How often is everyone in touch with their supervisors? I don't think I'm contacting my supervisor enough. I see him about once a month, and I thought this was pretty standard, but I spoke to someone yesterday who hadn't had a meeting with his sup for three months. If you don't see them, do you email them regularly? He's so busy and I don't want to monopolise his time, but I would also like to build a good rapport which comes through regular contact.

At least once a week and few emails in between. But this is not "normal" and I'm trying to cut down.

I see my 1st supervisor once a week and both of them together once a month. I'm also welcome to find them in between meetings.

I think once a week is too much. Would prefer it to be once every two weeks and I might propose this soon. I find on the odd times when it is two weeks before meetings I've accomplished far more and we have more productive meetings. But then I can hunt them both down in between...

Good luck!

I used to see my first supervisor at least once a week, which completely freaked me out. Sensing that things were not going right, my supervisor upped the meetings to twice a week, which made me go insane. Thinking that was the normal procedure (supervisor has same approach with fellow PhDstudent), I was wondering how I was going to keep up with this very stressful relationship. I will propose to meet about once a month max and email in between when needed. I think it all depends on what frequency you feel comfortable with. Some people need/want weekly meetings, others are fine just meeting once every couple of months. I would say, speak to your supervisor about it! Good luck!

Before I transferred to PhD I used to meet my main supervisor once a week - and she would contact me often in between to add more work or 'see how I was getting on'. I found it totally overbearing...

Once I transferred my second sup became my main sup (and vice versa) - he is extrememly busy so we only meet sporadically. It might average out at once a month, but even at that we only ever meet for 10/15 minutes over coffee, so they don't feel like 'official' meetings (to me anyway).

So I have gone from one extreme to the other - I think a happy medium would probably be best!!! But you don't always get what you wish for...

At the moment I see my main supervisor when I need to. He doesn't always reply to emails so I arrange meetings through his secretary which works well. I probably see him once a month.

I have another two supervisors one of whom I see once a month too, and the other once a week, but that's more a group session where we discuss a paper and raise any issues we have.

I see my sup whenever I have a deadline looming to go over my work, and after the deadline to organise new work. He is really really chilled out. This means prob every few months! I am very independent and work best under my own steam, I hate being watched over my shoulder or being told what to do! My sup is so accommodating I know that if I need to see him he is there, and he is very responsive on email. I don't email him much though because I don't really need to. He is the kind of guy that doesn't suffer fools gladly so I like to remain distant and sort out my probs myself, then go and see him to show off my new ideas. Bit backwards I know but I could never go to him and whine about my work. When we get together we talk for over an hour and get on really well. My friend however sees her very demanding sup every week and is going mad with it. I don't know what you guys all talk about every week! Sadly I don't make enough progress week on week...

Similar to Jayney but without the responsive email! I've mentioned his on another thread - I relish the independence, but would welcome a bit morte interest in his/their part. Having said that, I'm happy with my once every two months meetings. Weekly? Wouldn't know what to say!

Formally: once a month for an hour.

Informally: Every few weeks in the corridor/walking around campus

Email: the odd email a month.

2-3 times/year for not more than 30 mins. Now I'm writing up I'm hoping to schedule meetings more often to hand over drafts. We don't email. I like being independent but I would like more contact and interest.

I see my supervisors every 2 months or so, but I'd like to meet with them more often to be honest. I do enjoy being independent (which is what I'm training to be broadly speaking), but I have no-one to bounce my ideas off and I don't really feel any pressure. It'd just be nice to talk to someone interested in my work really.

That's how I feel Walmin - I never get to talk about my project with anyone.

Guys, do you think it can hurt supervisor's feelings if you suggest less frequent meetings?