Supervisory Relationships

by Prof Lilian Vrijmoed, former Professor, Department of Biology and Chemistry

The most important basis for the relationship between you and your supervisor is mutual respect. The relationship will develop and each person will take on a range of roles and responsibilities. Throughout, both parties should view the student as a collaborator in a research project. Hopefully, this approach will help you develop more confidence in yourself as a researcher. 

Explicit expectations

Expectations can be wide ranging (see table for examples). The expectations of both parties must be clear from the start to avoid any misunderstandings. If this is not initiated by your supervisor, then raise it yourself in one of your first meetings.

Once you have been given guidance, your supervisor will expect you to take your own initiative, identify problems and develop your own ideas. You will be expected to attend university for regular office hours agreed with your supervisor and provide regular reports on your progress. Above all, you need to recognise that it is your research you are working on - you're developing as researcher in your own right.

As a research student you should expect your supervisor not to treat you like a school student or a research assistant, but as a collaborator. You can expect ongoing contact with your supervisor. Although not a substitute for face-to-face contact, e-mail is a useful additional means of contact.

Ongoing communication

Throughout the relationship there needs to be continual communication. This need not be restricted to your informal or formal progress meetings. It can include regular meetings in the lab, e-mail contact, group meetings with your supervisor and other research students, and so on.

Building the relationship

As with any new relationship, there may be barriers to overcome. A useful way of breaking down inhibitions you may have about talking with your supervisor on more equal terms and on broad issues is through group discussions with your supervisor and other research students. This may be discussing the same project you're all working on, or it may be more wide ranging discussion on areas you're all involved or interested in. If your supervisor does not initiate such sessions you could suggest them, and, if necessary, offer to manage arrangements.

Enthusiasm

You should enjoy your research, and convey this to your supervisor. Your research degree gives you a taster to see if you want to pursue a career in research. It is not just about training in research skills; it is more about developing your thinking. You need to be interested in your work to sustain your enthusiasm through the inevitable failures, pitfalls and setbacks you will experience in the research process, and criticisms when publishing in prestigious internationally refereed journals.

Independent learning

One of the aims of a research degree is to develop your thinking patterns as you progress through your research so you move from being reliant on your supervisor to being an independent thinker with developed critical and analytical skills. Learn to be self-critical and not just expect your supervisor to identify issues. After all, you will reach the stage where you are more expert in your topic than your supervisor. Your critical skills can be developed through attending and actively participating in seminars offered in your own and other departments and by reading widely in and around your own subject discipline.

Developing as an independent learner also involves making the most effective use of your time. You need to take an active role in monitoring your own progress and arranging your own work schedule.

Meetings and progress reports

At the beginning you can expect your supervisor to initiate meetings, as he or she is more experienced in the process. However, as your research develops you should take mutual responsibility for organising and attending regular meetings.

Your supervisor may expect you to prepare a written or oral report prior to these meetings for discussion. You need to outline your progress but more importantly you need to identify any problems or issues in your research, any improvements and evaluate your own results. Being analytical in this way will help you as you write up your research. Your supervisor will give you feedback on this written work, but this will be more in the form of raising more questions than direct answers.

Addressing problems

From the beginning you need to discuss with your supervisor how you will overcome any problems that either of you experience with your professional relationship. Ask your supervisor for guidance and make sure you tell him or her if you feel things are not working, rather than bottling it up until it reaches crisis point. Of course, it's more enjoyable for both of you if you get on well. However, even if problems arise, you can still maintain a good professional working relationship. Working through interpersonal problems will help you handle your future professional relationships.