Finding the right programme & supervisor

PostGrad — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 12:39:25 +0000

Choosing a postgraduate research programme or department, and choosing a supervisor or supervisors to work with, is not a process that all prospective postgraduate students approach strategically, or with significant forethought. Often, students are assigned supervisors by the university department they register with, and this can create a ‘potluck’ situation, where the relationship may work out well or end in tears and frustration. Rather than waiting for a supervisor, especially, to be assigned to you, this video suggests a process, and guiding questions, for proactively researching prospective supervisors within your chosen research area. Using this guidance, we recommend that you think carefully about who you could work well with, whose research connects well with your own, and who has a sound reputation for constructive supervision. Although many students have to adjust their ideals to fit their financial and geographical reality, it is important for all prospective postgraduate students to carefully consider the place they want to study, and the people they want to be mentored by, as this relationship is one that can make or break a research degree process.

Developed by Sherran Clarence, Independent higher education consultant. Special thanks to Robyn and Kenny for their input.

Who might find this useful?

This material is for prospective postgraduate students, to use before they register for an MA or PhD degree.
Explore these additional resources

This video provides ideas on how to make the first contact with a supervisor:
https://postgradenvironments.com/2017/08/29/how-to-approach-a-potential-supervisor/
Choosing the right supervisor: http://wp.me/p3VNfn-C
How to get a rock star supervisor: https://thesiswhisperer.com/2017/04/19/8195/
Supervisor shopping: https://thesiswhisperer.com/2017/06/07/supervisor-shopping/
Advice on choosing a PG course: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/studentships/1270/top-10-tips-for-choosing-a-postgraduate-course
Secrets of postgrad success (Layla Cassim): https://mg.co.za/article/2011-04-27-secrets-of-postgrad-success/

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Formative feedback (for supervisors)

PostGrad — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 09:37:37 +0000

Feedback is a contentious topic in higher education: it’s purpose is understood as to give student writers direction and advice on developing their writing. But it also has a more tacit role in helping student writers to develop their thinking, and their ability to be critical, analytical and increasingly independent in their writing and research, especially at postgraduate level. At this level, supervisors provide the bulk of feedback students need to work with. This happens over an extended period of time, and the feedback needs to vary in form, tone and content, depending on which stage of the research journey students are in. Most supervisors are not coached in feedback-giving, and it is not always easy to know what kind of feedback to give, and when. This material outlines what formative feedback is, and what role in plays in student-writer development at this level. It also includes a screencast with an example of a ‘feedback conversation’ between a student and her supervisors, to illustrate the way formative feedback can be given, and responded to, in a student/supervisor relationship. Ultimately, the material encouraged supervisors to use their feedback to enable meta-reflection, so that students can develop their immediate writing, as well as their capacity as writers and thinkers.

Developed by Sherran Clarence, Independent higher education consultant. Thanks to Martina van Heerden for the narration.

Who might find this useful?

This material is for individual use postgraduate supervisors, and writing coaches or mentors, or in workshops facilitated for postgraduate supervisors on the role and work of supervision in PG research.

Explore these additional resources

Useful blogposts:

Additional reading:

NPF report on best practice for supervisors (https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/download/ng/file/group-1659/best-practice-in-supervisor-feedback-to-thesis-students.pdf)
Catherine Manathunga (2007) Supervision as mentoring: The role of power and boundary crossing. Studies in Continuing education, 29:2, 207-221, DOI: 10.1080/01580370701424650.
Nickola C. Overall, Kelsey L. Deane & Elizabeth R. Peterson (2011) Promoting doctoral students’ research self-efficacy: combining academic guidance with autonomy support, Higher Education Research & Development, 30:6, 791-805, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2010.535508

The post Formative feedback (for supervisors) appeared first on Enhancing Postgraduate Environments.

Postgraduate supervision Archives - Enhancing Postgraduate Environments

Finding the right programme & supervisor

Formative feedback (for supervisors)