LadyJ

Seriously? Collaboration is one thing (which I love)....being asked to do a part of someone else's dissertation through your advisor (not from the student)...is quite another. Thank you for the advise on asking for authorship credit...I suppose that is one small crumb in the table scraps of academia...

I was recently asked by my advisor to do a great deal of work related to his other student's dissertation. I am under the impression that this student is struggling with a specific aspect of her dissertation...an aspect that happens to relate directly to my skill set. Apparently rather than make her learn, simply having me do it will "speed things along." The problem is, my advisor asked me to do this under the guise of my Research Assistantship with him...i.e., "I want you to do this task for me, which just so happens to be exactly what Jane Doe needs for her dissertation." At the bare minimum, I am fundamentally bothered by the idea of doing something that will be such a boon to a fellow student without her ever having to learn it herself (that's why we go to school, right?), and it seems to border the unethical for him to ask me as part of my RA-ship. I've been able to put off doing the task so far, but probably not for much longer. Any ideas on how to tactfully approach this with my advisor? Thanks!!