1

During my first year, my supervisor advised me to have four objectives that lead to four contributions to the research.

Throughout the journey, until I'm now on my final year (in computer science), I realize myself to keep changing my objectives as the needs of the research keep evolving. And, as the research has evolved, some objectives do not make any sense due to some reasons such as it's not so significant, too simple, and redundant.

My supervisor is always asking how many of objectives (out of four) that I have achieved so far? I can't really answer as it has changed from my first to second, to third a year.

So my question is, is it normal if I keep changing my objectives without sticking the those I outlined during my first year? And, it is still okay to change objectives when I'm now in my final year?

Aqee
  • 57
  • 4
  • 1
    Have you been discussing the shifts in your objectives with your supervisor? – Patricia Shanahan May 17 '20 at 02:19
  • This will depend a lot on how big those changes were and how big they seem to your supervisor. I think it may be useful, both for you and for your supervisor, if you make a chart showing how your objectives have evolved, along with the reasons for those changes. – Andreas Blass May 17 '20 at 02:33
  • @PatriciaShanahan not yet – Aqee May 17 '20 at 02:39
  • @AndreasBlass My supervisor is not really contributing to my research. So, most of the things I decided on my self. I dilemma arose when I'm not sure whether the objectives can be considered as objectives for a PhD or not and I don't feel good about it. Then, I re-write them to fir with the current progress of my research – Aqee May 17 '20 at 02:41
  • @Aqee I don't think my experience is relevant, because each change in direction during my PhD research was discussed with my advisor as it was happening. I wanted his input on appropriateness of each new direction. – Patricia Shanahan May 17 '20 at 02:46
  • @PatriciaShanahan I'm facing the problem of unsupportive supervisor. So, I decided many things by myself. The direction doesn't change actually. Still the same main aim. But, the objectives involve throughout the way – Aqee May 17 '20 at 03:03
  • Relevant comic: PhD: Your plan vs. reality – lighthouse keeper May 17 '20 at 05:52
  • Can you provide more information on what an "objective" is in this context? For example, is an objective like "mentor a student" or "publish x papers", or is it more like "contribute to this specific area" or "improve this specific method"? – kjacks21 May 17 '20 at 18:05
  • @kjacks21it is more like "contribute to this specific area" – Aqee May 18 '20 at 00:20

1 Answers1

4

So my question is, is it normal if I keep changing my objectives without sticking the those I outlined during my first year?

Yes. It would be unusual if you did not improve your objectives. Improved objectives is a symptom of improved research.

And, it is still okay to change objectives when I'm now in my final year?

It's not okay to start your research over from scratch when you do not have enough time to complete new research. It is okay to discover that your existing efforts achieved goals you didn't think of when you started (but scientists should avoid data dredging). In other words, it depends on the details.

Anonymous Physicist
  • 98,828
  • 24
  • 203
  • 351