Managing your Dissertation Superviser

Jason Schaub, course leaderMSc Safeguarding

Today’s workshop aims …Explore and understand roles and

responsibilities in the student-supervisor relationship.

Consider issues that may arise and think about how to overcome them.

Discuss techniques for working with your supervisor and managing your relationship.

Roles and ResponsibilitiesTake a few minutes to:

Outline some ways that supervisors can help you complete your dissertation;

Outline the ways that this process could become problematic;

Outline some ways that you could make the supervision process easier.

Why should you manage your relationship with your

supervisor(s)?They are probably busier than you think they are

They may not be aware of your dissertation timeline to extent you are

Your enthusiasm and organisation may impress them

You want to complete on time with as few problems as possible

They may be your key reference for future jobs etc.

Supervisor’s Responsibility

Encouraging you to continue your programme

Providing timely, constructive feedback

Assisting in developing your ideas

Ethics process

Students’ Responsibilities Behave ethically – including submitting to ethics

committees

Attend supervisions to discuss progress and any concerns

Attend/participate in classes, seminars, lectures, other events

Manage learning responsibly

Understand good scholarly practice

Submit work by deadlines

Seek and respond to feedback on written work

Living up to the idea … ?

Submitting drafts to your supervisor

Page numbers on each draft!

Explain in each draft what stage you are at – is this a first draft, or a final version?

Make sure you note missing references or areas where you know further work is needed

Cover sheet/Intro. on every piece of work submitted with: Your name, student ID, and course name Research questions/topic/methods Ensure each chapter’s first page has:

Chapter number Full current title

Details of word length, plus any missing element(s)

Writing is the driver of good supervision

Writing clarifies your thinking

Conversation sometimes masks differences in view or misunderstandings

Your supervisor gains information about your progress and thinking from your written work

Supervisors cannot comment usefully on your progress, or provide sound advice, unless they can see your thought process in writing

Top Tip IDon't be afraid to put questions to your supervisor!

But it is often better to ask specific questions that you have attempted to find answers to first.

Instead of asking, "How am I doing?" you are more likely to get the detailed answer you

need if you ask, "What do you think of the analysis in Chapter 2?"

Tips for working with your Supervisor

Use whatever form of communication works for you and your supervisor Email Phone Face-to-face

Send notes of what you’d like to discuss before supervision

Don’t be afraid to make notes whilst meeting – often you may forget details later without notes.

You may find that the dissertation guidelines or the University website are helpful in answering many of your questions.

Be careful of relying on information from other students too heavily – remember, they’ve not completed the course yet, either!

What issues might arise … ?

Potential issues for Students

Lack of guidance

Lack of availability

Insufficiently critical

Too critical

Lack of knowledge in subject area

Three unforgiveable traitsSupervisors that:

do not read your writing;

never attend supervisions;

are selfish, unforgiving brutes.

Adapted from Brabazon (2013)

Potential issues for Supervisors

Students that are:

Overly dependent

Lack of honesty

Unresponsive/elusive

Lack enthusiasm

Don’t follow advice

Oversensitive to criticism

Lack commitment

Top Tip IIIt is your responsibility to monitor your

own study and contact your supervisor if you are having problems: don't wait for them to email you.

If they don't hear from you, they will probably assume you are doing fine.

BASIS of issues …Lack of communication

Mismatched expectations

Competing pressures

Personality clash Is this an option when both individuals are (or soon

will be) professionally bound?

Overcoming issues | 1Keep expectations realistic

Be organised

Be professional

Be open, flexible and honest

Overcoming issues | 2Discuss expectations at the beginning

Give sufficient notice for requests

Draw up a list of questions for your meetings

Outline the tasks you’ve agreed at the end of supervision

Remind the supervisor of tasks they’ve agreed to do for you

Arrange next meeting ahead of time (if possible)

Alert supervisor to problems as they arise

Overcoming issues | 3If problems persist:

ApproachYour supervisor (required, in the first instance)Your course leader

If issue is not resolved, you should approachStudent’s Union/Student Advice CentreLDUHead of Academic DepartmentHead of School

Be aware of your supervisor’s other responsibilities

Undergraduate Tutees/Supervisees (8+) and courses

Other MSc Supervisees and courses

Class teachers for BSc/MSc courses

Academic Research & Publications

Administrative role within the Course, Department, or School

Other Professional roles – Editor, Referee for journals, Conference, External Examining (PhD, Masters degrees)

Top Tip IIIBe prepared for your supervisor to "wean you off"

their guidance as your dissertation progresses

e.g. in the Spring you may ask "Am I going in the right direction?" and they may reply "You should be able to decide that for yourself".

Take this as a positive sign that your supervisor thinks you are ready to have more independence.

Summary of KEY POINTSKeep to time (meetings and tasks)

Be honest and open with your supervisor about your progress

Ensure that you provide your supervisor ample time to comment on your work given their other commitments.

Respond to comments (feedback) as constructively as possible

Seek advice or support as soon as you think something is beginning to affect your progress

ActivityWhat is your dissertation topic?

What are your broad methods?

What is your timescale to complete?

Further Informationhttp://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1234/

Supervision-and-key-relationships.html

http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1253/Managing-the-supervision-process.html

http://thesiswhisperer.com/category/you-and-your-supervisor/