next »

[mantis]

My major professor was not much of a help. Instead, I felt she was stalling me.  I was supposed to graduate last semester. Handed in everything by October. She did not have time to read it so at the last minute I said I would spend one more semester. She had the nerve to smile and say: "It is up to you!" This semester, I work really hard on everything.  But she did not pass my last chapter(I have two more to go), asked me a few dumb questions about the chapter, and told me I did not have a clear concept.  I am very sure she only read every topic sentence of the whole chapter without the least idea of what was going on. I am on a very tight schedule so I really do not want to go into that again with her.  In this case, should I go to the second reader without the first professor's approval?

[lohai0]

It sounds like you are in the UK system, so I won't be of much help, but can you share what general field you are in? That way when the actual experts come along they can be more helpful.

[mended_drum]

It sounds to me as if you need another opinion of your work, beyond that of your advisor and the second reader, someone at your institution who might be experienced enough to evaluate your work objectively.  I would not, however, call you professor a "moron" (which does not seem likely if she holds a degree in your field) or describe her comments as "dumb" even to yourself, let alone to someone else. 

[oldfullprof]

You're at Brandeis, no?

[womanofproperty]

My major professor was not much of a help. Instead, I felt she was stalling me.  I was supposed to graduate last semester. Handed in everything by October. She did not have time to read it so at the last minute I said I would spend one more semester. She had the nerve to smile and say: "It is up to you!" This semester, I work really hard on everything.  But she did not pass my last chapter(I have two more to go), asked me a few dumb questions about the chapter, and told me I did not have a clear concept.  I am very sure she only read every topic sentence of the whole chapter without the least idea of what was going on. I am on a very tight schedule so I really do not want to go into that again with her.  In this case, should I go to the second reader without the first professor's approval?

OP, I'm confused. First you stated that you were supposed to graduate last semester and handed everything in last October.

However, merely handing work in is not the same as getting work approved - that step still apparently needs to be completed.

Apparently your advisor has not approved the latest chapter and you have "two more to go". I understand this to  mean that your advisor wants you to revise one chapter and will at some point have comments on two other chapters, which have been written but not critiqued.

Mended_drum's suggestion is excellent.

I understand your frustration and desire to complete your program, but I think the quickest way to do that would be to find out (either from your advisor or someone else) what you might do to improve your chapters so that they will be approved.

I think a willingness to accept criticism and advice will provide the quickest route to your goal of graduation.

[offthemarket]

Just from what I've read, I imagine that the major advisor has expectations that aren't being met by the original poster.

[bewilderedta]

I would consider the possibility that your professor is not a moron, that her judgment of your work may be accurate, and that you may need to give her criticism some serious thought.

That's not your real name you're posting under, is it? Because that would be a very poor idea.

[tinyzombie]

I would consider the possibility that your professor is not a moron, that her judgment of your work may be accurate, and that you may need to give her criticism some serious thought.

That's not your real name you're posting under, is it? Because that would be a very poor idea.

This is the conclusion I came to from the OP's post.

[mantis]

I am Comparative Literature major. Thank you so much for all the responses. I will try to reconsider my professor's advise instead of fighting against it. 

[snowbound]

It can be frustrating waiting for a professor to deliver her critique of a chapter, but that time can be well spent by working on adapting a chapter for publication.  This will be very useful when you go on the job market.  It's not wasted time, unless you waste it.  If you submit an article that is good enough (and relevant enough to journal) to be sent out for review, you will get feedback from the readers.  Even if the article is rejected, the feedback can be really useful.

[mantis]

Is it even possible that my major professor is not doing her job? I checked my ideas about my diss with the second and third readers, and they do not seem to have any problem at all.  This is driving me nuts.  My major professor is not a native speaker.  To make it worse, I think she did not read my diss carefully enough, jumped into conclusion, and gave bad advise.  I know, I know, following her advise is the quickest way out. But this is really killing me.

[marigolds]

Is it even possible that my major professor is not doing her job? I checked my ideas about my diss with the second and third readers, and they do not seem to have any problem at all.  This is driving me nuts.  My major professor is not a native speaker.  To make it worse, I think she did not read my diss carefully enough, jumped into conclusion, and gave bad advise.  I know, I know, following her advise is the quickest way out. But this is really killing me.

Get a new adviser if you're not going to listen to the one you have.

[tinyzombie]

From your posts here, I'm wondering if you're a native speaker, to be honest, OP.

[moodymoodie]

From your posts here, I'm wondering if you're a native speaker, to be honest, OP.

I was thinking the same thing. The syntax, the syntax.

[mantis]

From your posts here, I'm wondering if you're a native speaker, to be honest, OP.

I was thinking the same thing. The syntax, the syntax.

I am not a native speaker. This does not help, does it?