A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

Supervising research students
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Records of supervisory meetings
It is considered good practice for the student to write records of supervisory meetings
in which topics discussed are logged, progress against milestones monitored and future
objectives set. These should be dated and then e-mailed to the supervisors to sign off. This
helps students to take an interest in managing their own work and seeing progress being
made. It is important for the supervisor to keep such action plans as records of their own
performance, should this be challenged. There is a positive correlation between
establishing a routine of keeping effective records of supervision and successful outcomes
of supervision.
Skills for supervision
Supervision is a professional relationship. How supervisors work with their students
may vary according to custom and practice, from one discipline to another. In its key
principles for research degree supervision, the University of East Anglia (UEA, 2007: 3)
says of supervision that: ‘It should be guided by the principles of intellectual and interpersonal
integrity, fairness, respect, clarity about roles and responsibilities, student
autonomy and working in the best interest of the student.’ A discussion of ways
of conceptualising the supervisor–student relationship is given by Taylor and Beasley
(2005).
The approach to the supervision of research students is not dissimilar to that for
supervision of undergraduate projects and dissertations (Chapter 11). Supervision is a
front-loaded activity which requires significant input in the early stages to be effective.
Towards completion there is another major commitment in supporting writing. Research
supervision is about facilitation, nurturing and where appropriate challenging students
to ensure development of their critical understanding and self-evaluation. In this way
they can take responsibility for the development of their own research over the period of
the degree. The process involves being able to let the students go and take chances as
they move through the research.
Supervision requires high-level teaching skills that have developed from the same skill
set as may be used in other settings, such as small group teaching (Chapter 6). In addition,
it requires empathy. In supervision the skills set includes effective questioning, active
listening and responding. Supervisors need to provide effective feedback on when things
are going well and, importantly, if things are not going so well. The PRES data mentioned
earlier indicate the importance research students attach to prompt and high-quality
feedback. Owens (2008) outlines expectations of students starting their Ph.D. programmes
for their own role and that of their supervisors, and how these may be used to start
building the student–supervisor relationship.
Case study 1 shows an approach used by the University of Durham to acknowledge
and set criteria for excellence in research degree supervision.