Another thing is if you adopt other people's code(I am working in EE field). You could spend months to study it, understand it. Finally there is maybe only 10 lines change within a 10000 line original codes to get the code you needed. How to clear define the bound between you and other people's work.

We have the same issue. In my case , I have to describe other people's work to keep the thesis intact . But I found it difficult by using a clear nice-looking diagram to do that. They are so interlaced.
I ask this also because I read other PhD thesis in my lab, they actually describe other people's work without well acknowledge. That's supervisor's work, so it seem not really matter(his supervisor don't really care about that).

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yeah, every university has the similar regulation. But that only happen theoretically. The problem is "what would happen in reality"? The real situation could be so varied.

For the contents which is based on the collaboration with others (I acknowledged it by referring co-author paper), how to clearly indicate my own contribution (is that necessary )or I can just make it clear in the VIVA on the examiner’s request ?

Thank you jouri. Your post does help me a lot. I feel better now.

Each time I send my thesis draft, it take very long time to get an useful feedback from my first supervisor. I already tired of sending e-mail to urge him. He never have any timetable for that. There is one time he just scan through my 150 pages thesis very fast in front of me and said "it need more engineering work". In fact he exactly know what's engineering work I have done before he let me write my thesis. Gradually, I realized the reality that he doesn't care about me. More enginerring work mean more publications, and there is no end for that.

I will try to approach my second supervisor to get some support on the submission issue next week. Hope this works.

When I started my PhD with my supervisor, he just came here from industry without PhD degree. According to the regulations of department, I have been assigned a second supervisor.

Now I am approaching the deadline of PhD extension and finished my thesis. But the thing is my supervisor still suggests me to do more engineering work and have a journal publication before I appear in front of external examiner.

I am working in the microelectronic design field (quite practical). It's not unusual for PhD submission with very few even no publications. I have four conference papers. (not first author ). Also there are results for another quality conference paper presented in my thesis but nobody can grantee a journal.

During my study, we tried very hard to get one journal but all failed. This is largely due to the research topic (which is not chosen by me) is not very well realized by the community.


My first supervisor is strong in term of technique expertise but lack experiences in the academy (from industry, PhD by publications). Now, I have strong feeling that he is not care about my circumstance and only care about his own publication record.


My second supervisor is not working in the same field as me and has a very bad relationship with my first supervisor. For this reason, it’s difficult for me to get advice form him before.


Right now, I am in the situation where I have to submit ASAP. What action should I take? To beg my first supervisor on the sympathy basis or to ask help form second supervisor? How many publications are normally expected from a PhD? How much does publication record influence the outcome of VIVA.


Any tips will be much appreciated.


Andy