EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION OF POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH

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EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION OF POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH
Neil Haigh c. 2008
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Possible difference in supervision

• Arts Social Sciences Natural
  Sciences
• Coincidence of supervisor/student research
  interests.
• Involvement in existing, team-based research
  projects
• Extent of involvement in initial
  conceptualization of research
• Impact of time-frame determined by project/team
  involvement
• Proximity of working locations - modelling,
  feedback,
• encouragement
• Frequency of contact and need for meetings
• Joint publication opportunities
• Epistemology differences between (and within)
  disciplines

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Epistemology

• Views about
• the nature of knowledge
• questions to ask about phenomenon
• evidence to be gathered to support views
• how arguments should be developed and presented
• way ideas and information are to be communicated
• Discipline background may also influence initial
  impressions/evaluations of the scholarship of
  other disciplines.
• (negative - unfamiliarity and lack of time to
  get to know)
• Different disciplines can provide contrastive and
  equally valid and valuable perspectives on
  particular phenomenon. Interdisciplinary
  perspective are also valuable as are
  interdisciplinary encounters

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UNDERSTANDINGS / ARRANGEMENTS
What understandings and arrangements need to be
in place to ensure that a supervisor - student
working relationship gets underway successfully
and continues to be effective? KNOW FOR SURE,
DONT KNOW, UNSURE
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POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH

• MOST CHALLENGING
• draw on a wide range of intellectual
  capabilities
• demonstrate intellectual independence
• manage a large-scale project

• MOST REWARDING
• personal attention from one teacher/supervisor
• success largely attributable to your own
  efforts

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THE WHOLE STORY

• We sometimes assume that students have
  developed a good overall understanding of what
  research is, and what is involved in undertaking
  a research project when they havent.
• Tendency to teach about specific ingredients vs
  presenting an overall account / story.
• Research reports provide incomplete accounts
  particularly of what has gone on in the
  researchers mind.
• Personal accounts of research can misrepresent
  the reality of the research process.

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A Supervision Agenda

• Includes helping students learn
• what researchers need to give thought to - and
  construct thoughts about - on the way through a
  research project.
• the types of thinking that researchers need to be
  able to engage in competently.
• the thinking problems and difficulties that
  researchers can confront - and how they can be
  avoided or overcome.
• the general thinking dispositions required.

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ENGAGING IN RESEARCH

• RIGOUR
• strict or scrupulous accuracy, precision,
  exactness
• done in a strict, thorough way
• logical exactitude
• exquisite exactness

• AND
• inspiration
• intuition
• invention
• fantasy

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• Every great advance in science has issued from
  a new audacity of the imagination
• John Dewey
• No great discovery was ever made without a bold
  guess
• Sir Isaac Newton
• The only really valuable thing is intuition
• When I examine myself and my methods of thought,
  I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy
  has meant more to me than any talent for
  abstract, positive thinking.
• Einstein

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• peripheral vision, the ability to not only
  to look straight at what you want to see, but
  also to watch continually, through the corner of
  your eye, for the unexpected. I believe this to
  be one of the greatest gifts a scientist can
  have.
• Hans Seyle
• The construction of hypotheses is a creative act
  of inspiration, intuition, invention its essence
  is the vision of something new in unfamiliar
  material.
• John Friedman
• The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the
  one that heralds new discoveries, is not
  "Eureka!" (I found it) but "That's
  funny..."Isaac Asimov

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RESEARCH STARTS WITH

• identifying
• a topic
• a thesis
• a question
• and
• establishing a case
• if case established
• designing
• doing
• reporting

Check Teach Facilitate Model
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A RESEARCH TOPIC

• Is the subject matter for the research.
• Almost invariably a topic is embedded in a wider
  field of knowledge about certain phenomenon.
• For example
• topic ways of teaching adolescents
• about preventative health practices
• field of knowledge health education.

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MAP THE TOPIC

• Identify (map) the phenomenon
• Clarify the meaning of ideas, concepts, words
  associated with the phenomenon
• State these meanings clearly
• Assess and delimit the potential scope of the
  topic feasibility, manageability
• Write a topic statement

Assist / share topic mapping
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A Research Topic
Tertiary teachers reasons for their
participation or non-participation in teaching
development workshops
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A RESEARCH TOPIC

• Draws your attention because
• always interested, excited you
• associated with new discoveries
• associated with controversy
• attracting the attention of many researchers
• is relevant to your work/job
• would open up job opportunities
• has well-supported/funded research opportunities
• PASSION PRAGMATISM

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FINDING A RESEARCH TOPIC

• Look for state of the research reviews
• Talk with local researchers about their research
• Check whether projects are being planned,
  underway
• Take note of topical public debates
• Find out about government/local body research
• Talk with people in organizations you work
  in/have contact with
• Treat own, everyday hunches as potential topics

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WHAT IS A THESIS?

• an abstract thing
• a proposition put forward to be maintained
  against objection (Webster).
• a claim that problems or issues exist, and that
  something should be done about them. (Fowler)
• a point of view on a topic which is coherently
  argued and supported by evidence. (BG)
• something that you wish to argue, a position that
  you wish to maintain. (P P)
• a process
• gathering, analysing, interpreting data.
• writing (drafting, editing, proof-reading).

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WHAT IS A THESIS?

• An object
• report of the research undertaken for a (post)
  graduate qualification.
• book format with a particular format.
• black, bound with gold writing.
• A lived experience
• blood, sweat and tears.
• excitement, elation, pride.

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WHAT IS A THESIS?

• A
• point of view
• that is
• formulated
• and
• evaluated
• systematically

NB. Greek a place, position
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A Thesis

• Differences in tertiary teachers views about
  (a) the need to improve existing teaching
  capabilities, (b) the need to engage in
  continuing improvement of teaching capabilities,
  and (c) the most effective ways of enhancing
  teaching capabilities help account for their
  participation or non-participation in teacher
  education workshops

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Research Involves

• Systematically formulating and evaluating Points
  of Views
• so that we improve our ability to
• describe
• explain
• predict phenomenon
• influence
• control

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POINTS OF VIEW CAN BE ABOUT

• the things that make up a phenomenon - and their
  qualities.
• the presence / absence of relationships between
  some - all of these things
• the direction of relationships
• what follows from .
• what leads to .
• the weighing of things involved in relationships
• more/less . leads to more/less
• the nature of the relationship
• causal
• probabilistic
• POINTS OF VIEW (TOGETHER) THEORY

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WHAT ABOUT RESEARCH QUESTIONS?
Because there is uncertainty and tentativeness
associated with a thesis when it first comes to
mind it is then reshaped as a QUESTION to give
clear purpose and direction to subsequent efforts
to further develop and evaluate it. What is
.? Does a relationship exist between .

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A Research Question
Do differences in tertiary teachers views about
(a) the need to improve existing teaching
capabilities, (b) the need to engage in
continuing improvement of teaching capabilities,
and (c) the most effective ways of enhancing
teaching capabilities help account for their
participation or non-participation in teacher
education workshops.

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THE RESEARCH QUESTION

• DETERMINES
• the data gathered
• the design of the study
• the analyses of data
• the interpretation of data
• Having precise and clear research questions
• assists decision-making about these aspects

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TO CONSIDER NEXT?

• Has my question
• been asked already and answered satisfactorily
• NOT ASKED (a GAP)
• been asked already but NOT ANSWERED
  SATISFACTORILY
• (limitations/inadequacies in the research)
• been asked and answered satisfactorily but
  GENERALIZATION OF ANSWER TO A NEW CONTEXT NEEDS
  TO BE CHECKED

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TO CONSIDER

• Is there a convincing case for bothering to
  invest time, energy and resources in an attempt
  to answer the question?
• LITERATURE REVIEW

What contribution can be made to existing
scholarship? And, what practical benefits may be
gained if the question can be answered?
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PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

• Write a clear, succinct statement of your
  thesis/research question.
• KEEP YOUR THESIS/QUESTION IN VIEW!
• Talk with others about your thesis/question -
  clarify, confirm, communicate.
• Look out for thesis/question statements in other
  reports and check how a convincing case for
  addressing them was established.
• Periodically recount the story of your research.
  Are you on track?
• Allow for emergent theses/questions.
• Acknowledge that deciding on a thesis can often
  be challenging, frustrating, messy
• YOUR thesis
• judging what is feasible, manageable.
• Assessing resources (own, other) required.

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SUPERVISOR ROLE

• Check student knowledge of what needs to be
  thought about and the types of thinking
  required
• If necessary, teach about
• Facilitate thinking map emerging thoughts
• Request and model use of clear, unambiguous
  language
• Prompt review/reflection on the nature of
  researcher thinking and talk
• Tell stories about research (learn about the
  whole as well as the bits, the predictable and
  the unpredictable aspects)
• Help students assess feasibility

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Assess Feasibility

• To consider
• time available for research (realistic estimate!)
• scope of topic research question / time
• time required for each/all of the question
  answering activities (issue dont know what we
  dont know!)
• time to report
• time to extend personal knowledge and skills
• accessibility of data sources/data
• availability of resources (materials, funds,
  people, tools, literature
• adequacy of available resources
• ethical considerations can they be met

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Research - Getting Finished

• THE EVIDENCE - able to
• Get to know and critique the field of scholarship
  within which the research is located.
• Identify precisely what is being researched and
  why
• i.e.
• the thesis and case for researching.
• Competently identify, gather, analyse, interpret
  relevant data.
• State the contribution that the research makes to
  the field.

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The Field

• Review
• History of related ideas/research
• Current points of view, work in
• progress.
• Debates, controversies,
• developments, breakthroughs.
• Main, leading contributors.
• Strengths, limitations, weaknesses
• (gaps, inadequacies).

• And Provide
• A well organised, readable
• account.
• Analyses and syntheses
• (patterns, trends, threads
• highlighted).
• The big picture and relevant
• details.
• Critique - as well as
• description of ideas and
• research processes.

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The Thesis/Research Questions

• A thesis
• made explicit
• clearly stated
• (Research problem, questions, hypotheses)
• A convincing, coherent case made for addressing
• this thesis, answering associated questions
• Is the research and the report always relevant to
  the
• thesis/questions.

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Data / Information

• Valid (relevant) and reliable data collected.
• Methods / Tools / Frameworks for gathering,
• analysing interpreting data information.
• aware of options, pros and cons.
• selects appropriate options.
• modifies, develops if necessary.
• explains choices
• Free of errors, inaccuracies.
• Sound, reasonable interpretations.

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Contribution

• Strengths, limitations of own work highlighted.
• Contributions made to the field identified.
• Gaps filled,
• Inadequacies addressed.
• Generalizations confirmed
• Implications for future research indicated.
• New territory/theses/techniques
• Unfinished business
• Implications for practice identified

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Originality

• Students
• Taking someone elses ideas and reinterpreting
  them in a way no-one else has.
• Looking at areas that people in my discipline
  havent looked at before.
• Adding to knowledge in a way that hasnt
  previously been done before.
• Looking at existing knowledge and testing it out.
• Putting things together that people havent
  bothered to do.
• Using different methodologies in new ways.
  (Phillips)

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Originality

• Staff
• Saying something nobody has said before.
• Carrying our empirical work that hasnt been done
  before.
• Making a synthesis that hasnt been made before.
• Trying out something that has been done before -
  but in a new situation.
• Using already known material but with a new
  interpretation.
• Taking a particular technique and applying it in
  a new area.
• Bringing new evidence to bear on an old issue.
• Generally - stretching the body of knowledge
  slightly.

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Supervisors Role/Responsibilities

• DIRECTOR determines topic, method, provides
  ideas.
• ADVISER helps to resolve technical problems,
  suggest alternatives.
• TEACHER of research concepts, skills, techniques.
• FACILITATOR provides access to resources,
  expertise other sources of support.
• GUIDE suggests writing timetable, gives feedback
  on progress, path options
• CRITIC of design interpretations of data,
  drafts.
• FREEDOM - authorises and encourages student to
  make decisions
• GIVER
• SUPPORTER gives encouragement, shows interest,
  discusses ideas.
• FRIEND extends interest and concern to
  non-academic aspects of
• students life.
• MANAGER checks progress regularly, monitors,
  gives feedback, plans.
• EXAMINER ?
• Other? ?

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Supervisor expectations of students

• To be independent.
• To seek advise and comments on their work from
  others.
• To have regular meetings.
• To be honest when reporting progress.
• To follow the advise that they give, when it has
  been given at the request of the student.
• To be excited about their work.
• To be able to surprise them.
• To be fun to be with.
• (Phillips)

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Students expectations of their supervisors

• To be supervised.
• To read their work well in advance.
• To be available when needed.
• To be friendly, open and supportive.
• To be constructively critical.
• To have a good knowledge of the research area.
• To structure the situation so that it is
  relatively easy to exchange ideas.
• To have the courtesy not to conduct a telephone
  conversation during a meeting.
• To have sufficient interest in their research to
  put more information in the students path.
• To be sufficiently involved in their success to
  help them get a good job at the end of it all!

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Problems students report

• Self-doubts re capacity/competence
• The enormity of the task.
• Lack of initiation into the process.
• Lack of skills.
• Emotional dimensions of the process isolation,
  motivation, perfectionism.
• Working arrangement with the supervisor.
• The supervisors personal qualities.
• Supervisor with in-sufficient knowledge.
• Supervisors poor time management skills.
• Over-committed supervisor.
• Lack of timely, good feedback (ideas, written
  work, overall progress).
• Lack of support.
• Writers block.

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Strategies for being successful

• Establish a shared understanding of what, how,
  when
• (see Discussion Guidelines)
• Plan ahead - but allow for the
  unexpected/unpredictable.
• Maintain a research diary.
• Tape record key supervision meetings or STOP
  for note
• taking.
• Make written summaries of supervision meetings
  (give to
• supervisor) and prepare meeting agendas.
• Make the most of meetings.
• Ensure good feedback provided.
• Establish a mutual support group.
• Have a writing buddy.

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Strategies for being successful

• Periodically re-map your journey
• Write - from the start.
• Learn more about effective writing
• Read books and other resources (eg WWW)
• Ask for help!
• Use student support services.

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MAKE MEETINGS PRODUCTIVE

• Agenda in advance - warm start
• Supervisors keep in contact, joint plan key
  sessions
• Purpose/scope confirmation/clarification at
  outset
• Tape record
• At end, summarise conclusions,
• decisions, follow-ups
• Record of meeting
• Periodic review/look forward
• sessions (keeping on track)