Warning! This page not updated since August 1993.

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Whom to avoid

Grant Swingers and Research Millers. Do not equate grant support or the size of an institute or research laboratory with quality. Not all research is expensive. Don't eliminate an advisor based solely on his or her grant support. Seek an advisor who knows quite a bit about your area, is enthusiastic about research, has a good publication record, and, of course, seems willing to offer help.

Those not at the bench. The best advisor is one who is still involved in active research themselves. The American Association of Universities recommends that ``students must be directed by experienced scientists. The director should supervise, teach, and encourage in-depth scrutiny and interpretation of results, emphasizing respect for primary data. Routine audit and review of all primary data by the laboratory director is strongly recommended. It is inadvisable for the director to delegate these important functions'' [Report of the Committee on the Integrity of Research, 1983].

The Perpetual Administrator. If your advisor of choice is someone who has many other professional responsibilities (being an officer in a professional society, the departmental chair, or editor of more than one journal), verify to your own satisfaction that this faculty member will have adequate time to work with you. Professional service activities are important and contribute to others doing science, but they can substantially reduce supervision quality, unless you are only one of a few advisees. If you think this might be a potential problem with your prospective advisor, ask him or her about it.