Working with and managing your relationship with your supervisor(s)

1
Working with and managing your relationship with
yoursupervisor(s)

• Dr Sunil Kumar, Dean of Graduate Studies
• Louisa Green, Research Degrees Manager
• 15 November 2012

2
Todays 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.

3
Roles and Responsibilities

• Take 5 minutes to rank your views on the
  statements shown in the Expectations in
  Supervision questionnaire.
• In pairs, discuss your rankings and agree a
  position representing each of your views for each
  category.

4
Regulations on supervision

• What do the Schools Regulations say?
• Who do they apply to?
• What happens if they are not followed?

5
Regulations what (where) they are

• School level
• Regulations for Research Degrees revised from
  2012 http//www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/acade
  micRegulations/regulationsForResearchDegrees.htm
• Student Charter revised from 2012
  http//www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/policie
  s/pdfs/school/stuCha.pdf
• Handbook for Supervisors and Doctoral Programme
  Directors new from Nov 2012 http//www2.lse.ac.uk
  /intranet/LSEServices/TLC/Home.aspx
• Departmental level
• PhD Student Handbook http//www2.lse.ac.uk/intrane
  t/home.aspx

6
Regulations for Research Degrees 1

• On supervision models (paragraphs 12-14)
• Every student is entitled to a lead supervisor
  who
• has knowledge of a student's subject area and
  theoretical approach
• is a permanent member of the academic staff of
  the School
• has passed major review
• is usually assigned for the duration of a
  students programme
• has no more than eight primary supervisees
• Every student will normally have additional
  supervision that may take the form of
• co- or joint supervision that can include
  supervision across departments in the School
• an adviser or
• team supervision

7
Regulations for Research Degrees 2

• On contact with supervisor (paragraph 15)
• Full-time students have the right to see their
  supervisor at least three times a term in the
  first year and twice a term thereafter
• Part-time students have the right to see their
  supervisor at least twice a term in the first
  year and once a term thereafter

8
Regulations for Research Degrees 3

• Supervisor also involved in
• Approving requests to change registration status
• Progress review (paragraph 19.1)
• Upgrade to PhD (paragraph 23.3)
• Ethics process (paragraph 28)
• Examination entry/nomination of examiners
  (paragraphs 37-40)
• Attendance at viva examination (paragraph 47)
• Supporting period of corrections following
  examination result

9
Regulations for Research Degrees 4

• If there are serious problems (paragraph 16)
• the Doctoral Programme Director or Head of
  Department may agree a change initiated by the
  initiative of the student or supervisor.

10
The Student Charter Your Responsibilities

• Behave ethically
• Attend meetings with supervisor to discuss
  progress and any concerns
• Attend/participate in classes, seminars,
  lectures, other events
• Keep department informed of essential absences
• Manage learning responsibly
• Understand good scholarly practice
• Submit work by deadlines
• Seek and respond to feedback on written work

11
Living up to the idea ?
12
What issues might arise ?
13
Potential issues for STUDENTS

• Lack of guidance
• Lack of availability
• Insufficiently critical
• Too critical
• Lack of knowledge in subject area

14
Potential issues for SUPERVISORS

• Overly dependent
• Lack of honesty
• Unresponsive/elusive
• Lack enthusiasm
• Dont follow advice
• Oversensitive to criticism
• Lack commitment

15
BASIS of issues

• Lack of communication
• Mismatched expectations
• Personality clash
• Competing pressures

16
Overcoming issues 1

• Keep expectations realistic
• Be organised
• Be professional
• Be open, flexible and honest

17
Overcoming issues 2

• Discuss expectations at the beginning
• Give sufficient notice for requests
• Draw up an agenda for your meetings
• Record the outcome of meetings and email to
  supervisor(s)/use PhD Logbook
• Arrange next meeting ahead of time
• Alert supervisor(s) to problems as they arise

18
Overcoming issues 3

• If problems persist Approach
• Your supervisor (if possible)
• Your departments doctoral programme
  director/convenor.
• Your Head of Department
• If issue is not resolved, you should approach
• Research Degrees Manager and (or) Dean of
  Graduate Studies

19
PG Dean RDU Manager Contact details

• Dr Sunil Kumar, Dean of Graduate Studies
• OLD.1.07 7955 7574 PG.Dean_at_lse.ac.uk
• PG DEAN SURGERY (Term Time)
• Monday 1100-1200 Wednesday 0930-1100
• Appointments via Nicola Morgan, Executive
  Assistant n.m.morgan_at_lse.ac.uk 7955 7849

• Louisa Green, Manager, RDU
• TW2.6.01 7955 6766 L.J.Green_at_lse.ac.uk

20
Be aware of your supervisors other
responsibilities

• Undergraduate Tutees (8) and courses
• MSc Supervisees (8) and courses
• Class teachers for undergraduate courses
• Other PhD students (6)
• Research assistants and research staff
• Publications
• Administrative role within the Centre,
  Department, School
• Other Professional roles Editor, Referee for
  journals, Conference, External Examining (PhD,
  Masters degrees)

21
Why should you manage your relationship with
your supervisor(s)?

• She or he probably busier than you think they are
• He or She may not be aware of regulations to
  extent you are
• Your enthusiasm and organisation may impress them
• You want to complete on time with as few problems
  as possible
• She or he will be your key reference for future
  jobs etc.

22
When submitting work to your supervisor

• Cover sheet on every piece of work submitted
  with
• Your name and year of PhD
• Your up-to-date thesis title
• An up-to-date chapter structure with full
  headings
• Highlight where todays chapter or bit of work
  fits within this
• Ensure each chapter first page has
• Chapter number
• Full current title
• Details of word length, plus any missing
  element(s)

23
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

24
Summary of KEY POINTS

• Keep to time (meetings and tasks)
• Be honest and open with your supervisor(s) about
  your progress
• Ensure that you provide your supervisor(s) 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
• Be aware of the regulations as they apply to the
  different stages (years) of your PhD