[what if your advisor is never happy with your thesis progress?]

I just spoke to one of my professors to advise me for my master's thesis. The thesis in my dept. is basically one semester (3 cr.) worth of work with the background research/proposal being done the prior semester. I am already working on the background work/proposal.

Suddenly, one student tells me that this professor delayed graduation for a student by 4 semester(2 years) while working on the master's thesis.

I don't get it. Does this mean the professor was constantly making excuses about the student's work or possibly not giving him a weekly meeting time?

What would the student do in such a case? This is not a PhD dissertation , so I don't expect it to go over two semester(if anything).

[How do you find the original source of information for publishing a paper?]

TakeruK, you totally answered my questions. Thanks for helping me out(and interpreting my mess)! I really did not know how to work it(clearly, first time publishing LOL).

Well, yes, this is somewhat like a review chapter. So I believe I would have to read existing reports/information and then summarize everything into this chapter . Ofcourse, I would use appropriate citations.

[How do you find the original source of information for publishing a paper?]

fuzzylogician, I know I messed up!!!

Well, the thing is i'm publishing a chapter for a book along with my professor. Most of the information for this chapter is existing, based on current investigations/reports, so my question is how can I make the information my own without going into plagiarism issues etc? are publicaitions always 100% original data and research?

[How do you find the original source of information for publishing a paper?]

I approached a professor for publishing and he said he is currently working towards a book. I could contribute towards one of the chapters , he says. The chapters are basically case studies and most of the information is available in reports published by respective authorities.

How do I use this information to use towards my own chapter? I'm also concerned about plagiarism but then, again, no new research needs to be done. I'm confused about how to go about this whole publishing process.

[Master's Thesis v/s Non-thesis option]

Dal - Yeah, I have my reasons for choosing to do the thesis. Having said that, I must mention that i'm not a bad test taker. Infact, I do better on exams than when I have to write up papers lol. However, the thesis might give me a good oppurtunity to improve writing skills.

We don't have a flexible comp format - it is a written exam.

I am definitely not thinking of a PhD right now or for the near future.

Takeru - LOL, yea may be i'm looking for reassurance. We also have many profs that allow us to replace a final exam with a project+pres+paper. However, I'm guessing that these projects are small in comparison to a master's thesis? We usually write up 10 pages for the paper and this paper is expected to be 40 pages.

God to hear that you defended your thesis . We do not have defence in my Dept. All we need to do is submit the thesis and wait for it to get approved.

[Master's Thesis v/s Non-thesis option]

Dal PhDer - as with many posts your replies are usually the first Thanks.

I agree that a thesis might not be easier but the comp does not sound eaasier to me either(which is what makes me wonder what motivates students to sit for the exam). I'm picking the thesis just to get some research experience( and work on a topic that wxcites me if I am lucky to get the topic approved by my advisor lol), and I feel it is less riskier than the exam. We do not have a defence for master's thesis at my university. Once the advisor approves the thesis, it is forwarded to the dept chair and then finally to the office of graduate studies for approval. My academic advisor (not thesis advisor)told me there is almost no chance that a student's thesis will be rejected because the advisor will not send it up to the Dept chair if he thinks it is not ready yet.

EDIT: Another reason for me to avoid the comp is I don't feel like going back to courses that I am done with which is what the comp is all about. We choose 3 areas(basically 3 courses) and sit for the exam.

[Master's Thesis v/s Non-thesis option]

What are your thoughts on writing up a thesis as opposed to taking the comp? In my program, most students do the comp. We have two attempts to pass the comp and again most students do pass it in exactly two attempts. A few have trouble with this.

I'm thinking of doing the the thesis because it actually sounds easier to me. I'm not really concerned with the usefulness of a thesis after graduation( i don't even think it matters in my field - computer science). I'm just concerned with graduating on time and with lesser amount of stress. The added bonus is a thesis might be useful when looking for jobs in the industry.

It is a 30-40 page document for us( font of about 12 and single spaced) and the class is a 2 credit registration. So my advisor actually told me to do the background research and write up the proposal this coming semester(Fall 2012). In the next semester, I sign up for the thesis class which is 2-credits and write the thesis. She said if I want to graduate in june then it is better to hand it in by april. She also mentioned that this need not be an original topic like a PhD thesis , it could be an extension of an existing thesis with new data or it could be a data analysis of an existing document or a case study and so on.

i'm confused now but more inclined toward the thesis. Any opinions/comments. Happy to hear

[Had an exchange of bad words with my academic advisor]

Dal PhDer -I don't even want to go in actually! I'm seriously in no mood to go to her office hours and talk about something. But looks like all of you here are suggesting this - which means I might have to do it sometime this week during her office hours.

I am definitely stressed about courses actually - I m in my Final semester of coursess and don't want to be hanging around in the spring doing courses. My next semester, Spring 2013, is only for the research and thesis.

Even if I decide to go in and see her , Im not going to show any emails or communication that might hint her in the wrong. I'm just going to apologize and leave.

She is my academic advisor and is supposed to guide me(what an irony!). I know it sounds crazy, because she is so forgetful. There is another advisor too but he advises only in the Fall and this advisor is present for the Spring and the Summer.

I would go and chat with her face to face. I think miscommunications happen a lot via email, so I wouldn't worry. As others have said, I would go in being apologetic and non-combative. Even if you are frustrated by her advice, it's always best to stay on people's good sides.

You might want to also stress to her (very politely) that you're confused, worried and stressed out about which courses to take. It sounds like you're taking a course that might not be related to your thesis topic, is this a required course for your department?

I remember during my MA I had to take a course on program evaluation...I hated it. HATED it. Hate is not a strong enough word. The entire time I did it I was like "..this is the stupidiest class ever! I am never going to use it! Wah wah wah!!" ...turns out, it was probably the most valuable class I have ever taken. I use a lot of the theories and readings from it still! So, even if it's not a class you may think you need and/or will enjoy, it could still have value.

Do you have the meeting notes from your communications with her? Or emails? If you do, and they show she is giving conflicting advice, maybe present them to her in a way that's polite and gentle. In all fairness, perhaps she got confused or just made a mistake with what she told you!

Edit: On another note, do you have an advisor? For both my MA and PhD my advisor (and committee) guided me through my course selection.

[Had an exchange of bad words with my academic advisor]

Sounds like this is the first problem you've had with this professor? If so, don't over-react and don't go to the ombudsperson unless there are actual repercussions (e.g., if she is vengeful in some way). I would recommend apologizing - if she is so forgetful that she's already put this completely out of her mind then she'll probably forget again, but if she still remembers you'll be better off if you set the record straight. As wildviolet says - Feign ignorance. Smile. It doesn't matter that you're in the right and she is in the wrong, she is the one in the position of power.

Yes - first problem I've had with this professor and any professor in my program so far! I definitely don't plan to talk to the ombudsperson. I really don't know what to go in and say , it will be so uncomfortable, so I feel I rather ignore (or may be e-mail) and let her also forget it.

ahh, such an uncomfortable situation for me. I hate it.

[Had an exchange of bad words with my academic advisor]

If the situation is bad maybe you can use the ombuts person in your university if you have one. My understanding is that their role is exactly to smooth out conflicts like these. Try to see if they can help you .

I'm not sure if I should even highlight this to the ombudsperson yet? I mean this professor is not the "revengeful" or "rude" kind. Also, many students routinely mess up with professors in class and they seem to do fine. i've never ever messed up with any professor or colleagu/boss.

I'm still confused on what to do, I wil lwait for a few more replies and then decide.

[Had an exchange of bad words with my academic advisor]

I would go see her and apologize for stepping on her toes. Feign ignorance. Smile.

I had an advisor like that for my MS, and she wasn't even old! She just had too many advisees, so I think sometimes she confused me with another student. Anyway, things like this happen. A sincere apology is usually sufficient, even if she is in the wrong. Remember who has the power and authority here? That's the way the world works. If you want to get things done, you need to know and be respectful to the right people. If that means sometimes having to kowtow to others, then so be it. You'll always know you were right. Good luck working this out.

hmm, i'm thinking if I should even say anything because most likely she has forgotten this by now and saying anything only makes her remember it. I am ready to apologize, for no fault of mine, but I just find it awkward.

[Had an exchange of bad words with my academic advisor]

She is the acting graduate advisor for my program and there's another advisor too but he is on sabbatical currently and so this acting advisor is here to advise us.

I've take a class with her before, attended many advising/office hours with her and never had an issue. However, she is on the older side and is very forgetful and also tends to make mistakes. for example, in one session she wil ltell a student to take course ABC and in the next meeting with her to discuss course work she will say why are you doing aBC, it will not count toward any of your requirements except the elective course and you should do XYZ.

This is what happened with me too. She told me to take a course saying they could approve it for one another course because both are similar. Ok, greatt I said and signed up. Lastweek, during her office hours, i go to her again to talk about something else(master's thesis/research) and she saw my course selection and said it won't work. Well, she was the one who told me to take this one course(this course is of NO interest tome and i would never ever sign up on my own). It is a hassle to change course in my Dept(tat's a different thing).

So, I left her ofice, got home and thought over it. I got this not-so-bright-idea to email the other advisor and see how what he says. He, apparently, forwared my e-mail to this lady and she replies back rather angry(not rude) -

did you not like the answer you got? we discussed this during my office hours and i am the graduate deputy for this semester, not Prof. ABC.".

I haven't replied to her e-mail becuase i do not want to continue this exchange(should I???) but now i'm worried if she can actually do any harm? For example, we need permission to register for some courses and we have to email this advisor to get approval? what if she refuses(well, most likely she wont) , what if there are problem graduating when i'm just one semester away from my degree and so on..... ofcourse, i've seen student have worse arguments with professors in the class andn othing really happens to them but i'm worried.

What do you think i should do? is this whole thing even worth losing two nights'sleep? I've been stressed for two ngihts now. she is, thank fully, not the person i will be working with for my master's thesis.

[Did you/ Do you choose a thesis topic that you absolutely love?How to discuss this with your advisor?]

Dal PhDer - that was a useful insight to me.

Hmmm....I am thinking of just going i nand aksing if he has any current research/any current interest and then taking it from there.

Having met this person before who was also open to have me propose a topic, means that i could take a topic to him. But the important part, as you mention, would be the data collection which might take time!

[Did you/ Do you choose a thesis topic that you absolutely love?How to discuss this with your advisor?]

I'm working toward my M.S in Information Systems and Business Degree. The program has a non-thesis (comprehensive Exam)and a thesis option. Most students in our Program sit for the exam. I would like to do the Thesis and associated research for the following reasons (1) get some research experience that might help in Industry or in the improbable case that I might want to do a PhD later on in life. (2) oppurtunity to read up interesting stuff in my area and more exciting if the thesis topic is related to my ideas of interest (3) This is the last course that I have and the thesis course gives me the flexibility to not go to Campus everyday and/or take up a full-time job. My Husband and me are also planning to Try for a baby and in the event that I get pregnant. I would be happy not to travel and go when I have to /want to.(4) I don't enjoy exams much and some courses are totally hated by me, so studying for those courses during the exam period could be stressful.

My goal is to get back into the Industry once I graduate.

I'm about to sign up for my Thesis course(M.S. Thesis) and I have very vague ideas about what I would want to do.

I spoke to one of the Professors in my Dept and he told me to come and see him after a weel. He also asked me if I have any idea in mind, to which I have not yet replied back as this was an e-mail conversation.

Now, my questions are, what should I tell this professor about my areas of interest when I meet him? What if he knows that I have not nailed down a topic? What if he offers me something that's outside my interest(assuming that atleast the broader topic is of interest to me)? And should I read up some papers before I go see him?

Our research course is a 2 or 3 credit course(we get to choose) and followed by 40-50 page document on our findings.

In the event that the Thesis Course does not work out for me, I have to sit for the Exam which is ok with me.

Thank You for reading

[Grad school ruins your eyes?]

And I thought I'm the only one with diminishing vision.

My eyesight has worsened too. I use contacts most of the time but that's no help, infact it makes my eyes drier and more tired-feeling. I still use contacts 3-4 days a week though. Mine worsened by 0.5 after I started my MS program and yeah carrots help for sure. There was a time when I used to routinely eat carrots for lunch and my eyes always felt healthy. I take vitamin A supplements but nothing can beat the effects of natural carrots.

I try to break from working on the computer and use text books/print outs for my studying. I'm not a TV person, so no issues there.

[Foreign degree hurt my chances in academia in USA?]

Yes, I can point you to their websites(if they have one) , if you like. Send me a PM if you want.

any way good luck

[Foreign degree hurt my chances in academia in USA?]

I don't have as detailed answers ,which are great answers. as you have got here from fellow members. However, I can tell you that I am in a grad porgram(master's) and I have many professors in my Dept who have got PhD's from non- US universities(Europe, Canada, Asia). They are doing fine.

But how hard it was for them to land the first academia job - we wil never know

[Point of Contact for International students?]

I meant that you could try and have the administrative staff in your department contact the unhelpful ISO staff. Sometimes people are more helpful if they think that they are assisting another admin staff member instead of a student. But if the problem is that you don't trust the answers you might get, maybe it's not worth a try. Can you contact someone in the US immigration directly with the question? If it's seriously important I'd also consider paying an immigration lawyer for some reliable answers. And there are other schools' websites, as I mentioned above.

Yeah, that's the problem for me. They do not even listen and after listening all I get is " this is the rule". Hey, there is no rule like the one they are talking about.

Yes,I am planning to contact a lawyer too.

[Point of Contact for International students?]

I'd start with either asking the office staff itself and (in the likely case they don't know) have *them* ask your quesions of someone in the international student office. I've done this before with unhelpful staff and it's always worked out. Admin assistants are sometimes nicer to each other than to students.

Now, if the problem is one of incompetence where you simply don't trust the answers you might get, try searching online. Some universities have wonderful ISO websites that list a lot of information.

fuzzylogician,

yes, admin staff is a little better in my school too. you mean admin staff, although unhelpful, might still be able to help me?

the thing is i've got some answers which are TOTALLY wrong. I have the correct answers too but no on in the office wants to even hear me out ..this is screwing up my situation and they don't seem to care. my school's website is not well developed, but i could try other schools' websites as you say

[Point of Contact for International students?]

I would start with someone in your department. If they suggest you go to the international office, tell them that you did and did not receive help. If they don't know where you should go, try somewhere else. If all else fails, go to the international office and deal with the staff.

Thanks ktel.

It is so sad that we nternational students have to go through all this When will USCIS realize this.

SAdly, I have heard such complaints from friends from many other schools too, not necesarily mine.

[Point of Contact for International students?]

I have found grouchy administrative staff at almost every university I have dealt with. Especially my undergrad. Still had a great experience.

EXACTLY ktel!

I enjoy my classes, my professors and most of the other offices such as the bursar, registrar. I would not want to transfer out just because of this. I want to stay in the system and fight it out. The only problem is I do not know whom to approach.

[Point of Contact for International students?]

You're very welcome. Also, I don't know what your department's administrative staff is like, but at my current school they are very friendly and helpful in the music department administration.

Oh hey, I just noticed you're at CUNY! I just got invited to interview there on February 18... I'm an international student too, so I guess I will keep that in mind about their crappy international student's office!!

Yes, my Dept staff are usually friendly and so is my graduate advisor.

Yes I'm at CUNY but NOT all the international staff members are this way. So don't be bothered and go for your interview.

If you want to talk more about CUNY,you could send me a personal message.

[Point of Contact for International students?]

I would try talking to a professor you trust, someone in administration from your department, other international students if you know any, or any career counselors your school offers!

thank you so much.

i do not know students but i could talk to my professors and career counselors in the school.

[Point of Contact for International students?]

you should reconsider attending a school that doesn't treat you well!

I totally agree but that's not my question because, I am mid way through my program and transferring out is not an option.

[Point of Contact for International students?]

Hello All,

whom do you go to if you have questions about your current F-1 status? is there an advisor?

I am an international student but my school's international students office is totally unapproacchable and I really need answers to some questions. I don't know how to approach them. They make me feel like a piece of crap, despite paying more tuition as compared to residents!