I started my phd in september-since then i have had one meeting with my supervisor and occasional bumping into hims where he talks and tlaks and does no listening. this is really frustrating me but am unsure what to do about it. He has already gone back on several promises so i no longer trust him enough to talk to him diractly. please help - ta

This can be a common problem. Most universities provide students with an advisor who the student can talk to in confidence about just such a problem. Before you do this try talking to other students in your research group to see how they deal with your supervisor.

One of the basic requirement for a PhD (course) is to carry out work with minimum supervision.Probably your supervisor is sticking to this fact.

Your supervisor is there to guide you and to listen to the problems you have with your research. Being able to work unsupervised is different from working without support and advice.

I have spoke to the others in the group and they like his unavailability as it means they can come in late and finish early and both of them are now struggling with the end of their phds. I am capable of working alone (i have 2 years industrial exp) but I dont know what a phd requires.

Speak to your postgraduate advisor. If you have not been allocated one then speak to the postgraduate admissions tutor or head of postgraduate research in your department.

If you think he is not a suitable person at any level you can always change the supervisor within the faculty...try this route....pick up a second supervisor to start with and engage more with him to slowly transfer fully under his supervision, leaving this way both, your problem and any possible back-fire from your current supervisor

September did you say? Courage dear, it is way too early. Besides, supervisors everywhere are a strange breed, always busy when you need them, I should know, I have FOUR of them and they never seem to agree on the simplest of things like how many chapters I should write. Try e-mail, it works for me, they just can't ignore it. Plus writing gives you control over what exactly you want from them. Just bullet out what you want to tell them and indicate where you need each one's input. Hope it helps. Ta!

Findaphd team, I know there's going to be an obvious answer to this question, but nonetheless what is the difference between working unsupervised and working without support and advice?

Our point was that whilst a PhD is expected to work with minimum supervision they are not expected to work without support and assistance. A PhD is, after all, a training course in research.

So a PhD student who can work unsupervised is one who will turn up for work even when there supervisor is away, who will take responsibility for their own health and safety, who can analyse their own work to see why things have gone wrong or what their results mean, etc. A supervisors role is to advise the student on research methods, interpretation of results and future goals. They do not want to spend all their time spoon feeding students, but a supervisor who does not listen to their students concerns or ideas is not doing their job properly.