1st Edition
Doctoral Supervision and Research Culture What We Know, What Works and Why
Drawing on original survey data, reflective accounts, and case studies of supervisory practice in different disciplines, Doctoral Supervision and Research Culture explores the supervisor experience and demonstrates the craft, compassion and consistency required of supervisors in responding to different researcher’s needs.
Based on empirical data and using the voice of research supervisors, the authors throw a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities supervisors face in supporting doctoral researchers through to successful PhD completion. This book acts as an invitation to institutions, funders, industry and academics to review what, and how they support PhD provision and to elevate the status of supervision practice. It shows how research cultures - disciplinary, institutional and individual - affect the supervisory experience and highlight the challenges that supervisors face, as well as the rewards that successful supervisory relationships bring. It is also a celebration of the contribution that doctoral researchers and all those who support research make to society.
Designed to provide opportunities for sharing of practice across disciplines and the sector, Doctoral Supervision and Research Culture will be of interest to both new and experienced supervisors, to staff and researcher developers in institutions, and to funders, policy makers and senior management in universities who seek to improve and enhance the supervisory experience for all agents.
SECTION I: THE CONTEXT AND CULTURE OF DOCTORAL SUPERVISION
1: Context and Culture: the doctoral researcher experience
Karen Clegg
2. The Doctoral Supervisory Experience
Owen Gower
SECTION II: SURVEY OUTCOMES: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DOCTORAL SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE
3. Lessons from the UK Research Supervision Survey
Owen Gower
4. How Supervisory practice is shaped and developed
Gillian Houston
5. Professional Recognition of Research Supervision
Karen Clegg
SECTION III: CASE STUDIES OF SUPERVISORY PRACTICE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE DOCTORATE
6. Supporting researchers to navigate the early stages of the Doctorate
Gillian Houston
7. Maintaining motivation through the mid stages - overcoming challenges, supporting progress academic writing and feedback
Gillian Houston
8. Supporting submission and the Viva
Gillian Houston
SECTION IV: IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF DOCTORAL SUPERVISION
9. Advancing the professional and career development of doctoral researchers
Karen Clegg
10. How could we support, reward and recognise supervision?
Karen Clegg
11. Conclusion: The future of doctoral education: a cultural revolution?
Karen Clegg
Biography
Karen Clegg is Co-PI and Director of the Next Generation Research SuperVision Project (RSVP). She was the lead architect of the UK Research Supervision Survey sponsored by Wellcome Trust and UKRI.
Gillian Houston is an independent researcher working in the field of doctoral education. Her particular interests are the final examination and supervisory practice. Recent work includes several book chapters and journal articles in the field.
Owen Gower is the Director of the UK Council for Graduate Education, where he leads the Council’s advocacy on a range of issues in postgraduate education and research.
"This book is not just an exploration of supervision practices; it is a visionary invitation to empower doctoral supervisors, transform research cultures, and establish future sustainable support structures for good supervision".
Gitte Wichmann-Hansen, Senior Researcher, Centre for Educational Development, Aarhus University, Denmark
