| The relationship you have with your dissertation | | | | often in advisory relationships. This may occur for |
| advisor is important, both in terms of your professional | | | | several reasons. The first most common reason is |
| development, and in terms of how easy (or difficult) | | | | that the graduate student selects the advisor due to |
| the dissertation process is for you. | | | | the advisor's status, rather than his or her capacity to |
| A good advisor will support you to grow as a scholar, | | | | effectively advise. The second most common reason |
| while helping you navigate the dissertation process so | | | | is that the graduate student does not take ownership |
| you can complete easily. This doesn't mean a good | | | | or direction of the dissertation process, and loses a lot |
| advisor accepts low quality work or bypasses the | | | | of time trying to gauge what would please the advisor |
| process. Instead, a good advisor helps you find | | | | rather than focusing on getting through the dissertation |
| solutions to your problems, while keeping in mind that | | | | process quickly. |
| the whole point of the process is to help you get your | | | | If you are in the process of selecting your dissertation |
| degree. | | | | advisor, be sure to ask yourself questions like, "Do I like |
| While there may be not truly "bad" advisors (though I'm | | | | this person?" "Do I respect him or her?" "Would I want |
| sure some of you would disagree), poor advisory | | | | to be like him or her as a person?" Be sure to avoid |
| relationships are created when there is a difference in | | | | focusing solely on your advisor's accomplishments or |
| level of emotional match between advisor and | | | | achievements, because remember: those |
| advisee. In my experience, lack of emotional match is | | | | achievements belong to your advisor. None of that |
| the biggest reason dissertation advisory relationships | | | | glory will reflect onto you if you can't complete your |
| fail. | | | | dissertation and get your Ph.D. |
| Lack of emotional match shows up when you need | | | | If you already have an advisor, take care to treat this |
| reassurance from your advisor, and s/he doesn't | | | | relationship respectfully, and to be clear about your |
| return your phone calls. Lack of emotional match | | | | requests and questions. Most advisors will try to meet |
| shows up when your advisor expects to meet with | | | | your advisory needs, if they just know what they are. |
| you, and you cancel at the last minute. Lack of | | | | Working well with your dissertation advisor is an |
| emotional match shows up when you feel stressed | | | | important aspect of a successful dissertation process. |
| and worried about what your advisor thinks of you, | | | | The more you and your advisor respect each other |
| and this fear and tension impacts your capacity to | | | | and work well together, the better and easier your |
| actually get your work done. | | | | dissertation process will be. |
| Unfortunately, lack of emotional match happens quite | | | | |