Dissertation supervision questions

Ross Woods, 2022

Research students need to meet regularly with their supervisors, so a guideline for the kinds of questions can help new supervisors. Even experienced supervisors might need a reminder of the kinds of questions they habitually overlook. The guideline might also help students to be better prepared for meetings, especially if they are nervous.

Dissertation supervisors typically ask these kinds of questions:

1. What have you been doing in the last week [or two weeks]?
2. What went well?
3. How much time have you put into it?
4. What are you learning? Did you have any “Aha!”moments?
5. What was difficult or frustrating? What worked, and what didn’t?
1. How did you handle it?
2. What are your plans to handle it in the coming week?
3. Where do you specifically need help?
4. Any particular questions?
6. How are you going personally?
7. Have you written anything for me to read?
8. What are you working on right now?
9. What are your plans for the coming week [or two weeks]?
10. Will you have anything for me to read at our next meeting?
11. Are you on track according to your original schedule? If not, could you make any corrections so that you are nearer to shedule?
12. Do you have anything publishable on the way?

However, these questions are not at all prescriptive; supervisors can always add, delete or change them according to the situation. For example:

1. Some students are more independent, have more initiative, and are more curious than others.
2. Students have different capacities for writing and editing.
3. Students’ needs change at different stage of the research and writing.
4. Some meetings are mainly used for discussing the students’ written work.