Your supervisors are the most important resource provided by the University to support you during your research degree candidature.
All students are expected to have a supervisory panel. Panels make provision for expert and multidisciplinary supervision teams, with the inclusion of advisors and research end-users where meaningful and appropriate. Panels consists of a minimum of 3 supervisors, composed as appropriate for each student's needs.
Every supervisory relationship is unique. Your supervisors will have expertise in your field of research and experience in conducting research. You can expect to learn from and be supported by them.
However, as a research degree student you are expected to assume control over and responsibility for your own research. Within a reasonably short period of time, you should know more about your specific topic than your supervisors. Your supervisors should not dominate or control the direction of your research.
You and your supervisors will have to work hard at establishing a comfortable relationship that strikes a balance between supervision as teaching and supervision as listening.
Your supervisor should:
Within this role your supervisor will:
Refer to Orientation for more information.
Make regular supervising appointments in advance - you and your supervisors are busy people. At your meetings you will need to establish with your supervisors:
Never leave a supervisory session without setting a time for the next one.
It is your responsibility to set the agenda for supervisory sessions. Give your supervisor some written material and advance notice of your agenda. Supervision is generally more productive and effective if you and your supervisor are adequately prepared.
Contact with your supervisor is part of your research so keep notes to inform your study.
Keep a record of agreements reached in supervisory sessions. Before you conclude a session, you and your supervisor should spend about 10 minutes recording in writing any consensus decisions that have a direct bearing on your research, including:
Records should be typed and emailed to your supervisor following the meeting.
Keep in touch with your supervisor, especially in the early stages of your candidature. You should meet in person or online, or email each other regularly.
Try to submit draft material that is at an advanced and relatively 'polished' stage of development so your supervisor can focus on the content rather than correcting grammatical and typographic errors. Avoid resubmitting the same draft material several times.
Let your supervisor know how the supervisory relationship is working for you. Don't make your supervisor second-guess your needs.
If you feel your supervisor is being too 'laid back' and non-directive, say so. If you feel your supervisor is being too dominating and directive, say so. If you want more or less support than you are getting, ask for it. Ask your Research Degree Coordinator for help if you are having difficulties.
Your supervisors are there to support you in your research, and need to be regularly informed of your progress. Should your principal supervisor be unable to continue supervising temporarily or permanently, it is expected that another member of your supervisory panel will assume that responsibility until an alternative supervisor is designated.
You should assume responsibility for editing your work, or employ the aid of an editor. Your supervisors are not responsible for editing your work.
There is no guarantee that the people originally appointed to supervise your research will see it through to the end. It is a responsibility of the University wherever possible to ensure adequate and appropriate supervision throughout your period of candidature.
A change of supervision form must be completed.