Getting the most out of

supervision

Dr Lyuba Alboul

Postgraduate Research Tutor, MERIwith 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-to-

do-your-research-project/02.html

• http://www.findaphd.com/advice/doing/phd-problems.aspx

• https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/doing-a-

doctorate/starting-a-doctorate/supervision-and-key-

relationships