Choosing a supervisor Some tips

Choosing a supervisorSome tips From a supervisor’s perspective November 12, 2013

Disclosure • I “chose” thesis supervisors for my MSc and my PhD • I changed my PhD thesis supervisor and dropped the thesis topic chosen by him • I found the topic for both my MSc and PhD research • My primary PhD supervisor left McGill and I had to work with a new co-supervisor (first time supervisor) as well as my original supervisor (long distance from California) • I survived to tell the tale!

Suggestion • Put at least as much time into researching and choosing an appropriate supervisor as you would into buying a car

Tips • Tip 1. Browse before deciding • Tip 2. Get your paperwork in order • Tip 3. Don’t talk financing or trade-ins until you’ve settled on a price • Tip 4. Don’t fail the test drive

Remember • You are not imposing on faculty members when you meet with them as potential supervisors • If you get that impression then that is the wrong person for you! • You will be helping the faculty member study an area in which s/he is interested • You should be an asset to their team • The faculty member will gain credit for training you • This should be a mutually beneficial relationship

And…… • Each student-supervisor relationship is unique • Even within a team the model may differ across students • Some very successful ones are quite informal and distant; others are close and dynamic • One type of supervisor does not fit all!

Early Steps • Get to know who is who in the Department • Go to seminars • Come up with a short list of potential supervisors • Check out webpages • Check out publications of potential supervisor(s) and students • Check out grants (CIHR webpage…) • Speak to current and previous students • Not only will you get info on the proposed supervisor but you will also get an idea if there is a “team” feeling or lone workers • Time to completion is something that you might look into as well • Check the supervisory privileges of your potential supervisor

The Approach • Be sure to distinguish between preliminary, exploratory approaches and the actual request to become one's supervisor • Send an introductory email with a nicely prepared academic CV • Do not be too rigid in your area of interest at this point • Once the date is set, ask to read grant applications or other documents as background • Be Professional – on time, and prepared • What are your areas of interest etc…. • Ask about RA opportunities

Things to Discuss • Your goal is to find out more about the faculty member and opportunities for research while at the same time impressing them • Mention your career goals • What are your personal work and learning styles? • What are your timeframes for thesis completion? • How will these fit with potential thesis supervisor? • Are there funding opportunities? • What are they? • What careers have previous students gone onto?

The Decision • Go back to your first choice and ask……. • Make sure to call back each person you met with to tell her/him whether or not you want to work with her/him • It is not a problem to tell her/him you decided to work for someone else • The faculty member knows you are making a choice

Some additional thoughts • Even if you do not “choose” a particular faculty member that you met with, you can still interact with them • There should be no hard feelings on either side • There are many reasons that a faculty member may say no after meeting with you that are not a reflection you • No enough funding available, going on sabbatical, too many current students, not quite the right fit for the available project • A professor may ask you first • Don’t answer too quickly • Still go through the process carefully.

The First Meeting • DO Discuss expectations on both sides! • Prepare an agenda – share it with your supervisor in advance • Listen • Supervisor expectations of you • Ask questions for clarification • You need to ask them now because it might be too late if there is a misunderstanding • Confirm previous discussions about funding • Frequency and format of meetings • Presentations, free flow,…., email, teleconference, videoconference • Prepare an agenda • Follow up with notes • DON’T define too many parameters in advance • No supervisor wants to be interrogated • DO Tell your supervisor now if you have any specific constraints or expectations • “I will be leaving to spend 6 months in France……” • Relationships evolve……let that happen

Some More Tips • Be flexible in your expectations for a thesis topic • Too rigid might turn off a supervisor not working in that area • Seek to make the research your own – this is not merely a big assignment – it is YOUR research • Look for opportunities to put your stamp on the project

TIP: Familiarize Yourself with Departmental Procedures • Primary supervisor MUST be a faculty member in the EBOH • Nomination of supervisor, committee forms • Deadlines • Tracking Forms • Timelines for your degree • Ask questions if you are confused • Program Advisor • Do not assume that your supervisor will have all the answers

TIP: Maintain a Sense of Humour

Questions?

Manuscript-Based Thesis • Potential Benefits • Better positioning for future career (postdoctoral fellowships or jobs), • Gaining publishing experience – something every academic needs, • Potentially increasing research efficiency, • Potentially leading to more practical and useable results, • Allowing greater depth, breadth and comprehensiveness, • Opportunities for real life learning (manuscript preparation, submission process, peer review, • etc.), and • Undergoing a more rigorous process in preparing results for publication than for a traditional thesis (monograph), with the resulting thesis potentially being high quality. • Potential Challenges • Working within uncertain timelines • Developing a thesis that is coherent • Structuring and formatting, as there maybe very different audiences and purposes for the various papers • A longer time commitment may be required because: • Publication process takes time • Circumstances may change while completing the research preparing the thesis, e.g. • Unfavorable results of a review; • Unexpected (or null) study results. • Inclusion of others (reviewers/editors) into the research process • Publishing work early on that may not reflect your level of sophistication at the end of your thesis

Choosing a supervisor Some tips