UWE Graduate School

Research Supervision staff development programme

September 2015
Pre-session readings
Lee, Anne (2008). How are doctoral students supervised? Concepts of
doctoral research supervision, Studies in Higher Education (33(3) 267281.
Literature about doctoral supervision has concentrated on describing the ever
lengthening lists of functions that must be carried out. This functional approach is
necessary but there has been little exploration of a different paradigm, a conceptual
approach towards research supervision. This paper, based on interviews with
supervisors from a range of disciplines, aims to fill this gap.

Deuchar, Ross (2008) Facilitator, director or critical friend?:

contradiction and congruence in doctoral supervision styles, Teaching
in Higher Education 13(4): 489-500.
This paper explores the current issues relating to doctoral research supervision and
candidature, set within the context of the neo-liberal and consumerist agendas and
the pressures of the Research Assessment Exercise. The paper opens up discussion
about the extent to which the discourse of performativity may be having an influence
on supervision styles, and explores some of the barriers that may prevent the
realisation of effective supervisor/student relationships. The paper highlights the
evidence arising from a critical review of literature into current supervision styles and
candidate needs, explores the way in which these issues may be applied to
education and provides illustrative examples of the way in which principles are
currently being translated into practice in the Faculty of Education of one Scottish
university.

Morrison-Saunders, A., Moore, S.A., Hughes, M. and Newsome, D. (2010)

Coming to terms with research practice: riding the emotional
rollercoaster of doctoral research studies, in M. Walker & P. Thomson
(eds) The Routledge doctoral supervisors companion, London:
Routledge.
Emotions are an integral part of the doctoral process. A range of emotions are
common and to be expected. How do emotions affect the doctoral process for both
students and their supervisors? And how can they be made to work positively for all
concerned? This chapter explores the role that emotions play in the doctoral process
and how students can benefit from reflecting on this issue. The role of emotions at
the beginning, middle and end of a doctoral programme is explored along with some
of the emotions that arise from the supervisor/doctoral student relationship.

Day 1
Campus

Friday 11th September 2015

Room 4D24, Frenchay

9.30 10.45

Experience, expectations and introductions

Previous experiences of doctoral supervision
Expectations of the programme

10.45 11.00

Refreshments - coffee/tea

11.00 12.30

How do supervisors get chosen?

Whats the difference between supervisor & DoS?
Whats expected of me during the first year?
What support can I expect?

12.30 1.15

Lunch Vouchers will be provided for the Street Cafe

1.15 2.30

Stakeholders, skills and statistics: doctoral context

Overview of the policy drivers affecting PGR from the EU
(Bologna process), UK (Research Councils, RAE/REF,
Hefce, QAA etc) and institutional contexts.

2.30 2.45

Refreshments - coffee/tea

2.45 4.00

The Progression Viva

Preparation for progression and its procedures
Post-progression supervision

Inter-session readings (will be provided later)

Aitchison, Claire & Lee, Alison (2006). Research writing: problems and
pedagogies, Teaching in Higher Education 11(3): 265-278.
Vernon Trafford & Shosh Leshem (2009). Doctorateness as a threshold
concept, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 46:3, 305316
Stanley Edward Taylor, (2012). Changes in doctoral education,
International Journal for Researcher Development, Vol. 3 Iss 2 pp. 118
138

Jerry Wellington (2013). Searching for doctorateness, Studies in Higher

Education, 38:10, 1490-1503
Day 2

Thursday 17th September 2015

Room 4D24 Frenchay

9.30 10.45

Approaching doctorateness: pedagogies & practices

What is doctoral quality and how do we recognise it?
How does the supervisor teach/develop it?
How does the student learn/acquire it?

10.45 11.00

Refreshments - coffee/tea

11.00 12.30

Maintaining progress
How do we maintain student motivation & progress?
Common problems - and suggested approaches?
Who reads the progress report and why?

12.30 1.15

Lunch Vouchers will be provided for the Street Cafe

1.15 2.30

Completion
Whats needed of the supervisor in the final year/months?
Who is responsible for the decision to submit the thesis?
Who decides on, and appoints, the examining team?
Should I provide a mock-viva or final pre-viva tutorial?
What do I do on the day of the viva, and who takes part?
Who awards the degree?

2.30 2.45

Refreshments - coffee/tea

2.45 4.00

Remaining questions, comments & concerns

+ evaluation of the programme