Q 1 In some Universities, two supervisors are appointed to supervise one Phd stu
ID: 2593656 • Letter: Q
Question
Q 1 In some Universities, two supervisors are appointed to supervise one Phd student. One of the supervisors will be the principal supervisor. The second supervisor will be junior supervisor. Suppose you are principal supervisor, how will you deal with your junior supervisor? What are the responsibilities of the two Supervisors?
Q 2 A successful supervisor will usually have many candidates at different stages of the research process so that two or more candidates complete each year.
The university restrict the number of candidates attached to each supervisor.
In the light of this situation, how will you find a suitable supervisor for your research work?
Q 3 Dr Omar is the examiner of one Phd dissertation. What will be the points that Dr Omar will take into consideration while writing his report for this PHD Dissertation?
Explanation / Answer
Question 1:
The title of supervisor is typically applied to a first-line or lower-level managerial role, often in industrial or administrative settings. The designation of supervisor is less common in the twenty-first century than in prior eras where the actual work of observing co-workers closely was deemed a necessary management tactic. Still, there are a variety of roles and vocations today where the designation and role exist.
Functions of a Supervisor:
A supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day performance of a small group. It may be a team, a department or a shift. Typically the supervisor has experience in what the group does and has earned the position based on management's belief that he/she is capable of guiding the team.
Common supervisory tasks include:
Sample Position Titles:
Titles vary by industry and vocation, however, here are some common examples of supervisory titles:
Becoming a Supervisor:
The supervisor role is one where the individual must have an excellent grasp of the work of the team and also an understanding of the tasks and activities of a manager. The supervisor is often drawn from the working team because management appreciates his or her work ethic, company attitude, and commitment to quality. Organizations often require individuals promoted to supervisory roles to attend first-line or front-line management training, where they learn important communication and management skills.
Challenges of Being a Supervisor:
The role of a supervisor is often a challenging one. The new supervisor often must navigate the awkward transition from being one of the team members to the individual responsible for guiding work, offering constructive feedback and even writing up, disciplining or terminating a long-time colleague or friend. Instead of being a team member, the individual, as supervisor, is now part of management. This transition is often extremely uncomfortable for all parties.
A large part of the role of supervisor involves offering feedback, both constructive and positive, with constructive being the more challenging for most individuals to deliver.
If training has not been offered, many supervisors report struggling with delivering constructive feedback.
In the role of supervisor, the individual is accountable for team performance, which offers pressure above and beyond the level he or she may have experienced as a team member.
Often the supervisor is charged with responsibility for the team and overall performance, yet has relatively little direct authority without gaining managerial support.
Best Practices of Successful Supervisors:
Question 2:
Supervisors play an integral role in your experience as a research degree student. The relationship between you and your supervisor will have a significant impact on the positive and successful completion of your degree, so finding the right supervisor is crucial.
The first step
Before applying for candidature, all applicants (other than those applying to study in the Faculty of Business and Law) must contact a supervisor within the relevant faculty, school or institute to discuss research opportunities.
Business and Law applicants are encouraged to email the directly for faculty all supervisor related enquiries.
Contact a supervisor
Defining your area of interest
Identify your area of interest and determine which field of research expertise it belongs to. Selecting a topic which falls into one of Deakin's defined research priority areas ensures that you will have access to the world-class resources, peer support, and research staff you need.
Key research themes
Deakin's four main research areas are:
Choosing the appropriate faculty
Your supervisor's field of research and areas of interest should align closely with your own.
Deakin is divided into the following four faculties:
Deakin’s research institute.
Deakin is home to the following research institutes and strategic research institutes:
Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM)
Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN)
Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI)
Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI)
Advanced Design in Engineering Training (CADET)
Innovation in Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Treatment (IMPACT)
regional and Rural Futures (CeRRF)
Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED)
Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS)
Integrative Ecology (CIE)
Molecular and Medical Research (MMR)
Chemistry and Biotechnology (CCB)
Population Health Research (CPHR)
Pattern Recognition and Data Analysis (PRaDA)
Cyber Security Research (CCSR)
Deakin Motion.Lab (DML)
Sports Research (CSR)
Research for Educational Impact (REDI)
Making the right choice
You'll need to find a supervisor who you can work well with both professionally and personally, as you'll be working with them for the duration of your degree.
Questions to ask
To determine if a supervisor is right for you, you might like to ask:
what areas of research do they specialise in?
what areas of research have they previously worked in?
what areas of research do they have experience in supervising?
do they have time to supervise you?
Will I always get the supervisor I want?
Deakin may not be able to appoint the person you request as your supervisor, and not all research topics are suitable for higher degrees by research.
The topic you choose must provide sufficient scope to explore a range of research techniques, and be likely to lead to sufficient results for an acceptable thesis to be produced within the normal period of candidature.
Appointment of supervisors
If you're offered a place as a postgraduate research student, Deakin will provide a qualified team of at least two supervisors who will guide and support you through every stage of your degree.
The team is established and maintained for each student on the recommendation of the Head of Academic Unit and Faculty Executive Dean. Team supervision gives students formal access to a wider range of informed views and opinions.
Who will be in my supervision team?
Supervision teams must include either a principal or an executive supervisor, and will normally have one of the following compositions:
The role of principal supervisor
The principal supervisor is a university staff member with relevant qualifications and research experience in the same area as the student they are supervising.
This person will have previous supervision experience and needs to have supervised at least one previous student to completion at that level.
He or she will provide instruction, assistance, a sounding board for ideas and plans, and be available to review written material.
Your relationship with your supervisor
The relationship between you and your supervisor will change during candidature. At the outset, expect help in clarifying the research project and preparing a realistic research plan and timetable.
If you need to develop new skills and techniques, the supervisor can help with advice and possibly instruction.
The next stages of your relationship
As the project proceeds, your supervisor's role becomes one of assistance in monitoring progress. Try out ideas, discuss experimental results and write up sections of the work for your supervisor to review.
Towards the end of the project you’ll become the authority on the topic and your supervisor will become a senior colleague.
You'll make the greatest use of the supervisor's experience and knowledge of standards, but he or she may not be able to provide technical help because you have become the expert.
Support and communication
Even the strongest commitment to your research degree can be disrupted by a personal crisis. Your ability to succeed may depend on how well you use the assistance available.
Always keep your supervisor informed so they can take circumstances into consideration when providing advice. Your supervisor can also direct you to university support services provided by the Division of Student Life, which offers a counselling service.
Scheduling and frequency of meetings
The supervision process will only be successful if there are regular and frequent meetings and discussions between you and your supervisor.
From the outset, establish an agreed timetable. Supervisors have many demands on their time and may need gentle reminders of meetings.
How often you need to meet will depend on the nature of your project and the stage of the project you are at.
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