Interesting! Do update us if/when you hear more.

I can so easily identify myself without reading the labels... ok, my hair isn't like that, but still... I pull it out daily.

Wow! I am not trying to be funny, but maybe the usual editors were on leave and others were responsible for accepting it for publication? It is odd that they should accept it when it could bring them into disrepute (if it is really just a bad piece of work).

He sounds like a bit of a XXXX. Do you have another supervisor who you can chat to about it, or another student who also has/had him as a supervisor? I think if the literature support your view and not his then you should pursue it with him - not in an emotive way but just with the facts of the matter. Ask him specifically what the advantages of 16 are over 7?

Talk to your potential supervisors about securing funds. They might suggest some options for you - such as funding bodies or part-time teaching.

That's interesting pm133. I wasn't aware that view existed. In my department, some PhD students have gone straight on to a permanent lectureship. But the postdocs are very highly respected because of their research. Guess it is different everywhere.

It is a personal principle. I was also asked to be put on a paper by someone when I had barely contributed and I said no. Shock horror horror? It is just something that I feel strongly about. I only want my name on it if I substantially contributed, and I only want others' names on my stuff if they substantially contributed.

So the point of this thread was really to see if anyone could suggest a way to not put this person who didn't give input on my paper without causing controversy/burning bridges, and not to question the principle of whether they should be or not. I already know what I think about that, even though it seems I have to go against it on this occasion. I'll just be more careful in the future. Thanks all :-)

Yeh, but the thing is we are PhD students. Postdocs have graduated and earned their doctorate, whereas we are still in the process. So that does make us students! I tend to refer to undergraduate students as "undergrads", but then I'm a bit particular! Just out of curiosity - how do you refer to yourself and fellow PhD students? On some forms at my uni I know it says "doctorate researcher".

Yes, it's OK - don't worry about it : ) I think that your enthusiasm will show and overshadow this! Good luck!

Thanks for your contributions all!

pm133, it bothers me because one of the ways in which academia is in need of reform is that names are put on papers where no credit is due.

I'm doing it on this occasion (because I can't see a way out) but I won't for the other papers.

No and no. So it is all a bit annoying!

A minute bit of technical advice doesn't meet the criteria for authorship : ) But you are right - more hassle to stir up a fuss and not be collegial. I just will make sure they don't see the other papers of my thesis.

Cheers Thesisfun

I do not want to put a supervisor's name on a paper simply 'cause it is the way things are done. I've barely seen this particular supervisor (although they're lovely), as they gave a bit of technical advice at the start and then I was well away (actually I got most of the technical advice I needed from other sources). I have to send the finished paper to them as they said they wanted to read it and I agreed to. But is there an acceptable way to get out of having to put this extra person as an author (the paper will already have several names)?

Hi Romana

Spearmans correlations are extremely simple to run in most statistical software. Do you use SPSS? If so here is a great link with steps to follow: