Getting the most out of
supervision
Dr Lyuba Alboul
Postgraduate Research Tutor, MERI
with support and input from Prof Doug Cleaver, Dr Kathy Doherty,
Prof Wayne Cranton, several supervisors and PhD students
What is a PhD?
You and your supervisor
Questions to a PhD researcher:
1. What did you expect from your supervisor(s) when you
started your PhD research?
2. What can you tell about your supervisory experience
now?
3. What do you think was/is expected of you?
4.
According to you, what are the most important
attributes of good supervision?
Image from tkgcareerconsultants.com
You and your supervisor
Answer the following questions:
1. What do you expect from your supervisor(s)? If you have
some supervisory experience, what can you tell about it
now?
2. What do you think is expected of you?
3.
According to you, what are the most important attributes of
good supervision?
Some answers from PhD researchers
What did you expect from your supervisor(s) when you started
your PhD research?
• "Direction in which PhD research is going in".
• "Point the student in the right direction, e.g. assist in finding some sources
that could prove useful towards the research".
• "At the beginning of my PhD I expected to receive guidance over choosing
the topic and application of the PhD.
In addition, I expected to receive criticism and view points over the
proposal".
Some answers from PhD researchers
What can you tell about your supervisory experience now?
• "It has been a wonderful experience with knowledge and
research experience growing everyday. My supervisor(s) are in
continuous touch and have meeting weekly and have the
freedom to go in their room and discuss things".
• "Friendly bond - it is possible to ask the supervisor(s) advice on
things in addition to the research work, e.g. interests".
Some answers from PhD researchers
What do you think was/is expected of you?
• "To focus on the topic, stay committed, gain results, attend
provided classes nd interact consistently with the
supervisors!".
• "To be able to handle and do research independently and
answers problems which exist".
• "Almost continuous enthusiasm and motivation towards the
area of research".
• "Time Management, e.g. don’t be in the office in one
continuous stretch (have breaks)"
Some answers from PhD researchers
According to you, what are the most important
attributes of good supervision?
• "Making themselves available for students from time to time
(Continuous meetings). Staying in touch with their research and
having check if the path followed is correct or not".
• "Friendliness".
• "Point the student in the right direction".
• "Criticism and consistent interaction with the student".
• "Suggestion over the topic".
• "Introducing publication opportunities as supervisors are more
familiar with the available conferences in the field".
You and your supervisor
Question to a supervisor:
Which are, according to you, the key features
of effective supervisor- postgraduate student
relationship? And why?
And what do you think?
https://tle.wisc.edu/
Some answers from supervisors
• "Commitment: means the person has accepted the responsibility of the
role".
• "Dedication: means the person is willing to put the effort in to succeed".
• "Knowledge: means the person has the necessary tools for the job".
• "The supervisor must be very supportive in the early stages to overcome
any difficulties/uncertainties that arise".
• "Supervisor must encourage the researcher to take responsibility for the
project. Come with potential answers/solutions to challenges so that they
can be discussed, evaluated and prioritised".
• "Supervisor must take responsibility as well"
Some answers from supervisors
• "Supervisor should tell student of weaknesses in his/her own abilities.
Maybe supervisor needs to be prompted to put meetings in diary, may
detest filling out forms. May be poor at organising travel etc.".
• "Student needs access to supervisor’s intellectual knowledge and
experience – not necessarily organisational skills".
• "Student should learn to anticipate what the supervisor will think, act,
respond to certain situations and be prepared in advance with suggestions,
counterarguments etc.".
• "Supervisor and student are a team – if something goes off the rails then it
is a joint problem (in the first instance)".
Some answers from supervisors
• "Student must learn to provide upward feedback – perhaps the
supervisor has no experience of what manifests itself as a real
challenge to a student because it is outside the supervisor’s
experience".
• "It won’t always go well – it is first and foremost a relationship
between humans with all the associated frailties".
• "The supervisor is there to help develop the student to become a
self-sufficient scientist and researcher - not pamper them and do
everything for them".
• "In my opinion, key features (for both student and supervisor) are
honesty, trust, engagement and challenge. Plus hard work and
enjoyment".
Some answers from supervisors
• "I would say the key is to have a clear pattern of meetings and
setting of expectations. The relationship should change over
time with the student being more proactive in setting the
agenda of the meetings and discussion points, but initially this
is driven by the supervisor".
• "A regular pattern of meetings and the agreement on actions
and expected outcomes is key".
Epigeum
• Managing your Research Supervisor
• What you can expect from
your supervisor
Managing your Research Supervisor or Principal Investigator,
What you can expect from your supervisor
What do expect from the supervisor
• A proper reading of work you have submitted
to them.
• Timely and constructive feedback on work
submitted.
• A willingness to listen to and engage with you
intellectually.
• Administrative responsibilities properly and
promptly addressed.
What your supervisor can reasonably
expect of you
• Keep appointments.
• Try to address what the supervisor advises.
• If you disagree with them, have a good argument to
back up your point.
• If you do not understand any advice, ask for further
explanation, and don’t just disappear in fright/in a huff.
• Do not overburden them with too many similar drafts –
they will not be able to cast a fresh eye over it after the
second draft.
• Administrative responsibilities properly and promptly
addressed.
•
http://www.findaphd.com/advice/doing/you-and-your-phd-supervisor.aspx
Establishing good relationship
Good work habits
Cardinal rules
• Be honest
• Be articulate
• Be informative
• Be respectful
• Be adult
Behaviours to avoid
• Falling to respect the supervisors' time
pressure
• Dumping demands on the supervisor at the
last minute
• Expecting the supervisor to organise
everything
• Organizing things without consulting the
supervisor
Behaviours to avoid
•
•
•
•
Bypassing
Assuming
Ignoring
Gossiping
Dealing with difficult issues
• 'Isms'
• Intellectual properties issues
• Non-communication
• Harassments
There are people to turn to:
Postgraduate tutors, Wise persons
Useful links
• http://www.mondofacto.com/study-skills/research/how-todo-your-research-project/02.html
• http://www.findaphd.com/advice/doing/phd-problems.aspx
• https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/doing-adoctorate/starting-a-doctorate/supervision-and-keyrelationships