What Should I do if My PhD Advisor Slows Down My Research Taking Weeks to Make Trivial Changes in My Articles?

By -

 The Answer is Written By

Barry Rountree

Jan, 9th of 2021


·




What should I do if my PhD advisor slows down my research?

The following is called “managing upwards.”

Also works with PhD students and toddlers. And computer scientists.

  1. Don’t ask. Tell. “I’ve sent you my latest draft. I’d like to go over your comments during your office hours two weeks from today. Please propose a different time if that will not be convenient for you.”
  2. Remind. Just once, and not the night before. “Just wanted to remind you that we’ll be going over your comments to my draft Thursday at 3p.”
  3. Escalate if needed. “I certainly understand that you have not been able to make time in the six weeks since I sent you my most recent draft. I think it’s important that this paper gets out sooner, though, so unless you object I’d like to submit it as-is in order to meet this particular deadline.”
  4. And keep working. “Since I spoke with you last I’ve continued to work on the experiments for the follow-on paper and have drafted three of the five sections. I’d be happy to get your feedback on those as well once we put the current paper to bed.”

No threats, no whining, nothing passive-aggressive. You’re a busy professional, they’re a busy professional, you’re both working towards a common goal. Asking “Did you read my paper yet?” is annoying—if they had, they would have been in touch, so you’re forcing them to answer “no” or “not yet.” People respond better to deadlines, believe it or not, and knowing that you’re expecting something by 2pm tomorrow will at best get you the comments you need and, at worst, get you a rescheduled appointment.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Managing Yourself | 6 Questions to Ask at the Midpoint of Your Career

By -
Image
  6 Questions to Ask at the Midpoint of Your Career by  Rebecca Knight  in Harvard Business Review (2nd Feb,2024)  Summary.    It’s common to wrestle with feelings of unmet expectations, missed opportunities, and paths not taken when you reach the midpoint of your career. But experts say that arriving at middle-age is also a profound opportunity for growth and self-reflection.  It’s a chance to reevaluate your priorities, draw from your experience, and carve out a path that aligns with your goals for the second half of your professional life. Post Post Share Save Buy Copies Print Reaching middle age — which often coincides with the midpoint of your career — can be a moment when your achievements, ambitions, and reality collide.  Wrestling with feelings of unmet expectations  is common; realizing that many of your early dreams and aspirations might not happen —  like ever  — is sobering.  But experts say this period also offers a profound opportunity for growth. It’s a chance to reevalu
Read more

What’s Next for Higher EDUCATION in 2023

By -
Image
What’s Next for Higher Ed in 2023 Article  is based on the Context of the US Education System and highlights 3 things the  Author is watching  in the next 12 Months. 1️⃣ The Debate Shifts on Value of the BA For more than 50 years,  higher ed’s marketing message was crystal clear: a college degree pays off. While that’s still true for both individuals as well as for the country as a whole—please, don’t read this as “college isn’t worth it” screed—the message about the value of the bachelor’s degree is much more muddled these days. Background:  In recent years,   three big factors have driven the debate over the value of the BA. First, the degree premium—the wage gap between college and high-school graduates—has flattened. That’s in part because the premium grew so fast in the 1980s as college became  more  valuable and high school  less  valuable with the decline of manufacturing jobs. It was always going to be difficult, if not impossible, for BA wages to remain on that lofty trajector
Read more

Life without the Fed: The Suffolk System

By -
Image
Life without the Fed: The Suffolk System TAGS   Free Markets Money and Banks U.S. History 01/05/2011 C.J. Maloney Suppose for a moment that Republican Congressman Ron Paul's fondest wish came true, and the Federal Reserve Bank was not only audited but closed down. As far-fetched as such a notion may seem, it would not be the first time in our nation's history that a central bank has been shuttered. For all the Fed's imposing grandeur, Ben Bernanke is running our third (albeit longest-running) try at a central bank. This country has lived without a central bank before and, if given the chance, could do so again. Most every American (led by Paul Krugman), though, would be horrified at the thought. There are certain functions that, due to their nature, many would argue can only be provided by the political authorities — police and fire protection are the prime examples that come to mind. To the majority of modern men, central banking is without any doubt
Read more