PhD supervisor problems - (Apr/02/2007 )

Hi,

I would like some advice please,
i'm a 2nd year PhD student and whilst in general my relationship with my supervisor is ok i am having problems with my written work.
If i give him a abstract or paper that i have written and wish help and guidance, he ignores what i have done completely and re-writes in his own words.Plus i get sarcastic comments back. i have taken things to him and said that i would like to sit together and go through pieces of work, but this has not helped.
I am wanting to feel more independant in my work and take more responsiblity but finding it difficult with such a controlling supervisor.

thanks

I had the same problem.
you have to be patient, you will never find a PI that satisfy you at 100%. They all have some bad points.
Don't forget that your general relationship with you supervisor is OK.
It doesn't mean you are writing bad, but just not the same style, and for some people, it's difficult to let a paper go away when it's not written like you are used to. don't try to fight. I tried, and gave up. the relationship was going bad.

Your PI must be an Arian.

It's best to listen to him. U r still a student and U will have your time to write in your own style later in life.

as someone who entered PhD hell and came out the other side....
Your job isn't to produce a beautiful thesis that is writtent the way you want it, with lovely experiments. You job is to just get your three letters and get the hell out. Unless your supervisor actually changes your results or alters your point of view, just accept his changes. I have had the exact same thing happen to me, and it's so disheartening to get your hours of work returned completely defaced with corrections, but arguing over writing style probably won't get you anywhere. When you have your PhD you will be free to write any way you like

i think most of us are experiencing the same thing..we just need to be patient. Sometimes i receive sarcastic comments too from my adviser . But its ok, i just think that its really "part" of the PhD goal...And as long as i know that im not the only one experiencing that, then im ok with it and will just tag it as "normal"

I don't think it is a good idea to re-write people's work, as this will destroy their self-esteem.

When someone asked me to read her paper, I made many correction and suggestion but I tried not to re-write her paper ( I rewrote a few sentences).
I find out that it is not useful to make a lots of correction, without telling the writer what is the underlying problem with her writing.
They will just make the same mistake next time!!

The biggest problem you have is that you're not learning how to write well. Writing is a critical skill in our business, and don't let anybody tell you different. You can do two things to help yourself: take a course in scientific writing or professional writing if such courses are offered at your institution; and find a writing mentor, another professor or possibly a post-doc who writes well and is willing to go over your work. My institution has an Editor's Club made up of senior graduate students and post-docs who specialize in editing papers, dissertations, and grant applications. You may want to find out if your institution has a similar organization.

Thanks for all the advice, i really appreicate it . It is frustrating and it does upset me when i have put in so much time and effort in to a piece of writing and then have it ignored completely, BUT there will come a day when I can develop my own style and (hopefully) will have gained all the good points from my supervisors style.
A post-doc in my lab also had her abstract re-written by the same PI , so it is not just my style that he doesnt like.