0. Topics which should be discussed during supervision talks
All the topics mentioned below should be discussed during the course of the initial meetings which take place between students and their supervisors, even if some of them do not become key topics until later on during the process:
1. Use of supervision time
2. Expectations relating to the supervisor's role and function
3. Expectations relating to the student's role
4. The supervisor's comments on draft texts
5. Expectations relating to working on drafts
6. Expectations relating to the number of times a supervisor should read through a text, from the first draft to the completed text
7. Evaluation of the supervisory relationship during the process
It will be natural to see these in connection with the supervision contract. Professional ethical guidelines for supervisors at the University of Oslo should also be included.
Possible definitions of some of the individual items are provided below. These definitions are intended to serve as suggestions and they should be adapted to suit the situation concerned. It is important that both parties are thus provided with the opportunity to address issues which are not directly related to the academic aspects of the supervision provided.
1. Use of supervision time
Supervision times are specified in the supervision contracts. It would be useful to discuss how much supervision time should be devoted respectively to 'pre-supervision' (talks about what the student is going to do) and 'post-supervision' (talks about what the student has done), and generally think about how this 'pot' should be divided up during the time allocated.
Expectations about how meeting plans should be organised should also be discussed. Possible alternatives will be as follows:
- Regular intervals between supervision talks?
- Students request their next supervision session when needed?
- A new meeting to always be agreed at the end of a session?
- How to agree on how long the supervisor will need in advance in order to prepare himself/herself?
2. Expectations relating to the supervisor's role and function
Under this item it will be natural to discuss how active the parties think that the supervisor should be when formulating issues, design, choice of theory, data analysis, etc. The supervisor's role in respect of choosing and obtaining literature will also be a discussion point. If this relates to a project provided by an external principal, this should also be discussed.
The style of feedback should also be discussed. Questions which are relevant in this respect could be as follows:
- Give praise where it is due rather than criticise something which is bad, or vice versa?
- Correct language (e.g. proofread)?
- Check that the time schedule is adhered to?
- Push students as quickly and as far as possible?
- Make enquiries if a student fails to turn up for a supervision session?
A third matter concerns expectations relating to whether or not the supervisor should assess the grades awarded. Does the student want this? What does the supervisor want to do?
3. Expectations relating to the student's role
Under this item it is important to discuss any expectations relating to the student's responsibilities and method of working in respect of preparing for supervision talks. This could comprise expectations relating to the student's preliminary work in respect of the supervision talks. For example, do the parties want the student to prepare an "agenda" before each supervision session?
Another matter which should be discussed is the student's obligation to inform his/her supervisor about his/her work progress, and about any others from whom supervision is sought.
4. The supervisor's comments on draft texts
At the start of a supervisory relationship it may be difficult to know what form of feedback would be the most constructive. This will also change during the course of the process. However, there are good reasons for discussing any expectations which the student might have in respect of what his/her supervisor wants and thinks is most productive.
Possible alternatives will be as follows:
- The supervisor makes verbal comments 'over the table'.
- Going through the text 'over the table', with the student being given the draft and comments?
- The supervisor provides the student with the draft and comments the day before the supervision talks take place, so that the supervision session can be used for whatever the student needs to discuss or have explained in greater detail?
- The supervisor just provides minimum feedback during the session ('this is OK as a draft') and goes through the drafts in detail when the time is right?
- The student always provides the supervisor with 'reading assignments' which specify the type of comments he/she would like to receive from the supervisor?
5. Expectations relating to the working on drafts
It will be important to address this item throughout the supervision period. The two outer extremes relating to how this should occur could be as follows:
- First drafts should never be revised immediately after writing and supervision.
- The pattern for first drafts should be as follows right from the start: writing - supervision - rewriting - supervision of one part until the quality is satisfactory before proceeding to the next part.
Where do the student and supervisor think that it is best to be on this scale? Should this be clarified several times, e.g. in the 'reading assignment' (see above) which is given to the supervisor.
6. Expectations relating to the number of times a supervisor should read through a text, from the first draft to the completed text.
This will be an important point for discussion after the student has started writing. It is particularly important to clarify expectations in respect of the final read-through.
7. Evaluation of the supervisory relationship during the process
In order to ensure that the best possible supervision is provided, it will be important to discuss supervision assessment types and times at the start. It will therefore be appropriate to review the supervision contract and the points mentioned above. In such an evaluation, questions about the standard of the academic focus of the supervision talks will be important.