Supervising The Doctorate

This text provides everything you ever wanted to know about PhD supervision but were afraid to ask. It is a practical no-nonsense handbook for both the novice and the experienced higher degree supervisor. This 2nd edition includes details on supervising professional doctoral theses.

This book provides "everything you ever wanted to know about PhD supervision but were afraid to ask!" It is a practical, no-nonsense handbook for both the novice and the experienced higher degree supervisor. The novice will find a developmental sequence of advice, guiding them through all the stages of supervision from the first meeting to viva and beyond. The experienced supervisor will find fresh ideas to improve practice and solve problems. Based both on research among laboratory scientists and social scientists and on many years of experience, the book also draws upon humanities examples and so is invaluable to academics in all disciplines. At a time when there is increasing pressure to ensure 'quality' provision, to improve the PhD completion rate, and to turn out employable graduates, the need for this practical guide is obvious.

Navigating the gap between novice and expert is a process that will continue for years into an early academics’ career. This book will serve as practical tool for PhD candidates and early career researchers (ECRs), providing them with an understanding on how to sustain long-lasting supervisory relationships and how to develop their networks.

The Doctorate as Experience in Europe and Beyond presents a detailed and fascintating account of completing a doctorate from the perspectives of researchers, supervisors and students. It provides an in-depth insight through qualitative data, interpretative methods and insider experiences for a truly unique perspective. Given the popularity of doctoral studies and their increasing importance outside of academia, the PhD has needed to evolve and develop, particularly given its role in the internationalization of universities. Drawing on in-depth interviews with international participants, this book explores case studies and comparative analysis of the dimensions of researcher identity, the processes of supervision and the use of languages for teaching and learning and conducting research. Providing a keen insight into how the internationalization of higher education is affecting the doctoral experience, The Doctorate as Experience in Europe and Beyond is ideal reading for all academics, doctoral supervisors and examiners as well as postgraduate students involved in doctoral education.

Historically, it has been presumed that being an experienced researcher was enough in itself to guarantee effective supervision. This has always been a dubious presumption and it has become an untenable one in the light of global developments in the doctorate itself and in the candidate population which have transformed demands upon expectations of supervisors. This handbook will assist new and experienced supervisors to respond to these changes. Divided into six parts the book looks at the following issues: changing contexts of doctoral supervision recruiting, selecting and working with doctoral candidates supporting the research project supporting candidates of all nationalities and academic backgrounds supporting completion of projects and examination evaluation and dissemination of practice. A Handbook for Doctoral Supervisors focuses on the practical needs of supervisors, draws examples from a wide range of countries and uses self-interrogation as a means of encouraging readers to reflect upon their practice, making it an essential read for anyone involved in doctoral supervision.

Helping Doctoral Students Write offers a proven approach to effective doctoral writing. By treating research as writing and writing as research, the authors offer pedagogical strategies for doctoral supervisors that will assist the production of well-argued and lively dissertations. It is clear that many doctoral candidates find research writing complicated and difficult, but the advice they receive often glosses over the complexities of writing and/or locates the problem in the writer. Kamler and Thomson provide a highly effective framework for scholarly work that is located in personal, institutional and cultural contexts. The pedagogical approach developed in the book is based on the notion of writing as a social practice. This approach allows supervisors to think of doctoral writers as novices who need to learn new ways with words as they enter the discursive practices of scholarly communities. This involves learning sophisticated writing practices with specific sets of conventions and textual characteristics. The authors offer supervisors practical advice on helping with commonly encountered writing tasks such as the proposal, the journal abstract, the literature review and constructing the dissertation argument. The first edition of this book has helped many academics and thousands of research students produce better written material. Now fully updated the second edition includes: Examples from a broader range of academic disciplines A new chapter on writing from the thesis for peer reviewed journals More advice on reading and note taking, performance and conferences, Further information on developing a personal academic writing style, and Advice on the use of social media (blogs, tweets and wikis) to create trans-disciplinary and trans-national networks and conversations. Their discussion of the complexities of forming a scholarly identity is illustrated throughout by stories and writings of actual doctoral students. In conclusion, they present a persuasive and proven argument that universities must move away from simply auditing supervision to supporting the development of scholarly research communities. Any supervisor keen to help their students develop as academics will find the ideas and practical solutions presented in this book fascinating and insightful reading.

One of the major intangible benefits associated with the postgraduate research experience is precisely that: the experience. And more specifically, for an increasing number of international research students: the British doctoral experience. This experience is often largely defined and shaped by their relationship with, and support from, their supervisor. Enhancing the Doctoral Experience brings together the authors’ experience and research, frameworks and models as well as pragmatic feedback and understanding. This synthesis of scholarly theory and pragmatic sampling has produced a book that provides a scaffold for students and supervisors to have conversations about their expectations; to discuss what supervision is; to articulate clearly what both parties need in order for a successful relationship to occur, and to build a mutually beneficial endeavour. In many cases, these conversations can be complicated by cultural and linguistic differences so the text explicitly addresses these and other sources of misunderstanding. Against a challenging background of growing numbers of students but also increasing pressures on time and costs, Enhancing the Doctoral Experience offers an approach to improve the effectiveness of the doctoral student and increase the professionalization of research supervision. It does so by providing both with an awareness of, and a toolkit to approach, student diversity.

“A fresh update to a true classic. This is one of the most reassuring and useful books you will ever read about doing your PhD, no matter your topic - or where you are enrolled.” Professor Inger Mewburn, Director of Researcher Development, Office of the Dean of Higher Degree by Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia “How to get a PhD is both honest and thorough and thus immensely helpful, for supervisors as much as for students.” Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, University of Kent, UK “The 7th edition! ‘How to get a PhD’ is proving its status as a must read for PhDs and supervisors.” Dr Hans Sonneveld, Founder and Board member, Netherlands Centre of Expertise for Doctoral Education How to Get a PhD 7e provides a practical and realistic approach for all students who are embarking on a PhD. In addition, supervisors will find invaluable tips on their role in the process, good supervisory practices and how to support students to work effectively. Thoroughly revised and updated throughout, the seventh edition provides an overview of what it means to undertake a PhD within a modern university, exploring both the challenges and rewards of a doctoral degree, including: • Contemporary challenges for students including transgender issues, sexual harassment, and exploitation within the academic environment • Time demands, the balance of academia and paid work, and the uncertainty of academic careers and how this can impact students’ mental health • Academic debates surrounding the increased importance of technology and open access • Emphasising diversity with an increased focus on how students, supervisors and universities can work together to make a more effective and welcoming academic environment The new edition is structured so that users can find the section that will help the specific stage of their work. With practical guidance through the application process, research, viva and post-viva, this book supports PhD students of all disciplines across their journey and beyond, including part-time, those returning to study and those who are practice-based. Estelle M. Phillips has enjoyed a long career as an academic and independent educational consultant. She has published widely on various aspects of the PhD and has spoken at universities on four continents about the skills required to complete and supervise a PhD. Colin G. Johnson is an associate professor at the University of Nottingham, and was formerly Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the sciences at the University of Kent. He is an experienced PhD supervisor and examiner, and has led training courses for new PhD students and advised on postgraduate strategy for a number of universities. Professor Derek S Pugh (1930-2015) was Emeritus Professor of International Management of the Open University Business School, UK. He published 17 books and over 100 papers in his field and had considerable experience in the design of doctoral programmes and the successful supervision and examination of PhD students.