Hi everyone,

I was wondering if it is common practice to include acknowledgements at the beginning of your thesis, and whether it would seem odd if you didn't? In my university's regulations it states that we 'may include acknowledgements if we wish' but its not a stipulation. What are people's experiences with this? I'd like to thank my current supervisor, and others of course, but there's some awkwardness between myself and my former supervisor. They didn't take the change of supervisor request very well, and their assistance was limited, which was why I did it and why I'm reluctant to acknowledge them in the thesis...but then I don't want to come across as petty...

Hi PhDPanic

If you don't want to include acknowledgements, you really don't have to. Personally, I would either acknowledge them all or not include acknowledgements at all. This is what I am doing (one of those options - undecided yet), as I too have changed supervisors. I think it is good etiquette and professional to include all who are or were at some stage officially on the supervisory team - if you choose to include acknowledgements that is. If you left a name off, I think yes, it could be seen as petty.

Tudor

You are overthinking this. Thank who you want to and omit those you want to omit.
I had some fun with this section. It started off all pompous and then I ended it in farce by thanking my dog for her support.

I don't think PhDPanic is overthinking it. If she/he doesn't want to risk getting anyone's backs up (future collaborators and/or simply departmental colleagues), I think it is best to be on the safe side and include all (or none).

Personally, my preference would be to complete an acknowledgements, PhDPanic, and I would include all those who had an input into the PhD. For me, it is very similar to the workplace acknowledgements, where you do make a point of acknowledging and thanking everyone in the team, or who has had a role in a project, even though some would receive very specific thanks for significant roles and others may receive a brief general thank you for their work, support or their input (However, limited this might be). Unless your former supervisor was an active sabateur of your project, who had no input whatsoever and caused only harm and angst (not common) then their contribution has assisted you in generating your project and deserves some formal acknowledgement, in my opinion.

Thanks everyone, I'm still torn though! Pjlu, my former supervisor wasn't an active sabateur but the difficult professional relationship left me feeling emotionally drained. Our last conversation didn't go well and was six months ago and we haven't had any contact since then. I'm pretty sure they blanked me in the corridor when I saw them recently!

Oh dear... I am being blanked by someone too (my advisor - since I changed supervisors). Not nice. Seems very childish. I'd acknowledge them still. Rising above it and showing real professionalism. That's just my view though! Perhaps leaving them off is more sincere? Depends whether you view that page as a formality or as a real space for personal acknowledgement. For some lucky ones, it can be both!

Here are some interesting ones for anyone wanting to procrastinate this afternoon: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/best-academic-acknowledgements-ever

Just include them in a general acknowledgement to university staff perhaps. So for example you might write....I am extremely grateful to Dr Blank and Associate Professor blank who provided much support, expert guidance in their supervision of my study and in the writing of the thesis (or whatever). I would also like to thank staff in the faculty of blah for their assistance with the study and owe a special debt to the amazing research librarians, who blah and blah.

Your former supervisor who you did not find particularly helpful or supportive is included in the 'staff in the faculty of' bit... not the specific mention. This is a very bland example and is not taken from my own page-but is just showing how in the general acknowledgement you are not omitting your former supervisor-you are acknowledging them in a general statement to faculty staff or something similar.

Unfortunate that they appear to be blanking you both PhdPanic and Tudor. Perhaps they feel pretty awkward about it as well. I know this might not be a popular statement to make but I would think that often a change of supervisors (when it isn't because someone is leaving or has another position elsewhere) could be viewed or perceived as a failure rather like when a complaint is made at work about one by some one else. It can be hard for both parties concerned-not only the person who has made the change. Sometimes it is unavoidable though, so hopefully in time everyone will resolve matters (at least within their own internal narrative of the situation, even if not with the other person) and will eventually move on. Best wishes, P.

Cheers Pjlu. In my case, it is actually my advisor who appears to be doing it (there are some pretty blatant examples and I think others could notice it too - so not just me being paranoid)... which is ironic. I mean, your advisor is meant to be separate from the supervisory team, and there to be able to discuss issues etc that may arise with your PhD/supervision etc. As for the former supervisor, she isn't blanking me at all. She is actually trying to keep our contact going (sending me unnecessary emails for instance), which I don't really want, as it had become unprofessional and bad which is why I wanted out.

I think I'm at that stage in academia where you realise that the people you looked up to so much are really human... the behaviour from the advisor is reminiscent of playground behaviour, which is why I am not intimidated by it (I learnt how to deal with it at juniors school!). I'm just glad I know my own mind and am really enjoying my work since I made the decision to switch. I have no hard feelings and will include my former supervisor on the acknowledgements by the name. That said, unlike in PhDPanic's situation, she did give a lot of input and support. So it is only fair to acknowledge that.

As for the advisor... I don't know... ! So much for rising above it and showing professionalism! :D

PhDPanic is overthinking this because it is ultimately a very simple choice.. The question is very simple. Can PhDPanic overcome enough personal ego to just add this supervisor to an acknowledgment section of a PhD thesis unlikely to be read by anyone outside 3 or 4 people in the world to avoid any potential future unpleasantness or not? Just take a few minutes to add the acknowledgement and move on with your life. There are more important things to worry about.

Writing acknowledgements is a very personal thing. I agree with everyone else - whom to be include is a very personal decision. I named 20 to 25 people and thanked a generic 'and the faculty of xxx' but probably only 4 named persons would end up reading it. I took a dig at an ex-supervisor with a double entendre. This supervisor will probably never see it, but it was meant to show the other supervisors that I had nothing against that person. I don't think anyone reading it would know what I really meant; only my close friends would. I had great fun with it, even shed a few tears thinking about people that I genuinely wanted to thank. All in all, it was a great way to close up this chapter of my life, and round up both the good and bad.