I always thought that I could make it on my own
Since you left I hardly make it through the day
My tears get in the way
And I need you back to stay

Anyone eles remember this Bread song? I'm thinking of emailing the lyrics to my supervisor. He's been MIA since about Feb. I've emailed. I've called. He's apologised and made promises. But still - I'm lost and all alone....

My grant runs out in Oct and I'd really like to submit between then and Xmas. Has anyone else ever submitted a thesis without anyone actually checking it first?

And apparently he ony reads stuff at a meeting and feeds back. So I'm wondering just how thoroughly 30 pages of theoretical math modelling can be checked by someone who is unfamliar with both the method and the topic by reading it through for 10 minutes. So I wonder if it's even worth chasing for. Am I doomed.

I'm just sliding into a murky sludgy working-from-home-in-a-black-hole rut here.

I feel for you, it sounds terrible but I wouldn't post him the lyrics! Is there anyone you can run it past?

I don't understand these people. Why agree to supervise and not show a commitment? It surely doesn't reflect well on them and it's not fair on you. Surely these people want to pull the best that they can out of their students and then take pride and credit in seeing them do so well?

Hope it all works out.

Personally, I would go for Opeth's "Master Apprentice" for the lyrics (If the words don't get the attention, the death-like growl will!)

I assume all avenues of communication have been used. If not, ring the lazy sod. It is dread living in fear of someone just taking 30 seconds to read something you have poured your soul into and then nonchalantly (sic) dismiss it. Contact your supervisor, stating the importance of the upcoming deadlines and if he/she can't read the full articles, send on detailed (but still concise) summarys of your work. State that if you get no answer back by a certain date, you can assume all is well (set the email to include a "read receipt" so you can prove it was read).
Sorry if the above may seem scatty but I know your frustration. Good luck with your research and remember there is a good gang of us here to help.

I don't think I can call *again* but I am thinking of just sending chapters to him and asking for feedback by a certain date. I think he's just leaving until Sep now anyway. At least, as you say, I can have a trail showing I tried.

I did try going to someone else in my dept for advice but he just said it wasn't his area - and I thought he was the closest.

Do you have one of the following that you could go to advice:
(i) a secondary supervisor
(ii) a grad tutor for your dept
(iii) a Dean of students?

The latter two can't help you with proofreading your thesis, but they can lean on your supervisor and make sure he does his job.

No-one can lean on my supervisor unfortunately - can't explain why without giving TMI

I have complained in the past and basically absolutely nothing happened. When he gets back though, I am really going to have to push harder for feedback. It's just really hard to keep any momentum going like this. It's as if this whole PhD is just a figment of my demented imagination...

How awful! I am so sorry to hear this!!! If none of the other ways of reaching him work, can you just appear unannounced at his office and WAIT ( and wait and wait) until he meets with you or sets up a definite date and time to meet? Sort of a mini sit in until he give you satisfaction? Can you ask that someone besides him review your thesis before submission--someone who is well versed in the theoretical math modelling you are doing? Suggest some names and etc, so that he has to say no ( if he would) to a person and not just a vague request?

Why not make a numbered list of exactly what you need before you feel comfortable to submit, and suggestions of how it might be done if the supervisor cannot do it ( ie another person to review, committee, something!) with dates by which you would like it accomplished. Not a list of demands, per se, but a list of what you NEED before you will submit, as in " I NEED these things from you, these are NON-NEGOTIABLE events that have to happen before I feel as if I am ready to submit." And dependent on the response, take it upwards, if needed, from there. You will at least have primo documentation.

Good thinking Olivia. I think I will make some kind of list come Sep and suggest that someone else needs to review at least some of it. I don't yet know who my internal examiner will be and I'm not sure how that might affect such a choice - maybe someone who acts as an advisor can't also be your exminer - could be tricky. Let's face it, people don't queue up enthusiastically to check someone's thesis when they don't ahve to.

He's very slippery. Quite likely to agree and promise everything then just disappear.

No you are not alone Smilodon, my professor is MIA since last year and my funds have ran out. He is supposedly working on a book, atleast that's the reason he gave me for not proofreading my chapters. I am in debt, somehow managing, working all alone form home. I just keep reminding myself that I have to finish the report and be ready from my side. Then when he is back I can force him to proofread and sign my exam papers.
I try not to think about my professor’s activities, whether he is ignoring me or he is not familiar with my subject that well, this makes me very tense and I cannot work on my report for days. So, just focus, focus, focus,…finish the report/thesis work. Think positive Smilodon, we all will definitely attain our goals just that the severity of hardship varies from individual to individual.

Hey LU - are you acknowledging your supervisor in you thesis....? I know I have to say soemthing - but I will be wording it VERY carefully.

Oh Smil…I wish I can write rubbish things about my professor or write nothing about him, hehe
On a serious note I think I will write good things about him, how he inspired me to complete my thesis, only because I want him to sign my exam papers and then I never have to see his face again.

Have you agreed/arranged an external examiner? Can you put some suggestions forward, and sandwich your needs around what you think this particular external may hone in on regarding your thesis, thus the need to make sure those points are covered, etc? I think its harder to dodge very specific requests/needs than vague ones.

Is there someone familiar with your area within your faculty or even in the university that is not on tap for being an internal that you could ask to have review your work?! Could you tell your supervisor that you want Professor Blogs, expert in whatever, to assist in the review of your thesis? Better yet, can you make an entire plan for thesis review before submission, and provide it to your supervisor with dates, action plans, who is responsible, follow up and report back to keep everyone accountable to the plan, etc, and ask him to commit to it?