Overview of tt_dan on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of tt_dan

Signup date: 01 Jan 2012 at 4:07am

Last login: 10 Nov 2013 at 5:58pm

Post count: 359

Recent Posts

Conference editor managed to mess up my paper!

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

A paper of mine has been accepted by a conference proceeding and they have submitted the paper to a leading digital online library (e.g. ScienceDirect). I checked last week and the paper has been accepted by the library but the figures and some of the wordings are all messed up!

Before the conference proceeding submitted the paper, I noticed some of the figures were already misaligned and some of the wording are also jumbled up because of the poor editing by the editor. I notified them regarding the matter and it seems that they didn't do anything about it and just submitted it to the library.

I read after you've submitted it to an online digital library, you can't do anymore changes! But the paper is so messed up that I feel so embarrassed by this situation!

Any advice? : (

Should I tell my new supervisor why I want to change to supervisor?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

My old supervisor plagiarized my work and I decided to get a new supervisor. To keep long story short, should I tell the new supervisor the reason why I wanted to change supervisor?

The school is quite tight knit so I guess the new supervisor would know by now of my current situation. I just don't know how to approach him at the moment.

Many thanks for the advice.

My life has been made a living hell by people who are a disgrace to professors everywhere !

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

omg OP, I'm so sorry to hear that : (

Did you write a letter to your funding provider regarding the situation? Maybe they can reconsider based on your circumstances?

PhD burnout :(

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Quote From Sammyboy:
Ok so I have had some time to think and been working with this prof from outside the university and realised what real supervision is like! My God I have never felt so stress free! And passionate and motivated about what I'm doing! Its amazing! Unfortunately he's not hanging around and going back to his university.

...

But: how will I know if this superior is any better? I think I need to leave my current supervisor - he/this university are the root of my depression and its way too unhealthy to continue working in this toxic workaholic environment . Good thing is the field is the same (just different application) and I'm only a year and a bit in so I think I could get into the swing of the new phd very quickly. thoughts? Either this or a job. Cheers guys!

I completely get what you're saying OP. I've lost a lot of trust with my current supervisor and have no idea what to do; either do another PhD or get a job.

Can a lousy supervisor lead to the failure of your PhD?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Well, I think the title says it all. I know the definition of "lousy" is different for everyone, so I'm going to let you define it.

PhD burnout :(

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Quote From Sammyboy:
thing that’s stressing me out is my unrealistic superior - he wants 6 papers out this year alone!? But I think also its the academic culture which is really getting to me. I was sat in a talk the other day and two profs started arguing - basically semantics - and it wasn't even a discussion, it got really personal. I was sat there thing what the hell? Also in my department there are so many underlying grudges between the academics that seem to spill over to the Phds. For example a fellow phd is working on a topic which another academic in the department is a specialist in - however he wont help that phd because he has a feud with his supervisor. Its pathetic! All I keep thinking is why am I even bothering with these childish unprofessional lot? I think the other thing is the lack of respect, I'm treated like a child and I'm sick of it! On top of this I'm wardening and that is equally as pathetic, the university moves you to supervise a different hall and gives you like a months notice to move? The hall supervisor calls meetings last minute and demands you drop your evening plans left, right and centre.
.

I'm having the exact same problem!

Boy... sometimes the more you study, the more dumb you'd become : /

Looking for new PhD after previous horrible experience

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Quote From Kate27:
Hi Peep,

I quit my phd after 2 years (supervisor issues) and am just about to start at a different university in September. So quitting doesn't need to be a bad thing - but you need to tell another senior member of staff who can help you out with a reference and support you on why you quit (ie that it was the fault of the supervisor and not with you).
Having said that, you have done 4 years and so I think the best thing you can do is change supervisors. The university should help you out with this (it doesn't look good for them if you leave and so they'll do what you can to help you).
Good luck :-)

Mind telling us what happened Kate?

Does it look bad if a paper if withdrawn?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Quote From Danielle:
Hi tt_dan,

It's difficult to say as there are several reasons why the paper could have been withdrawn. Sometimes it's just due to the fact that the paper hasn't been updated in a while and is considered to be "dated". There could be reasons of fraud or misconduct which has lead to the retraction of the paper. Sometimes you can find out why this has happened after a bit of digging, but if there is another version of the paper available it might be better to use that instead.

Hope this helps!
Danielle

Yes, I was wondering the same too. Sometimes, the library even printed out that the paper has been fraudulent! :O

Does it look bad if a paper if withdrawn?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Quote From Elsie:
I find MeaninginLife's reply quite clear, and a good analogy. The retraction of a paper could be equated with apologising to someone (or to the academic community for publishing incorrect data).

They made a mistake with their data and published a paper that was wrong- this could look bad, and you might question their other work since they made this mistake once.

On the other hand they had the moral integrity to retract it once they realised, they admitted they were wrong rather than covering it up. So perhaps now their other work now seems all the more reliable.

Thanks for your input Elsie!

Does it look bad if a paper if withdrawn?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Quote From MeaninginLife:
Does it look bad if someone says sorry to you?

It may appear bad if we choose to focus on someone's intellectual mistake.
It may appear good if we choose to focus on someone's moral courage.

I'm sorry MeaninginLife; although I appreciate your various replies so far, but this is really getting annoying and unhelpful (although I'm sure that's not your motif). If you would like to make a point, I think it's best if you just make one rather than beating around the bush.

Why would you want to feel guilty leaving your PhD, especially if you have horrible supervision?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

*I'm playing devil's advocate here*

If you're not on contract or anything, and you have such a horrible supervisor that is effecting your emotional and physical health, why would you even consider that everything's going to be alright soon and continue doing something that's obviously bad for you? Why the guilt?

Getting a job would be tedious but doable since you already have a degree; what other people think don't matter (you're an adult already, why do you care what they think?); why stay in a place that is obviously toxic for your health (unless you received some payment; even that is questionable); if you are passionate about the topic, do you think working with horrible supervisors would help you with your work; etc.

I know the above is debatable; feel free to chip in.

*Again, I'm playing devil's advocate here*

Does it look bad if a paper if withdrawn?

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

I can see on some online libraries that a few of the papers have been withdrawn by the authors (there's a status on their paper); generally, does this look bad to the authors?

You don't need a PhD to publish.

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

And I thought you need to have a PhD or super smart to do it... : /

You don't need a PhD to publish.

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

Isn't this true? To publish in a high impact journal/conference, you don't even need a PhD..:

Help me :' (

tt_dan 359 posts
11 years ago

I really have extreme doubts with my supervision :' (

My supervisor never reads any of my work; never. This Wednesday, I would need to present my progress to transfer from my MPhil to the PhD and he hasn't even read any of the chapters : ( He emailed me yesterday stating that he wants to see me tomorrow regarding the proposal; he wants to do the commenting after I printed the proposal for him! What on earth!?

I have published a few journal articles; all written by me and I've included his name as well. He didn't even bother reading them at all!

I have failed to secure any grants because he left all the proposals the day before submissions, and I'm basically broke right now! I wanted to do some TAs before; he never even replied to those emails!

My proposal is in a bad shape and I have no idea if I could make it. If I can't pass the transfer this Wednesday, that's it for me :' (

Isn't it the job of the supervisor to read the work?