I'm in my final year of my PhD - so have written about a third of thesis, but I think I've reached my limit of negative feedback. I've just had a meeting today with my supervisors to get their feedback on two chapters that I slogged it out for weeks staying up to midnight each night (and I've got 3 young children) - and all they talk about was the faults. And some of their comments or suggestions - I am actually offended that they think I am so stupid to not know. Their capacity to offer positive feedback has dropped off in the last few months - which is devastating as I near the end (hopefully) so one would think their should be more to praise.
I suffer from depression - so I desperately need tools to resist digesting their comments as personal attacks.
Whatever happened to the 'sandwich' approach to feedback (positive-constructive-positive)? - why does it drop off at graduate level? I know that when I am a qualified to supervise grad students - I will make sure I will always identify the positive features. Because we are still humans with feelings!
Any tips you are willing to share would be welcome.
Thanks
Louise

======= Date Modified 08 Dec 2008 12:10:52 =======
Hi Louiese,



I am sorry to hear you are feeling so low, and naturally, anyone would with all this. Yes, sometimes, people are just either to brazen to be called 'human' and sometimes, well, they just refuse to realise that with all our faults we are grad students, not professors with 20 years experience. This IS, our first piece of research, not our last.





While my doctoral supervisor is fantastic, I had a brief stint with a disastrous person earlier in my grad school life. And one earlier as well in my undergrad life. They used to literally 'seek out' opportunities to haul me up anywhere, just anywhere, including a Sunday evening, outside on the street when we just happened to meet. I was even told that I wouldnt get a job, that not just my work, but my choice of research interests itself is stupid and I am working with dead, useless fields.



I remember being *distraught*. I guess what I am trying to say is, really difficult to implement right now,. but remember your work is *not* what they make of it. As far as positives are concerned, if there wasnt anything positive you wouldnt be a final yr PhD in the first place. So, once you are feeling a bit better, take a break, talk abt other stuff, see rationally what their 'constructive' feedback was, take what you feel is necessary and then, move on..



its easier said than done, we all know that. Best wishes.

Hi Louise,

First of all, good going and remember that you're nearly there!

It could be that they are taking this approach to try and pull the best out of you (I'm not saying you're not giving your best but they may be testing you) and perhaps it's a tactic to help you prepare for the viva? Just some thoughts... Hopefully, your viva is a pleasant experience but it's best to be prepared to be able to defend very well and criticisms now may help with this.

Try to remember that you're near the finish line and this will be a distant memory at some point.

Hi Louise, I know exactly what you are saying but I agree with points from both of the other posts so far. You would not be in your final year if there were any real problems.
At this stage how useful would it be to have your supervisors praising the good bits. Yes, it would make you feel better and that you were doing good work. But isn't it more important that they highlight where you need improvements to be made. I'd say there would be less praise as you near the finish as they are trying to get you to have the best piece of work that you can produce. But this can then be counter-productive if it makes you feel despondent.
If you feel really bad about it could you talk to them and say that you are aware that it is important for you to know where you need to improve at this stage but could they indicate which areas are good then you could perhaps use techniques and skills from this to help get the other sections up to that standard.
When I send things to my supervisor she often sends back a really long e-mail with loads of criticism and I feel like I want to cry but then when I re-read it I see how she is trying to help me and I take it all on board and discuss with her at our next meeting how I can go about making the improvements. Then when I do, I can see how the work is better than the first draft. Unless you really think they are being nasty then take it all as constructive criticism and aim to show them that you can act on everything they are saying. Good luck.

Sorry to hear you are having a rough time. I expect your supervisrs are swamped themselves and don't realise what they are saying, or think the message will get across clearer if they are blunt. The old 'sandwhich' technique went out of fashion a while ago, largely becasue it means that the important comments (negative) were lost by the end of the meeting cos they had been enveloped with positive remarks.

I would take it with a pinch of salt, its their way of pushing you forward. try and chanel that annoyance into getting it done with a 'that'll show em' attitude - thats what I try to do!

I suppose saying well done all the time (though it would be nice at least some of the time!) will make you feel good but won't benefit the thesis in the long run. But its impossible not to take it personally when you invest so much time and energy into it. I just keep thinking of the day when I pass and they say "that was a really good thesis you put out there. Good job."

Its not comments such as 'well done' that I'm wanting to hear, that's empty praise. I want the parts of my thesis that work to be identified, so I know what to keep.

Hi Louise,

it also amazes me how educated people, like supervisors and professors, can be didactically so poor. I have been frequently to seminars regarding education and often you are asked regarding your worst and best educational experience. Nearly always the worst experience is regarding a teacher who humiliates the student!
It is well known in educational circles that feedback should be given according to Pendleton's rules: first the student mentions what went well, the supervisor what went well, student what could be done differently and the supervisor what could be done differently and how!

What do you think?