Hi kenziebob and Tudor_Queen. No, we don't have that sort of system in place. At the beginning we were given two advisors, however my second one was pushed out by my first, and as he showed no interest when I spoke to him I pretty much only really had one sup. It turns out my one sup was terrible. My newest supervisor I sort of used as an advisor. I went to her when I finally had enough and she stepped in as my new first making the critical one my second and getting rid of my old supervisor completely, who had previously stepped down to a second after retirement. It was never my choice for her to stay on board after I found out how bad she was.

I think at this stage with everything that's went wrong, I have zero confidence in my work. Because of my original supervisor being so bad with very little feedback and then a very critical supervisor, who was a lot of the times just nasty with his comments, I find it hard now to judge if my work is ok or if they all think I'm crap. Added to that my old supervisor still phones me leaving voicemails for some non existent chapter or being confused and thinking he's still my supervisor as he doesn't remember.

I obviously know the forum can't tell me if my work is crap etc so I suppose I'm just venting to people who may see where I'm coming from. It's very hard to explain to people who don't understand the PhD system or process.

So basically I was originally hoping to submit in Spring but because I have been held back by this one chapter and all the changes I still have another chapter to write. So I am aiming for submission in August. To be honest my whole PhD has been a horrible experience and I wish I had never decided to do it. I received full funding and knew it would be tough but I did not see all these supervisory changes coming nor the fact that I had bad supervision to begin with. Because I also had the same supervisor from undergrad I never knew what a good supervisor was actually meant to do. So instead of getting help at the start improving my writing, its only happening now this far in and after constant criticism from the supervisor who took me on after my original retired. He is now basically my second supervisor with his boss my new first. She gives constructive feedback but because of the past I feel like an absolute failure when she changes some of my writing or suggests it.

It's all so blooming complicated and as such its hard to find any advice for it online. I guess I just wanted to vent, so apologies for how long winded it is. I am just very frustrated as all my peers have now submitted and I'm so behind due to all these issues I've had. I now just want to get a job as I have a family and my stipend ends in Spring. My extension will give me free fees but no income so in the next couple of months I will need to get a job and complete my thesis in my spare time.

Basically, I want to know if any of this normal? It is very hard to know how often supervisor changes happen or their frequency?

I soon approached the University to ask for help but because old sup is not technically employed by the University they can't do anything except tell me to block the number and that I would soon get a new supervisor. I've blocked the number but that doesn't stop voicemail's getting through and I've had dozens over the last few months. I feel horrible for my old supervisor because they are clearly struggling. However, I am also struggling with my new supervisor and his constant criticism of my work. So I made an apt with one of the senior lecturers and explained the situation. She has now came on board as a supervisor. While not in my area of study, she is looking at my writing as the constant criticism from my other supervisor has really shredded my confidence. She is giving my feedback, however the confidence issue is still there as I have been working on one chapter for over 16 months. Yes, ONE CHAPTER. I started the chapter with my old supervisor and she wanted minor changes. However the new supervisor after that hated it and wanted it changed along with the thesis layout. This was all in my second year.

I understand he thought my old supervisor was a horrible supervisor and he's correct. But the University knew this and yet did nothing until she left. I am feeling very under pressure as I want to finish and be rid of the PhD. The newest supervisor (my 3rd 'first' supervisor) who has came on board in last couple of months now wanted to see my work first because she knows my confidence is so low. Problem is, this chapter is now very near completion but it's had yet more changes because so each supervisor wanted different things. I constantly feel like my writing is below par and while I have the support of some of my other PhD students who cant believe the supervisory changes I've had to go through, it is very hard to explain the stress I feel...

Hello. I find this forum so helpful when I have been stressing about writing and general issues in the past, however it is very hard to find any advice for my (unusual) circumstances anywhere on the web. Basically I've had a nightmare experience on the PhD. I am currently in final year, however it now has to be extended. I started my PhD with the same supervisor I had for my undergraduate and Masters. In my second year, I found out that she was retiring from another person in the department. When I asked her she denied it and told me not to worry. Well basically I found out that my supervisor was not a good supervisor and actually had many students that dropped out near the end or required major corrections. Others in the dept knew this and nothing was done. When she finally left I got a new supervisor (I'd previously had two however my first had already edged the second supervisor out so they no longer had any idea what I was doing and weren't interested in getting to know it). My old supervisor (who retired) was re-appointed as my second because the university believed she understood my thesis topic.
My new supervisor was very harsh largely because we have very different writing styles. I write then reorganise while he writes perfectly from the beginning. I got a lot of critique with no positive comments which really affected my confidence to the point where I seriously considered leaving.

Flash forward to this year. Old supervisor has been harassing me by leaving me numerous voicemails asking for chapters I have already sent her and making comments like "I am your first supervisor so why is ***** getting your chapters first?" This has went on for months with me explaining patiently that I had already given her the chapter and she had given feedback on three separate occasions (each time because she had forgotten she had previously given feedback). It soon became clear that she is showing some form of early onset dementia or similar....

Thank you very much for your reply. I do really want my PhD. I have given very near two years to it, and I don't want to see my time wasted. I also still enjoy my research and that is why the journal showing interest in the article gave me some much needed confidence. I have now been told this morning, it is away for peer review.

What is really getting me down is my confidence now. The new supervisor really does not like how the original supervisor wanted the structure and layout of the thesis. I have no problems doing changes, I just wish I knew what they are. I also worry that since my new supervisor is showing little interest in addressing it, that they really don't think the thesis/me are worth their time. And their cop out when they found out I was full time, by saying they were my first supervisor 'on paper' made me feel worse.

I don't understand it, I am very active in the university PG activities and I always try to do lots to help the dept. The heads of our dept know me, and know I am a hard worker. Yet I feel like I am falling through the cracks and everyone is letting it. I am in a difficult position with my new supervisor because the person who I would need to go to to discuss my worries, is her close friend and mentor. Already, I know she will take her side.

No, I haven't met with the PG coordinator. They have recently changed, and none of us PhD's were told, and as of yet I have not yet met the new one. I think I may have to arrange an urgent meeting though. In regards to other PhD's, only one would be a friend, and we can speak honestly about the PhD. The others all pretend everything is going really well and they have no issues.

I do think student counselling would be a big help, so thank you for that.

This is because as a funded student, they are supposed to really keep on top of us. This is so that we don't fail or fall behind as they will have serious explaining to do due to the investment in us. After she found out I'm full time, she also tried to say that my original supervisor is the topic expert as he knows what I am doing. She also said that she is my first supervisor 'on paper' and will help where she can. Basically it sounded a complete cop out, and my supervisors really don't seem to give a s**t about me or my work.

I began to question everything, so I asked a friend to show me some of her feedback for her chapters, from her own supervisors. Needless to say they have pointed out grammar issues, structure issues and suggestions for readings which apparently supervisors should do. I have never had anything like this, and it is in no way because I am perfect because I definitely know I need help.

If anything I am now feeling as though they don't feel I am worth getting through the PhD. I work hard, I got a first class honours in my undergrad and I received my masters, all with a young family and disability. I work hard, and they should know this. I can also take (and really want) constructive criticism as I know it significantly helps me improve. But I feel as though the new supervisor feels she's here too late, and therefore making excuses. And my original supervisor I just now feel is a waste of time. I also feel I should have had more involvement from other members of staff, considering I have since found out my original supervisor has never gotten a PhD student through the PhD successfully without major issues.

I really feel like I've been left out high and dry, and it has made me seriously doubt my own ability and even finishing the course.

Any advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

I am also having issues with my original supervisor as any work I send him he posts, yes POSTS, his feedback to me. This feedback is minimal at best, and neglectful at worst. It is usually two sentences, hard to read and as he doesn't use online marking systems to get it back to me it takes ages to receive. He is also poor at replying. Needless to say I am trying to keep going with other things at the moment and I drafted an article a journal showed interest in. I sent the draft to my original sup as the new one was away, and I revised it to his suggestions. Suffice to say the editor came back immediately with issues, and I was extremely embarrassed. I spent a week revising it to a much better spec, as the editors' comments were very detailed and very useful. He taught me a lot actually. However, he taught me what my supervisor should have. Also important to note is that my original supervisor is incredibly prominent in his field and has a very high volume of publications so he does know what needs to be done.

Anyway, I am literally at the end of my rope. So, I went to speak to my new supervisor this week by just dropping in unexpectedly, and told her how fed up I was. This included that I want to arrange a meeting asap as I really want to get work done. I basically found out she thought I was a part-time student, not full-time. She seemed slightly shocked when I said 'actually, I'm full-time and supposed to be finishing end of 2017'. I don't know if finding this out means that her attitude will change, but the fact that she didn't know has really gotten me down.

(contd. below)

Basically my thread title says it all. Apologies for the length of this post which carries on below.

I am a funded PhD student in English literature who is ready to quit, not because I want too but because I feel like I have no choice. I started off loving my PhD as I really love my research. My issues hinge around my supervision. Basically I did my undergrad and masters with the same supervisor. I had a second supervisor but she was never involved and showed little interest.

I was told in January this year that my supervisor would be retiring and I would get two new sups, however come April, not much happened. Also my supervisor never told me any of this, others did, as he clearly could not be bothered. Anyway it turns out he wanted to carry on with me as his doctoral student, and he was given permission. By this point worries had really set in, as I was told by a number of people, including two of his final year PhD's that he was a really bad supervisor. One student actually told me they got major corrections in their viva on issues that his supervisor should have picked up on from the start, such as the thesis covering much too long a period. I was then told, again not by him, that as he had retired he could no longer be my first supervisor and instead had to become my second. So, a new supervisor was appointed at the start of summer. I sent her all of my current chapters, and she came back with a LOT of issues, largely the structure. Apparently my original supervisor was guiding me badly and there is major changes that need done. This would be fine, but as of yet I still haven't had a meeting with my new supervisor as she is always away. So, I have no idea what changes I need to do and cant touch my thesis as the structure is bad and I don't know what she wants.

(contd. below)

Thank you both very much for your replies. I have spoken with my supervisors and basically because I was discussing PhD ideas I wasn't under IP until I had signed my PhD contract after accepting a place elsewhere I am in the humanities and the subject I am focusing on is under researched with few studying it. That's what led me to think that it was highly coincidental and/or suspicious. Thanks again.

Thanks very much for your advice. I know it is a tricky subject and I didn't know whether I should say anything to my supervisor. I will now though. Thanks!

I am/was very worried to be honest. However there are aspects to my research I have uncovered since starting my PhD which have came on leaps and bounds and have actually turned out to be my strongest things. I didn't know these things existed nor the results when I first applied for PhD and therefore I didn't pass it on to the potential supervisor. Funnily enough this other researcher is not doing any of this material. I can tweak my research so there is no significant cross over however I am really annoyed by the 'coincidence' of this though.

Hi,
I'm looking for a bit of advice if possible? I am a second yr PhD student in Humanities. When I was applying for my PhD and funding I applied to another University as well as the one I am now in. I met with a potential supervisor about my topic and went through it all with them. They mentioned they had a current PhD student who was about to submit who was looking at a topic that briefly touched upon my own but they were looking at it from a completely different angle. I have been studying the same area since my undergrad so I had a lot to tell the potential supervisor as I was then tidying up my masters. The potential supervisor loved my topic and said there was a lack of research in this area and it should be definitely be researched. Well I ended up being offered a place at this university but they could not offer me full funding so I turned it down.

Over Christmas there I received an email from my supervisor telling me that he found out there was a postdoc at another university who was doing very similar stuff to my own research and they are getting ready to publish articles. I looked them up and it turns out it is this former PhD student who had been mentioned to me by their supervisor. Their research is now very similar to my own and it is either highly coincidental or there is something suspicious. I would love some other opinions if possible as to whether I am right to be suspicious or not and what I can do/should do? I haven't yet spoken to my supervisor about this, I am meeting them tomorrow face to face and will then.

Thank you.