year Review presentation yet, just say "Yes" anyway and highlight that you have been working on something else and that you will move onto the presentation at Date X. This way you give the impression that you are in control and aware of what is on the "to do" list. I don't think we need to be best friends with our supervisors to be comfortable with them and the best bet in dealing with supervisors is trying to always be ahead one step of them and their criticisms... Good luck with your alien:p

B

Scarlett - Just reiterating what the others said.
PAPER TRAIL!!!
1. Take minutes of EVERY meeting (set a simple format). Use this as the basis for every subsequent meeting
2. Set aside a specific folder within outlook for grabbing his/her email for easy referencing. This can be done easily by setting a rule in Outlook
3. Like point 1, email every major change said i.e. "As per our discussion this morning ..."

I know it sounds anal and not the academic way, but if it has to be done, it has to be done. Having the same problem here and was actually talking to another PhD-er y'day with same.

As regards your immediate problem of the review, call for a specific meeting to discuss this (with you having something to contribute). Possibly take the minutes for that and start this practice then.
Hope things work out.

S

I had a successful meeting to discuss this yesterday (not with my sup) the end result of which is that another supervisor is going to be brought on board.
Thanks for all of the useful suggestions, I'm going to try and instill some formality!!

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