Part Time PhD

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Part Time PhD
Getting the best from a part time supervisor
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Objectives

• This session should help you to
• Decide what you need from your supervisor
• Consider any issues which may make that difficult
  to achieve
• Determine a way to optimise the relationship
  between you and your supervisor

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Supervisor-Hero?
What should your supervisor be like. ?
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But
they are only human
Perhaps it might help if
they had a bigger brain
or a smaller ego
or extra arms
or a mini me
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Now you have the technology

• In groups draw your perfect supervisor.
• Feel free to add genetic modifications or to
  cyborgise them.
• Dont worry about any discomfort to the
  supervisors make sure that they suit your needs.

10 mins
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The role of the supervisor

• Interested in your research
• Available to discuss your conclusions and ideas
• Able to provide feedback on your progress
• Able to provide feedback on your written work
• Encouraging you to participate in group meetings,
  seminars and occasional conferences.
• Developing your professional research qualities
  by example.

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Part-Time supervision issues

• You may find your supervisor
• is not available when you need to speak with them
• has unrealistic expectations of how much you
  should be achieving in the time available
• Is often slow to provide feedback
• Any others?.

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Supervisor-Hero World?

• In groups discuss what you understand of
  Supervisor-Hero World. What does an academic
  actually do, when not supervising post graduate
  researchers?

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Other academic demands

• Planning and preparing taught modules
• Teaching undergraduate and masters students
• Marking coursework and exam questions
• Acting as personal tutor to undergraduate
  students
• Writing research proposals
• Carrying out and keeping up to date with research
• Attending and presenting at conferences
• Attending Department and University meetings
• Serving on University committees
• Managing their own office (word processing, email
  etc)
• Social life
• Home and family time
• Other.

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Part-Time issues for your supervisor?

• Your supervisor
• cannot easily contact you in working hours
• does not know what your other commitments are
• cannot monitor how much time you are putting into
  your PhD
• Can get frustrated if your research sometimes
  appears to be going very slowly

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What does your supervisor need to know about you?
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The ideal postgraduate researcher

• Contacts their supervisor and updates them on
  progress regularly
• Produces ideas for discussion
• Participates in group meetings, seminars and
  occasional conferences
• Meets agreed deadlines for research targets
• Is committed to gaining their PhD

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Barriers to the ideal?

• What working style do you prefer?
• Are there limitations on your time that may not
  be apparent to them?
• Have you encountered difficulty in areas of
  research you have not brought to their attention?
• Do you need any specific help?

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Consider a discussion with your supervisor

• Spend a few minutes to use the pro-forma
  provided, and note what changes you would like to
  make in your supervision arrangements

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Communication

• Good communication between supervisor and post
  graduate researcher is key
• You have a large responsibility for maintaining
  this

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Serious Problems?

• What can you do if your supervisor repeatedly
  fails to respond to requests for help?
• All Universities should have a mechanism to
  mediate in this situation
• If you feel your supervisor is not supporting
  you, approach the Head of Department, Director of
  Research or your Graduate School for advice

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Finally To Do

• Arrange a meeting with your supervisor to
  discuss
• Potential changes to method of supervision
• What frequency of contact is needed
• Specific help require
• What methods of communication will suit you both
  best (e.g. telephone, email)