Dear Macia,

Welcome to the Ph.D reality!

Speaking only from experience I can say that things will not get any better.

It looks like you have picked up that your supervisor is dodgy (e.g. advice leads to nowhere, never admits anything etc). And he knows that:)

What will probably happen next, if hypothetically you are to have a problem with your Ph.D during examination you will be left dry.

So make sure you get other people to read it as well and don't rely on all advice given.

Forget about publications, say you will do them once u have submitted to examiners! Its important to focus on getting your Ph.D.

By putting on a second supervisor will serve as a good witness.

I had a second supervisor and a consultant, but still got shafted as these individual's never questioned the senior supervisor's dodgy tactics and behaviour. But by cc'ing everything created a good case so i could then start returning the same tactics and bullying type behaviour.

This process is going to be extremely stressful and you will need to be persistent. Do not give up!

I think you should start documenting the tactics via email correspondence, that way you can then create a memo if it continues and take it your dean or head of school for a quite chat.

You are not the first, this happens all the time especially when students are brighter than their senior supervisors!

In hindsight you will see that these individuals should not be on the Ph.D supervision registrar.

In the meantime keep on working hard, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Also try and contact past students of your supervisor, its more than certain that this has previously happened to them this way you can see what they did to graduate.

If you are to take it elsewhere it won't look gd on your record & also the work u have already done might not be gd enough for the new supervisor(s).

I hope that helps,

Good luck:)