This document discusses managing the relationship between PhD students and their supervisors. It outlines expectations for both parties, including the supervisor guiding the student's research and being available for meetings, and the student taking responsibility for their project and keeping their supervisor updated. Potential problems that can arise are explored, such as lack of guidance or feedback from supervisors or students not committing enough time. Strategies for overcoming issues are suggested, such as keeping a positive perspective, being organized, and communicating openly with the supervisor. The goal is for both parties to understand their roles and work cooperatively towards the student completing their PhD.

1. Managing the
Student-Supervisor
Relationship
SESSION ONE
DAY ONE

2. Planning for Best
Practice in Research

3. Coverage
 Managing expectations
 What you expect of us
 What we expect of you
 Ethics and Governance
 Planning your research strategy
 Acquiring the necessary skills

4. Managing Expectations
Why is this important?

5. Your expectations of the
University
 What are your expectations of the University?
 High quality, trained supervision
 Reasonable access to resources …
 Guidance on submission and completion
 Career development advice
 Managing expectations …

6. The university expectations of
you
 What are the University’s expectations of
you?
 Enthusiasm, commitment, professionalism,
good work ethic, curiousity, honesty and
integrity, knowledge of subject, organised
 Foster creativity, independence and reflection
 Ownership of your own research degree
programme

7. Role & Responsibilities of
Researchers
 Role and responsibilities of the supervisor
 Role and responsibilities of the student
 Work plans and timelines
 Good research practice
 Research degree training
 Research supports and infrastructure

8. Why is this important?
 We need to understand the relationship
between the supervisor and student – many
elements to a successful relationship
 The relationship may impact on what you do
and on your research and writing
 The roles vary over time – need to
understand how they change
 What is the objective of the research?

9. What should you expect of
your supervisor?
 PhD, qualified – professional, academic,
ethical standard of work
 Supervisor must know the regulations,
documents and procedures …. training
 Aware of available support services
 Can assess the research topic – does it have
merit?

10. Continued…
 Can identify your training needs
 Is accessible and gives adequate time for
uninterrupted supervision
 Competent in mentoring … adaptable …
watchful and resourceful … helps with career
 High expectations!

11. Responsibilities of the
student
 Be responsible for your own research
activity – only you can write the PhD
 Be responsible for your own personal
career development
 Be aware of academic rules, regulations,
ethical guidelines & grievance procedures
 Maintain regular contact with your
supervisor, agree & keep deadlines,
report on progress (end of semester
report) & keep a written record of
meetings

12. Continued…
 Seek and participate in training courses
 But do so in ordered way: not course junkies!
 Seek to publish your work, acknowledging
the role of the supervisor, co-publishing with
the supervisor when appropriate
 Submit your thesis within the agreed time
frame

13. Responsibilities of the
supervisor
At the outset at supervisor should
 Explain what is involved in doing a PhD
 Agree a programme of work and time
frame
 Agree the ground rules – find out what
your supervisor expects
 Acquaint you with regulations /
postgraduate charter
 Agree on a schedule of meetings /
deadlines

14. Work Plans and Timelines
 Plan out your project: Personal Development
Planner
 Use a weekly/monthly planner – plan each year
out
 Year 1, 2, 3 (4) – what are your supervisor’s
expectations? Parallel tasks, meetings, revision,
and writing tasks
 Be aware of time management
 What are your goals
 What tasks need to be completed
 Set deadlines for yourself
 Monitoring and review your progress

15. Common problems
 Poor planning & management of project
 Unrealistic expectations for the research
 Poor formulation of research question /
hypotheses
 Methodological difficulties
 Writing up
 Isolation
 Personal problems outside the research
 Inadequate or negligent supervision

16. Good Research Practice
 Research must be undertaken independently with the
support your supervisor(s)
 Research must be of the highest standard and conducted
in ethical manner … research ethics
 Maintain a good working relationship with your supervisor
 Importance of holding regular supervisory meetings
 Agree on training needs & skills development at the outset
 CV development / awareness of profession / networking
 Be prepared to attend conferences / give papers / publish
your research
 Be aware of IP issues and commercial possibilities

17. Working ethically
 Be honest: says it all
 Research Governance issues
 For example: what happens if a researcher
falsifies the data?
 Concentrating on avoiding the problem, not
trying to deal with it by legislating for it
 Plagiarism: short discussion on issues
 Co-authorship

18. Generic and transferable skills
 Personal Development Planning
 Training Needs Analysis
 Short programmes of skills: e.g.
 Research skills
 Searching databases, bibliography
management
 Data analysis
 Communication: posters, oral presentation
skills
 etc, etc

19. Transferable skills
 Define a research question / problem
 Literature searches
 Design how to collect the relevant data
 Write a report (“thesis”)
 Defend your thesis (viva voce exam = “the
viva”)

20. Plan what skills you need
 Personal Development Planners
 See them as a diary / planner for your entire
research programme

21. Theses: never too soon to start
planning!
 Monograph form
 e.g in sciences, Introduction, Materials &
Methods, Results, Discussion & Conclusions
 By publications (see code of practice)
 Individual chapters mimic publications
 DVD etc of supplementary materials: PhD
by practice
 Examination Board for your viva voce
examination determines what is the
accepted norm in your discipline, and
provides quality control for the university

22. Managing the
Student-Supervisor
Relationship

23. Relevance
 A PhD is difficult enough without problems
working with your supervisor!
 Other benefits
 learn how to manage professional relationships
 should minimise research problems

24. Supervision model
 Not static
 Freedom to supervise within guidelines to
own model
 Is your supervisor’s model clear to you?

25. Defining the Student’s Role
What should a PhD student take responsibility
for?
Feedback the range of activities that should
make up your role.

26. Student
 conduct original
investigations
 test ideas
 understand the context
of work
 identify and learn
necessary techniques
 ensure all work is
related to the final goal
 keep a research log book,
and keep it up to date
 regularly review their
personal timeline
 get involved in research
activities
 learn how to discuss their
ideas openly
 heed the supervisor's
advice!

27. Refining the Student’s Role
Think about the three years of a PhD…
With a time-line across the top, describe:
 how you develop during your first six months
 the competencies that you need to develop
 and how your professionalism will be seen by others
Groups of four, in 15min we will share these insights !

28. From other sessions…
0 6 12 18
• Familiarisation with field
• ‘Practice’ research
• Develop methodology
• See the need
• Define question
• Tune in
• Culture change
• Direction from supervisor
Competencies:
• ‘On top’ of literature
• Skills in place - incl writing
• Project mapped out
• Ideas/results emerging
• Apply & develop methodology
• Begin to meet the need
• Ask for feedback
• Debate ideas

29. From other sessions…
18 24 30 36
Professionalism:
• INDEPENDENCE
• contributing
• confident about hypotheses
• good ambassador
• report on project
• ask for feedback
• increase visibility
• Write towards thesis
• Deliver
• Move on
• Plan career
• Write thesis
• Next Question

30. Defining the Supervisor’s Role
What should a PhD supervisor take
responsibility for?
Feedback the range of activities that should
make up this role.

31. Supervisor’s Role
 Interest in your
research
 guide with
encouragement
 be available for
meetings
 ensure the final goal is
realistic and identifiable
 assess progress
objectively and provide
honest feedback
 support involvement in
research activities
 encourage open
discussion of ideas
 set a standard to follow

32. Refining the Supervisor’s Role
Think again about the three years of a PhD…
Under that same time-line:
 what did your supervisor do in the first six months
 what do you need from your supervisor to develop
the competencies you identified
In 10min we will share these insights !

33. Where might problems lie?
 What can go wrong with the relationship?
 Look at problems arising from BOTH sides
 Next we will split into two groups…

34. Thinking more broadly
What other problems can arise
between the student and
supervisor during a PhD?

35. Problems - Students
 Lack of guidance
 Not available for
discussions
 Fault-finding
 Unreasonable
expectations
 Not interested
 Lack of resources or
facilities
 no attention to “whole
person”
 lack of support in
process of research
(techniques, data
analysis)

36. Problems - Supervisor
 Students lack
independence
 poor written work
 not honest about
progress
 lack commitment
 don’t realise how much
work it takes
 Lack of effort
 absent from lab/desk
 Oversensitive
 don’t accept challenge
 No enthusiasm
 don’t follow advice

37. Basis of problems
 False expectations
 Failure to see whole picture
 Survival of the fittest?
 Personality clash
 Other pressures
 Lack of communication

38. Interpersonal problems
 In some cases the breakdown is due to
personality clashes
 Your behaviour can improve the situation
 Assertiveness
 Formalising the structure of your supervision
 Support mechanisms

39. Overcoming problems
 Keep things in perspective
 supervisor is human
 shares your long term goal (PhD success)
 criticize your actions, not you
 Be organised
 organise FORMAL meetings if not happening
 prepare for meetings with points for discussion
 Be honest
 report any mistakes (before the grapevine)
 report on difficulties whilst they are SMALL

40. Overcoming problems
 Be professional
 take criticism
 don’t expect to always get on with work
colleagues
 don’t bitch
 Ask for feedback
 don’t wait to be told what to do/read
 Show your enthusiasm
 Meet deadlines

41. Useful behaviours
 Transparency
 Identify your supervisors’ “rules” and make your
expectations clear
 Communication
 Take responsibility, but expect availability
 Consistency
 Equality of opportunity, accountable
 Distance
 professional, basis for management

42. ‘The Ladder of Inference’

43. © Dr Sara Shinton 2006 www.shintonconsulting.com
Select information
from what we see
Add meaning,
(cultural / personal)
Make assumptions
Draw conclusions
Adopt beliefs
about the world
Available information / data
Take actions
based on beliefs
The reflexive loop:
Our beliefs affect the
information we choose
to ‘see’ next time
Instead of going back to
select from the raw
available information

44. To summarise
 Understand your “job description” and what a
PhD demands
 Discuss supervision - either explicitly or by
“stealth”
 Take control of the project and get feedback
 Use meetings effectively - more in the
handout
 Other support

45. Effective Meetings

46. Why meetings?
 PhD is about:
 Training - so progress must be monitored
 Developing opinions - which need to be tested
against experts
 Seeking other views - usually face to face
 Disseminating contribution
….much of which occurs in meetings

47. Effective meetings
 structuring meetings
 addressing common problems
 chances to practice
 planning for future

48. Structuring meetings
 Purpose
 what is the meeting for?
 Give info? Make a decision? Address problems?
 Are all agendas / expectations the same?
 Power
 Who controls or has responsibility?
 Student or supervisor
 Logistics
 when, where,who

49. Structuring meetings
 Implications and outcomes
 what will happen after the meeting?
 How is this controlled/monitored?
 Record
 actions
 decisions
 discussions
 future meetings
Envisage the ideal outcome

50. Problems
 What problems have you experienced with
meetings?
 What good practice can you share with the
group to overcome these?

51. Common Problems
 Divided attention
 Confusion about purpose
 Not contributing
 Too much contributing
 No record of discussions
 No mechanisms to monitor progress
 Responsibilities poorly defined

52. Good practice
 Agree set time and ask for interruptions to be
avoided
 Write agenda and circulate in advance
 Identify “ideal outcome” for meeting
 Write up minutes and actions
 Take a ‘jewel’ along with you…

53. For example
 Your aim: To plan next stage of research and
convince supervisor of good progress
 Supervisor aim: To find evidence of good
progress and get student to come up with new ideas

54.  What to present:
 results + interpretation
 suggestions for new research to improve understanding
 questions you can’t answer or want another opinion on
 How to present:
 prepare agenda & circulate in advance
 have all papers needed
 Use active listening techniques
 Be assertive

55. All I said was “You
have my undivided
attention…..”

56. Respectforself
Respect for others

57. Assertiveness
 Belief in
 self
 values
 others
 Understand your Rights

58. Right to
 ask for what you want
 an opinion
 make decisions
 to make mistakes
 be successful
 change your mind
 be independent
 to respect
 to refuse

59. Behaviours
 In pairs or small groups, try to identify the
behaviours associated with
 non assertiveness
 aggression
 assertiveness

60. Effects
 Aggression provokes
 aggression
 defensiveness
 ultimately irritation and non co-operation
 Non assertion provokes
 pity
 guilt
 irritation
 lack of respect

61. Assertiveness Techniques
 Broken record
 Empathy
 Offer a compromise

62. Dealing with criticism
 Fogging
partial agreement…
 Negative assertion
small admissions of fault…
 Negative enquiry
does this person have more criticism they want to air?

63. Worst case scenario
 Supervisor is obliged to supervise
 Bullying or harassment is illegal
 Counselling / Welfare Services

64. Taking this forward
 Set some goals now and enter them in your
PDP diary or plan
 Identify a situation in the near future when
you can apply new strategies
Thank you !