Today’s blog post is by Seyran Khalili, Postgraduate Student in Psychosis Studies, and Marketing Assistant at King’s Careers & Employability. In this piece Seyran talks about the different ways in which you can create a positive relationship with your dissertation supervisor. Your dissertation supervisor is your GPS road finder; the person supporting you as you make progress on your dissertation and as you discover where you want to go with your research. But what’s required of the supervisor? And what can YOU do to make sure you get proper supervision?
Some would say that being a student, whether you’re an undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD student, is kind of like being a mouse. You must look out for one disaster after another, being aware of all the hazards, challenges you may encounter as you set out alone on the long road from start to finish. It can feel like it’s you versus your thesis – you defend it alone, and that can be terrifying (We’ve all been there… cheer up lad!)
One of the most important things for good supervision is to create a good and positive relationship with your supervisor. Which isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. One way of communicating with your supervisor is to give attention. Attention, attention, attention… If you give attention you’ll receive attention. First, you’ll need to be aware of what you want to ask them about. You’re drafting a shopping list of questions to get all the resources and ingredients you need to be better prepared to whip up that dissertation successfully.
Another key to creating a positive relationship with your supervisor is to read some background information about them first. Be aware of what his or her specialty is as soon as you start your dissertation project, and know what your supervisor can give you advice on. This will help you to frame your questions and know what you can and can’t expect to get answered. Any questions that are left unanswered you can give to someone with better expertise on that particular topic. Your supervisor will not know all the answers if your topic is related to something different than his or her field, which is a good enough reason for you to seek out other networks (this in turn might get you in contact with organisations and key people in the field you’re researching).
It’s essential to be aware that all supervisors are ordinary people, with their own preferences and style of supervision. Some supervisors are “drafters” who like to see ideas developing, making small drafts towards creating the final thesis. Others are “planners” who like to plan the structure of the project and will give you more freedom in between meetings to do your reflections. It might be an idea to ask yourself what type of learner you are – a drafter or a planner? Could it be that it doesn’t align with that of your supervisor? If so – you need to look into how you can be better prepared to communicate with your supervisor, and how you can leverage your concerns if you experience that you’re not communicating well with your supervisor at all.
We all know that as students we seek feedback. Oh, for the love of the feedback that can guide us to say; yes, you are doing well, or no, this is not on the right track. But why is this so difficult sometimes? Confirming communication can be defined as skills to communicate words that create safety, trust, and that builds a good relationship. If communication is the problem, hit the books, the guidelines, and use other resources provided by King’s and your department. It’s all there for you when you’re facing difficulties. This can also be a good learning process for you. Situations of communication, being flexible when facing challenges, and being in the “middle” of your dissertation reflects some of the situations you can expect to find in the real workplace. Your dissertation is your project, you are managing it, and your thesis is the write up of what you have discovered, why it is essential, and the exciting conclusions you have reached.
Your supervisor will want you to do well; your work is also a reflection of their ability to guide you. You are a team – but it’s vital that you’re honest about what you need and what your limitations might be. The moral of the story is: be creative, be confident, don’t give up, and don’t feel discouraged. Accept that good communication is key to researching and writing your dissertation; be optimistic and positive, and build trust early on. Bring your confidence and be positive that you’re qualified to do this – this mindset will take you far.
Key take-away points:
- Understand your and your supervisor’s responsibilities; what are you expecting from each other? Discuss these expectations and responsibilities in the first meeting to set the tone for your relationship early on.
- Demonstrate your independence and ability to manage your project… but remember, your supervisor is there to help!
- Be professional and positive! And get ready to receive constructive feedback. How do you normally handle criticism and feedback from others? Being aware of this might help you start and maintain a positive dialogue with your supervisor.
- Maintain regular contact. Short and frequent meetings or long and infrequent ones? That’s up to you, really, but you should at least keep in touch over email on a regular basis.
- Meet deadlines you’ve agreed on. If you can’t meet them for some reason, demonstrate why and plan out the road ahead from there.
- Make use of your wider support network when you can and when you need it.
- And finally, be open and honest – about what you need from your supervisor and what’s actually going on (with your project and with you)!
If you want to learn more, head to one of the King’s libraries and pick up books about dissertation, communication, and self-leadership. These resources can help you polish your transferable skills.
Want to read more dissertation-related stuff? Check out our blog post on how to create and stick to a dissertation work schedule.