Kinda hate my adviser right now

[doctoranda]

Okay so venting about my dissertation again. So if you dislike reading that please navigate away. (for your sanity). I managed to finish the chapter on Friday (like I wrote o Fri in a post) and sent all chapters in a bundle off to my adviser. I was so happy. But then that night I received an email asking me if those chapters were actually polished or a real draft because she can't read real drafts effectively. She asked me to send me polished chapters. I was annoyed so didn't respond until today. Then I told her today that all the chapters are relatively polished. Then I get a question from her to send everything together in 1 document with a title page and TOC "as if the dissertation is actually done" (her words). I have only gotten comments on any of my writing once in over a year period and only on 2 chapters out of the 4 that are done. I am just so annoyed. I was working diligently every weekday for a few hours but now I don't feel like working on it at all anymore (and break my productive streak). Maybe I can muster up new courage to tackle everything tomorrow.

I know there are more important things in life but I I feel like screaming...

[doctoranda]

Oh and she just emailed me again: the last draft chapter is too long, if I can break it up in 2 chapters -- I already told her and that I didn't know how to do that!

[potatopie]

Grrrr... angry for you too. Why be a supervisor if you're not going to offer any help to someone? I know it's a tough favor to ask, but do you have any friends or colleagues that would be willing to take a look at it. Maybe give just a chapter or so? Or is there a campus writing centre (ours is available to postgrads and doctoral candidates as well)? Just to get some advice, especially in dividing up the last chapter.

But congrats on finishing it up on Friday! Way to power through!

[Cheesecake]

Is there any any chance at all that you could get another advisor involved on it? This really doesn't sound like it's productive for you at all.
No other advice besides maybe buying a dart board and improving your game by putting a picture of her on there?

Good luck (and it's okay to scream once in a while!)

[clogged]

Scream. Then send us her addy. We might be able to help her realize her stupidity. And by we I mean the Dutchies and a couple of baseball bats.

[doctoranda]

You all make me smile! That and a batch of wine gums for dessert

[crimsonandclover]

Advisors who give no advice really tick me off. I sent mine 3 chapters in January and haven't heard back. Granted, I haven't been on him about it, but a little feedback would be nice. Can't you just print out a title page and TOC and send them to her? So what if 2 of the chapters aren't "polished" - let her wade through them and give you some tips. It's her job. (I know it's not that easy, unfortunately.)

[clickerish]

How very annoying. I'm sorry. Advisors can be idiots and insensitive to how nebulous writing is. Did your email specify that you wanted to know how to break up that chapter into two? Does she know this is a concern already or is she just not reading your email thoroughly? Have you give her lists of precise questions? Maybe you can't--with mine I have to be sneaky, but if you can, that might help you a lot.

As far as not breaking your streak of work (good job!), try to tell yourself that even if the feedback is crap, if you keep writing you will at least be done with a rough draft of something. You might have to change, to "polish" (whatever that means) but at least the bulk is done. I find that editing is easier than those first drafts...And give yourself a pat on the back for being so diligent!