Make sure your advisor agrees to your timeline.

by | Advisor Relationships

When you are planning out your interim completion dates for each part of the dissertation, be certain to communicate your timeline and expected completion dates to your advisor, and be sure to obtain his/her assent with your plans. Making sure that your advisor is "on board" with your timeline gives you both a concrete platform for assessing your progress, and it provides your advisor a "snapshot" of your plans for completion. This can diminish any unpleasant 11th hour surprises, too. So if you haven’t made a timeline- do that now, and share it with your advisor. It can be a great way to motivate yourself and keep accruing support and input at the same time.