Withdrawing from Research

[Sats]

Hello all, I'm in a bit of a dilemma here.

I began working on a research project with a professor at my school. Since the beginning of the semester I've felt very lost, with little direction and more than a few times where my professor has simply told me to "deal with it" without trying to help me along. Anyways, long story short, I found out that my professor assumed I had taken Thermal Physics, when really I am only signed up for it for the following semester.

This shocked him (though I'm following the recommended physics plan for class order), and my research is slowly spiraling out of control. It's growing more clear that my professor doesn't want to work with me, and I'm considering withdrawing from the independent research credits. This would put a 'W' on my transcript though.

Should I go ahead and announce withdrawing? Would that 'W' be a major blow to my transcript? Should I just stick it out and try to make the best of it?

[PathIntegrals92]

You should talk to the professor first.
If the prof is okay with you working with him/her, then stay. Self study the things you have not learned and build from there.

If this research is really getting in the way of your courses than maybe you should consider dropping it. However, if that's not the case than you can certainly be productive! Is this theoretical?

[wompwomp]

Communication is key. I would recommend you talk to your professor about your misgivings, then go from there.

I went through a very uncomfortable research experience myself. Only at the end did I chat about it with the professor, and we both really ended up regretting our lack of communication.

[Sats]

Hey all, just updating you guys on my experience.

I decided to drop my research. It turned out just to be unfeasible to do with all my other classes, and ended up taking a W to my transcript. No hard feeling between the professor and I, just kinda a disappointment is all.

Hopefully it doesn't impact my grad school chances too much.

My only advice to others is make sure that the work you'll be doing isn't too strenuous along with your courses. Biggest planning mistake I've made, that's for sure.

[uhurulol]

Talk to your professor! Explain your entire situation to them, explain that you want the research experience and you don't want to have a poor relationship with them. If you elaborate your situation and tell them how you're feeling and show them you are committed to improving the situation I'm willing to bet they'd be happy to continue working with you.

Then again, I don't know the professor. It could be one of those sour apples that are just impossible to work constructively with. But I think your best bet is communication. Lay everything on the table with them, and decide from there based on how they react.

My research with my advisor felt overwhelming the first few months. I had very little idea what was going on; I only knew the main objective. However, kept I asking stupid question after stupid question, and now I'm doing significantly better and our research is going great. Professor's shouldn't expect you to be a research genius from the get-go, and if they do, they're not the type of professor you want to be working with.

[Sats]

Talk to your professor! Explain your entire situation to them, explain that you want the research experience and you don't want to have a poor relationship with them. If you elaborate your situation and tell them how you're feeling and show them you are committed to improving the situation I'm willing to bet they'd be happy to continue working with you.

Then again, I don't know the professor. It could be one of those sour apples that are just impossible to work constructively with. But I think your best bet is communication. Lay everything on the table with them, and decide from there based on how they react.

My research with my advisor felt overwhelming the first few months. I had very little idea what was going on; I only knew the main objective. However, kept I asking stupid question after stupid question, and now I'm doing significantly better and our research is going great. Professor's shouldn't expect you to be a research genius from the get-go, and if they do, they're not the type of professor you want to be working with.

Yeah, unfortunately my professor was just one of those sour apples. He was really expecting graduate or doctoral level work from, since that's all who he ever works with. I'm glad it worked out for you, but for me, it was either take a W or an E, and I'd rather not fail .

It was a learning experience to pick professors with a little more scrutiny I suppose haha

[uhurulol]

Sorry, I hadn't seen your last post before mine. I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out, but from the sound of it your professor was a bad egg. No professor should ever expect graduate RA work from someone in your position.

Do you have time to get into a little research with another professor? Perhaps you could explain what happened to someone and see if they could give you some volunteer research work to bolster your applications a bit.

[Sats]

I actually did do that haha. It's somewhat a smaller project, but at least it's something, y'know? Plus it helps that this one'll actually pan out to get a good LOR.

I gotta say, finding research as an undergrad was a challenge for me in the first place, dunno if that's true for everybody.