Thread: PhD Academics - Advice needed

Dear All PhD graduands and graduates,

I need some advice as to whether to make a complaint to the Research Office regarding a supervisor? Or whether I would be cutting my own nose off in the process?

I am following the supervisor's suggested chapter outline and I am following their suggested changes made to earlier drafts of the chapter - while working on the new draft. In the latest draft I have followed their previous instructions and constantly referred back to the chapter outline. After submitting the latest draft of the chapter - where I followed their earlier instructions in the previous draft; I am accused of introducing new factors into the write up and breaking away from the chapter outline. This is after I have followed their earlier instructions - to the letter. Yes I am repeating myself - through disbelief.

In my second to last submission of a chapter the only comments I got back was that I had "gone off the rails". This comment was located within a four page handwritten and scanned spray of accompanying vitriol. There were not comments as to how I could "get back on the rails" and I did not receive my chapter back.

Today I received comments back from the supervisor regarding the next chapter's draft. Again there are accusations of not following the chapter outline and making changes to the earlier draft - when I had actually followed their instructions in the earlier draft of how the chapter had to be changed!

I find this increasingly disheartening. Should I just swallow a tablespoon of cement and just harden up? I hope to submit my dissertation this September. The rate it is currently going I cannot see this happening.

Please PM with any responses.

Kind Regards
Lionel

I'll send you a PM.