Hi all,

Sorry to start yet another negative thread but I've received more negative feedback on my work this afternoon and I just wondered how common this is amongst PhD students, especially in their third year?

I know we do need some constructive criticism to help us develop but it seems to be always negative in my case, I think I've only had one meeting in the last year where the outcome was positive! :-( I'm panicking as I'm supposed to be submitting this year and it seems very unlikely that will happen now!

Looking forward to reading your responses!

Hi Linda,

I'm in my second year of my candidature, and I have written only two chapters. My Phd is quite different from what I did for my Masters. To make matters worse, my supervisor is an international star in his research area and I feel like a dwarf when I have to talk about my research in front of him. As expected, he is a perfectionist and many times I have come back from meetings with him with my work slashed here and there.

If it were not for our little boy who was born at the start of my Phd studies, I would have just given up...

Can you take a break for a few days, go somewhere and have a change of air, or at least, try to make some new friends so you can come back to your work with a renewed vigour ? Hope that helps.

Don't panic Linda.

I must admit I don't receive much negative feedback from my sup; however she is a very positive person, who is very focused on giving positive feedback to students, and getting the negatives in gradually. She always asks me what I think about my chapters, which is when I identify possible issues and she confirms them. I'm only in my second year so this may change though, as the writing gets more 'serious'.

On another note, I have friends who often receive nothing but negative feedback from their sups. These sups seem to assume that you 'know' the positives of your work without having to say them, so therefore just focus on the negatives. Maybe this is what yours does?

What does the negative feedback relate to? Your writing style? A particular topic? An issue that they keep repeating to you? It'd help to know; PM if you want to :-)

Hi Linda,

I agree with Button; your supervisor may just consider it more efficient to get straight to the areas that need work, rather than praising the bits that don't. Some do see their role as predominantly providing constructive criticism. Some people are lucky enough to have supervisors who understand the value of framing everything positively, but most seem to think we can handle a more negative approach.

Don't lose heart - when you get down to adjusting your writing things may not seem as substantially different as they do now. Give yourself at least a day to process the feedback and lick your wounds, then try to see the feedback in as positive a light as possible. After all, it is better to hear this now rather than during your viva. (up)

I think this is a very common thing especially as a thesis nears completion, and not something to panic about. Your supervisor is trying to second guess the criticisms that the examiners could make and forestalling them. It's also when they start seeing full draft chapters, or even worse the draft thesis that they start spotting inconsistencies that need sorting out. Think of it this way - would you prefer it that they told you everything is good and then it got failed by the examiners? Better the criticism now so that you have more confidence going into the viva.I think it shows that you've got a supervisor, who wants to make sure you get through with the minimum amount of corrections, which while it might not be fun now, is probably something in a year's time, you'll thank him/her/them for!

So that is not the norm for all years? I think that in my years of the PhD (3+), the most positive feedback I have received was "this is not as bad as your last draft of the (x) chapter." Chin up and soldier on, that is probably the best way to go forward.

Now I'm in my third year I am getting a lot more negative feedback than I did in previous years - however, my supervisors do seem to know the value of presenting such comments carefully and positively, so they never feel like dire pronouncements. I agree with the otehrs who have said maybe your supervisors simply aren't as good at framing things in this way, or don't realise there's a need to?

Even if the comments do seem to be pointing to a bigger issue with the PhD, again, it's not necessarily a bad thing (even if it is gut-wrenching to face) - definitely better to address issues now, before they're woven deeply into a highly polished thesis, than at the viva and then face a major reworking to address the issues. I totally understand how sickening and heart-sinking such comments can be, but this is part of what makes a PhD so tough to get, and once the issues are dealt with you'll have learnt so much, and really earned the award. My supervisors talk about a PhD, particularly in the later stages, being as much about the psychology of the student as about the research itself - if you can find a way to face these criticisms head-on and see them for what they really are, that'll be a huge benefit to yourself and your work.

Good luck with it all anyway!

Thanks everyone for your replies and your support, I do appreciate it. I have a lot of thinking and working to do!

As my Phd has gone on (I'm in my last 6 months now) I have gotten less and less positive feedback from my sup. I have to admit I am a lover of the tick or "good", "very good", "excellent", "very well put" etc on the margins of my work but I just don't get them anymore. On the other side of the coin the most negative feedback I ever get is "have a look at pages 44-49 again". That's about it. I'm not neglected by any means but I would love my sup to get the red pen out and go to town on my writing. It just isn't going to happen. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Only time will tell.

But I do like to call a spade a spade and if it looks like a turd, smells like a turd and winks up at you like a turd, then it is probably not a perfect piece of writing.

You did make me laugh out loud! I do love this forum and how it makes you feel like you're not alone! (up)

Good communications with your advisor is the one remedies against negative feedback. Make sure you take advantage of the weekly lab. seminars and private discussions with your advisor. Good luck.