Advisor inactive in research

[neededpractice]

Hello! 

I've never posted here before, but I've browsed the many forum topics and got a lot of great advice. I didn't see anything about this topic though: Having an inactive research advisor. I've just finished my first year of my PhD program in Psychology and feel behind all of my cohort. While it is ultimately up to me to have the discipline, I still feel like I'm missing out on a lot of useful things I was hoping to learn along the way. 

Some issues I have: 

- My advisor doesn't attend any of our lab meetings with undergrads and I feel like we (the more senior grad students and I) go in circles and don't provide valuable opportunities for our undergrads. 

- My advisor hasn't published anything herself in quite sometime and I don't think they are up to speed with the current practices. 

- The topic I'm covering I'm doing my research on isn't something they are extremely familiar with. 

- When doing statistical analyses, some of the practices are much older and simple which, according to my stats professor aren't quite the right things to do. 

 

Now, I really like my advisor as a person, but I worry I'm not getting solid practices in place to make me prepared for an actual academic or industry position. I want to suggest volunteering in another lab at the same time to get some more experience, but I'm afraid that will be met with negativity from them. If there is any advice or tips if you'd have similar situations, your input is valued and appreciated! 

[PsyDuck90]

Is there faculty that have more closely aligned research interests? I'm curious why you're working with someone who's expertise isn't that well aligned with yours. Is there another faculty member you have in mind? Also, is your funding directly tied to working with this particular person? In my experience and those of others I know, it isn't that uncommon to work with multiple people in a department throughout your graduate training. 

[neededpractice]

Hey, PsyDuck90! 

Well, my advisor specializes in a broad range of attitude change and formation of attitudes. They have multiple publications out from many years ago applying attitudes to a few different topics. I was partially attracted to the idea of getting varied experience and the flexibility I assumed that would offer me. My overall topic of mental health is still my main interest, but they don't have a lot of experience with the literature. While it's good for me to get better with it, I don't have someone to necessarily lean on to challenge me or put me in the right direction at times; that's not a big concern for me though. My main concern is the write up I'm doing for a study we looked at has made me question some of the feedback I'm getting in terms of the analyses to run. This has made me hesitant to do some of the analyses they are recommending for me to do. I'm not 100% certain and don't necessarily have the experience to question some of the practices except the stats class I took in the department. 

Funding is tied to being a teaching assistant within the department. The advisor has been great, I just don't know if I completely trust the advice that is being given to me. Right now, they are opposed to me doing any collaborations with others. I think this will lighten up after I get this project completed. If I have a bit more wiggle room to work with and learn from others, I don't think I'll have any issues with my advisor's style. Until then, it just feels a bit isolating and I'm worried to ask anyone in the department and question their advice. I will likely just do what they are advising me to do to get this first project done with and go from there. 

[PsyDuck90]

35 minutes ago, neededpractice said:

Hey, PsyDuck90! 

Well, my advisor specializes in a broad range of attitude change and formation of attitudes. They have multiple publications out from many years ago applying attitudes to a few different topics. I was partially attracted to the idea of getting varied experience and the flexibility I assumed that would offer me. My overall topic of mental health is still my main interest, but they don't have a lot of experience with the literature. While it's good for me to get better with it, I don't have someone to necessarily lean on to challenge me or put me in the right direction at times; that's not a big concern for me though. My main concern is the write up I'm doing for a study we looked at has made me question some of the feedback I'm getting in terms of the analyses to run. This has made me hesitant to do some of the analyses they are recommending for me to do. I'm not 100% certain and don't necessarily have the experience to question some of the practices except the stats class I took in the department. 

Funding is tied to being a teaching assistant within the department. The advisor has been great, I just don't know if I completely trust the advice that is being given to me. Right now, they are opposed to me doing any collaborations with others. I think this will lighten up after I get this project completed. If I have a bit more wiggle room to work with and learn from others, I don't think I'll have any issues with my advisor's style. Until then, it just feels a bit isolating and I'm worried to ask anyone in the department and question their advice. I will likely just do what they are advising me to do to get this first project done with and go from there. 

Honestly, that sounds like the best plan if you don't want to ruffle feathers. Also, it is ok to ask questions (at least it should be). The way you form them is important. For instance, can you ask your advisor why these analyses in a way that's like "hey, I know we discussed doing X. I learned Y in my stats class, so I was just curious what makes X preferable over Y?" So it's more about understanding the process and decision making rather than about you attacking the professor's methodology. You're in grad school to learn how to do be an independent scientist, and 1 way to get to that point is understanding the thought process that goes into making certain methodological choices, so you asking questions is a means of getting that insight. 

[neededpractice]

Thanks so much for the feedback! Just having some other opinions and insight is so helpful. I'll give this a shot and try to get this project under my belt and see what happens next! 

[MarineBluePsy]

Are you able to collaborate with faculty in another department?  I would never suggest anyone stick with an advisor that is inactive in research.  Mine decided to quit doing research right after I arrived, so I established opportunities in other departments and quit wasting my time on pointless lab meetings.