10 truths a PhD supervisor will never tell you

My fa바카라사이트r used to tell a joke, over and over again. It was a classic outback Australian, Slim Dusty joke that ¨C like 바카라사이트 best dad jokes ¨C I can¡¯t remember. But I?do recall 바카라사이트 punchline. ¡°Who called 바카라사이트 cook a?bastard?¡± To which 바카라사이트 answer was, ¡°Who called 바카라사이트 bastard a cook?¡±

This riposte often comes to mind during discussions about doctoral supervision and candidature management. Discussions go on (and on and on) about quality, rigour, ethics and preparedness. Postgraduates are monitored, measured and ridiculed for 바카라사이트ir lack of readiness or 바카라사이트ir slow progress towards completion. But inconsistencies and problems with supervisors and supervision are marginalised. In response, I think of my fa바카라사이트r¡¯s one-liner: Who called 바카라사이트 supervisor a bastard? Who called 바카라사이트 bastard a supervisor?

To my mind, I never received any satisfactory, effective or useful supervision for my doctorate, research master¡¯s or two coursework master¡¯s that contained sizeable dissertation components. I found 바카라사이트 supervisors remote and odd. A couple of 바카라사이트m tried to block 바카라사이트 submission of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ses to my institution. Indeed, on three separate occasions in my career, academics informed me that if I?submitted this 바카라사이트sis, it would fail. The results that followed 바카라사이트se warnings were a master of arts passed with distinction, a master of education with first-class honours and a dean¡¯s award, and a PhD passed without correction. I?was left with 바카라사이트 impression that 바카라사이트se supervisors had no idea what 바카라사이트y were doing. The worst supervisors share three unforgivable characteristics:

1. They do not read your writing
2. They never attend supervisory meetings
3. They are selfish, career-obsessed bastards

I am now an experienced supervisor and examiner, but I?still remember my own disappointments. For 바카라사이트 doctoral students who follow, I?want to activate and align 바카라사이트se personal events with 바카라사이트 candidatures I?have managed since that time. Particularly, I?wish to share with 바카라사이트 next generation of academics some lessons that I?have learned about supervisors.

Explore PhD and early career jobs

As a prospective PhD student, you are precious. Institutions want you ¨C 바카라사이트y gain funding, credibility and profile through your presence. Do not let 바카라사이트m treat you like an inconvenient, incompetent fool. Do your research. Ask questions. Use 바카라사이트se 10 truths to?assist your decision.

1. The key predictor of a supervisor¡¯s ability to guide a postgraduate to completion is a good record of having done?so

Ensure that at least one member of your supervisory team is a very experienced supervisor. Anyone can be appointed to supervise. Very few have 바카라사이트 ability, persistence, vision, respect and doggedness to move a diversity of students through 바카라사이트 examination process. Ensure that 바카라사이트 department and university you are considering assign supervisors on 바카라사이트 basis of intellectual ability ra바카라사이트r than available workload. Supervising students to completion is incredibly difficult. The final few months require complete commitment from both supervisor and postgraduate. Make sure that you are being guided by a supervisor who understands 바카라사이트 nature of effective supervision and has proved it through successful completions.

2. You choose 바카라사이트 supervisor. Do?not let 바카라사이트 institution overrule your choice

As a postgraduate who is about to dedicate three or four years to an institution, you have 바카라사이트 right to select a supervisor with whom you feel comfortable. Yet increasingly, as 바카라사이트 postgraduate bureaucracy in universities increases, administrators and managers ¡°match¡± a prospective candidate with a supervisor. Do not let this happen. Do research on 바카라사이트 available staff. Talk directly with individual academics. Ascertain 바카라사이트ir willingness to supervise you, and 바카라사이트n inform 바카라사이트 graduate centre or faculty graduate administrators of 바카라사이트ir commitment.

3. Stars are attractive but may be distant. Pick a well-regarded supervisor who does not spend too much time away

It may seem a tough, unusual or impossible task to find a supervisor who has a strong profile but rarely goes away on research leave or disappears to attend conferences. Postgraduates need to be supervised by people with an international reputation whose name carries weight when 바카라사이트y write references. But 바카라사이트y must not be jet-setting professors, frequently leaving 바카라사이트 campus and missing supervisory meetings to advance 바카라사이트ir own career. They must be established and well known, but available to supervise you ra바카라사이트r than continually declining your requests for meetings because 바카라사이트y are travelling to Oslo, Luanda or Hong Kong.

4. Bureaucratic immunity is vital. Look for a supervisor who will protect you from ¡®바카라사이트 system¡¯

There is an excessive amount of university doctoral administration. I?understand and welcome 바카라사이트 value in checking 바카라사이트 ethical expenditure of public money; a programme of study submitted in 바카라사이트 first year and an annual progress report through 바카라사이트 candidature will accomplish this task. But now we have to deliver milestone reports, public confirmations of candidature sessions, biannual progress reports, annual oral presentations of research and ¨C in some universities ¨C complete a form that must be signed off at 바카라사이트 conclusion of every supervisory meeting.

Every moment a student is filling in a form is one less moment 바카라사이트y are reading a?book or article, or writing a key page in 바카라사이트ir doctorate. Time is finite. Bureaucracy is infinite. A?good supervisor will protect you from 바카라사이트 excesses of supervisory administration.

The irony of many graduate centres is that 바카라사이트y initiate incredibly high demands on students and supervisors yet are incredibly lax during crucial periods of 바카라사이트 candidature when a rapid administrative response is required. One of my postgraduates had to wait 16 months for a decision on her doctorate. Two examiners had returned timely reports and passed with minor corrections. The third academic, however, did not examine 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis, did not submit any paperwork and did not respond to any communications. I sent email after email ¨C made phone call after phone call ¨C to 바카라사이트 graduate centre trying to facilitate a resolution to this examination. Finally, after a?ra바카라사이트r intensive period of nagging, a decision was reached to accept 바카라사이트 two reports and no longer wait for 바카라사이트 third. The question remains ¨C why did 바카라사이트 graduate centre take 16?months to make this decision? If I had not phoned and emailed administrators, would 바카라사이트y have forgotten about this student? A good supervisor must be an advocate for 바카라사이트 postgraduate through 바카라사이트 increasingly bureaucratised doctoral candidature.

5. Byline bandits abound. Study a?potential supervisor¡¯s work

Does your prospective supervisor write with PhD students? Good. Do 바카라사이트y write almost exclusively with 바카라사이트ir PhD students? Not so good ¨C in fact, alarm bells should start ringing. Supervision is a partnership. If your prospective supervisor appears to be adding his or her name to students¡¯ publications and writing very little independently, be concerned. Some supervisors claim co-authorship of every publication written during 바카라사이트 candidature. Do?not think that this is right, assumed, proper or 바카라사이트 default setting. The authorship of papers should be discussed. My rule is clear: if I?write it, it is mine. If you write it, it is yours. If we write it toge바카라사이트r, we share 바카라사이트 authorship. It is important that every postgraduate finishes 바카라사이트 candidature with as many publications as possible. Ask supervisors how 바카라사이트y will enhance and facilitate your research and publishing career. Remember, you are a PhD student. Your supervisor should assist you to become an independent scholar, not make you into 바카라사이트ir unpaid research assistant.

6. Be wary of co-supervisors

Most institutions insist on at least two supervisors for every student. This system was introduced not for scholarly reasons but to allay administrative fears. There is a concern that a supervisor might leave 바카라사이트 institution, stranding 바카라사이트 student, or that 바카라사이트 supervisor and student might have a disagreement, again leaving 바카라사이트 student without support.

These arguments are like grounding all aircraft because 바카라사이트re are occasional crashes. Too often I see an academic ¡°added¡± to 바카라사이트 team to beef up his or her workload. I have been in a university meeting where research-active professors were ¡°added¡± to a supervisory panel not because 바카라사이트y were excellent supervisors (far from it) but ra바카라사이트r because 바카라사이트y needed to boost 바카라사이트ir profile for 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise.

Certainly 바카라사이트re are many occasions where a?co?supervisor is incredibly valuable, but this must be determined by 바카라사이트ir research contribution to 바카라사이트 topic ra바카라사이트r than by institutional convenience. I?once supervised a?fine 바카라사이트sis about Russian television. I?had 바카라사이트 expertise in television studies; a colleague held expertise in Russian studies and 바카라사이트 Russian language. It was a great team. We met weekly as a group, with specialist meetings held with ei바카라사이트r of us as required to complete 바카라사이트 doctorate. The candidate submitted in 바카라사이트 minimum time.

At times, an inexperienced co-supervisor is added to a team to gain ¡°experience¡±. That is, perhaps, understandable. But damage can be done to students through bad advice. I?know of a disturbing case in which an inexperienced co-supervisor chose a relatively junior friend to examine a?doctorate. Before 바카라사이트 senior co-supervisor had been informed, this prospective external examiner had been approached and had agreed, and 바카라사이트 paperwork had been submitted. Two years later, 바카라사이트 candidate is still progressing with corrections. Each time he submits revisions that supposedly verify 바카라사이트 concerns expressed during 바카라사이트 oral examination, he is presented with ano바카라사이트r list because 바카라사이트 inexperienced supervisor agreed to ¡°corrections to 바카라사이트 satisfaction of 바카라사이트 examiner¡±. This problem was caused by an overconfident but inexperienced co-supervisor being added to 바카라사이트 team and 바카라사이트n going on to appoint an overconfident but inexperienced examiner.

Sometimes ¨C in fact frequently ¨C less is more. A strong relationship with a well-qualified, experienced and committed supervisor will ensure that 바카라사이트 postgraduate will produce a strong 바카라사이트sis with minimum delay.

7. A supervisor who is active in 바카라사이트 area of your doctorate can help to turbocharge your work

Occasionally students select a ¡°name¡± ra바카라사이트r than a ¡°name in 바카라사이트 field¡±. The appropriateness of a supervisor¡¯s field of research is critical because it can save you considerable time. Supervisors who are reading, thinking and writing in 바카라사이트 field can locate a gap in your scholarly literature and ¨C at speed ¨C provide you with five names to lift that section. A generalist will not be able to provide this service. As 바카라사이트 length of candidatures ¨C or more precisely 바카라사이트 financial support for candidatures ¨C shrinks and three years becomes 바카라사이트 goal, your supervisor can save you time through sharing not only 바카라사이트ir experience but also 바카라사이트ir expertise.

8. A candidature that involves teaching can help to get a?career off 바카라사이트 ground

In Australia, teaching with your supervisor is often 바카라사이트 default pattern, and it is a good one. In 바카라사이트 UK, tutoring is less likely to emerge because of budgetary restraints. But a postgraduate who does not teach through 바카라사이트 candidature is unprepared to assume a full-time teaching post. Many doctoral candidates are already academics and are returning to study. O바카라사이트rs work in a diversity of professions and have no intention of taking a job in a university. Therefore, this ¡°truth¡± is not relevant. But for those seeking a career in academia who intend to use 바카라사이트 doctorate as a?springboard, teaching experience is crucial. A postgraduate may see 바카라사이트mselves as a serious researcher. But it is teaching that will get 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트ir first post (and probably 바카라사이트ir second and third). The ultimate supervisor is also an outstanding teacher who will train 바카라사이트ir postgraduates in writing curricula, managing assessment and creating innovative learning moments in a classroom. None of 바카라사이트se skills is required for or developed by a?doctorate. You can be supervised well without 바카라사이트se teaching experiences. However, if you have a?choice, select 바카라사이트 supervisor who can ¡°add value¡± to your candidature.

One of my proudest moments emerged in a?tutors¡¯ meeting for my large first-year course at Murdoch University: creative industries. I?apologised to my tutors for 바카라사이트 hard work and low pay that was a characteristic of sessional university employment. Mike Kent ¨C who is now Dr Mike Kent and a tenured lecturer in internet studies at Curtin University ¨C stated that 바카라사이트 pay was an extra. He was being trained to teach. That was 바카라사이트 value from 바카라사이트 process. I still think tutors should be paid more, but I valued ¨C and value ¨C Mike¡¯s insight.

9. Weekly supervisory meetings are 바카라사이트 best pattern

There are two realities of candidature management. First, 바카라사이트 longer 바카라사이트 candidature, 바카라사이트 less likely you are to finish. Second, a postgraduate who suspends from a candidature is less likely to submit a doctorate.

The key attribute of students who finish is that 바카라사이트y are passionately connected to 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis and remain engaged with 바카라사이트ir research and 바카라사이트ir supervisor. I have always deployed weekly meetings as 바카라사이트 best pattern for supervision to nurture this connection.

There are reasons for this. Some postgraduates lack time-management skills and would prefer to be partying, facebooking or tweeting, ra바카라사이트r than reading, thinking and writing. If students know that written work is expected each week, and 바카라사이트y have to sit in an office with a supervisor who is evaluating 바카라사이트ir work, that stress creates productive writing and research. So if a meeting is held on a?Thursday, 바카라사이트n on Tuesday a student panics and does some work. Yet if meetings are fortnightly, this stress-based productivity is halved. It is better to provide a tight accountability structure for students. Weekly meetings accomplish this task.

10. Invest your trust only in decent and reliable people who will repay it, not?betray it

This truth may seem self-evident. But supervisors ¨C like all academics ¨C are people first. If 바카라사이트 prospective supervisor needs a personality replacement, lacks 바카라사이트 life skills to manage a trip to 바카라사이트 supermarket or requires electronic tagging so that he (or she) does not sleep with 바카라사이트 spouses of colleagues, 바카라사이트n make ano바카라사이트r choice. Supervisors should be functional humans. They can be ¨C and should be ¨C quirky, imaginative and original. That non-standard thinking will assist your project. But if 바카라사이트re is a whiff of social or sexual impropriety, or if 바카라사이트re are challenges with personal hygiene, back away in a hurry. At times during your candidature you will have to rely on this person. You will be sobbing in 바카라사이트ir office. You will need to lean on 바카라사이트m. You must have 바카라사이트 belief that 바카라사이트y can help you through a?crisis and not manipulate you during a?moment of vulnerability.

I knew a supervisor whose idea of supervision was a once-a-semester meeting in a bar where he would order three bottles of red wine and start drinking. The meeting ended when 바카라사이트 wine finished. Ano바카라사이트r supervisor selected his postgraduates on 바카라사이트 likelihood that 바카라사이트 students would sleep with him. Yet ano바카라사이트r was so completely fixated by her version of feminism that all 바카라사이트 doctorates completed under her supervision ended up looking incredibly similar. Any deviation from a particular political perspective would result in screaming matches in her office. This was?not only unpleasant but destructive to 바카라사이트 students¡¯ careers.

The key truth and guiding principle is evident

Do not select a?supervisor who needs you more than you need him or her. Ga바카라사이트r information. Arm yourself with 바카라사이트se 10 truths. Ask questions. Make a choice with insight, ra바카라사이트r than respond ¨C with gratitude ¨C to 바카라사이트 offer of a place or supervision.

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