I have a problem with my research and I would welcome some advice. I have three Supervisors none of whom are experts in my area and this is now posing problems for me as I approach the end of my first year full time. I am feeling very mis understood by my main supervisor who is unsure of herself, know nothing about my subject and keeps deferring to my second supervisor who for some reason seems to think there is not enough mileage in my research to make it a PhD and anayway thinks that because I registered on an MPhil I should just complete as this. I am his first research student and he a pretty boy in his late 20's and I'm in my late thirties. This second supervisor took over three months to return an essay I gave him and then commented in the end of year report that I was not handing in enough work and should just complete as an MPhil. He also disappeared for 6 months shortly after I started to another part of the country to complete his first book and never responded to my email. There is a break down in communication or a lack of it and I am starting to feel that I should be given a PhD on managing supervisors!! Recently this second supervisor stopped my in the cafe (highly unusual as he usually ignores me), and looking slightly red faced and confused he asked me to explain the procedure in the college for upgrading from an MPhil to PhD !!!! HELP.....:$

Hi Gearoid,

In your first line you say you have three supervisors - can you talk to the third about these problems? Alternatively do you have a Director of Research you could have chat to?

I think it is clear your second supervisor doesn't have enough experience to supervise on his own, but by your main supervisor taking a back seat it sounds like this is what is happening. If he thinks there is not enough mileage in your reserach, why not stroke his ego a bit and ask for his suggestions on how you can improve it in his opinion? e.g. add another study or add on another methodoloy to look at the topic from 2 angles.... is that an option for you?

Do you have joint supervisions with both supervisors? Maybe this could be the way forward? Afterwards you can email round minutes so you are all aware of the outcomes and singing of the same hymn sheet and also you can agree deadlines in the meetings for feedback return.

L x

Hi Leanne,

Thank you kindly for your helpful reply. I have three supervisors well two have PhD's and the third is a subject advisor (no PhD) who is always very vague and never has much to say about my work. The second Supervisor runs the show and my first supervisor never has any time and can't be bothered to help me. Recently I asked him for a written commentary of the progress of my research and he replied "No".  My first Supervisor is the Dean of the Research School and is a drama queen always busy/unapproachable but never doing much. I would ideally like to have him replaced but as he is also the head of school I would have to approach his boss a very senior Professor and I'm not sure how that would go down with everyone, even though technically I am in my right to do so under the research guidelines. Ideally this is what I would like to do but I am worried it will impact on the other two. However doing nothing is just as stressful.:-( Why does research have to be this complicated:$