So I am working on some research
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07 Feb 2008, 13:03
I am in a masters program and I found a mentor to guide me with some research. He will be a secondary author on my work (which seems fair).
SO... I am asking you PhD folks what I should expect from my mentor. We trade a few emails a week and I spend maybe 20 minutes talking to him after class about ideas, and thats about it (I am at the conceptual stage for a project). Is this a good level of interaction? I figured as I start to pull something meaningful together I will get more face time (? I hope?)
Also, is it strange that I feel like this professor is not necessarily really reading, thinking, understanding my ideas (based on some of his comments, which don't seem to make sense to me or connect to what I am trying to say). Should I expect them to sort of breeze through my stuff, and only really pay attention when I have something substantial (like a concrete concept, a hypothesis, design, lit review, etc.)
And finally, I was proof reading one of his articles and I caught some post hoc analysis going on (I know because of something he mentioned in class.) I brought it up in passing and he got really offended. It wasn't my intent to piss him off... but in light of all the info above should I try to find another mentor for my independent studies (keep in mind he is *really* a cool guy, and I don't think I will be able to find anyone else at least until the fall... if EVER. IMHO, the clock is ticking and I'd like to get a conference paper under my belt before I apply to PhD programs)
sigh.