6.4 Supervision Protocols
The dissertation provides an opportunity for the student to demonstrate a range of acquired research skills, including the ability to work independently, to formulate a proposal, and to carry it through to fruition in the form of a dissertation. The dissertation is the student's work, not the advisor's work. The advisor guides, critiques, and encourages, but does not manage the work. That is the role of the doctoral student. It is important to remember that the research and writing of the dissertation is the student's responsibility.
6.4.1Dissertation Advisor's Role
The onus of responsibility in the supervision of the development of the proposal and the dissertation falls to the dissertation advisor. The dissertation advisor provides authoritative oversight to the research process and is the chairman of the Dissertation Committee.
The dissertation advisor supervises the development of the research proposal and the dissertation. Additionally, the advisor oversees the research process and serves as the chairman of the dissertation committee. The advisor’s task is to guide the researcher through the process of preparing a clean, clear, streamlined, substantive proposal and dissertation which can stand up to scrutiny during the proposal process and the dissertation hearing. This enables the other reader(s) to focus on the research rather than on editorial or tangential matters.
Dissertation advisors:
- Assist in developing the dissertation title
- Give advice about the viability of the study and provide clarification regarding the policies and protocols of the dissertation writing process
- Discuss a general strategy for the design of the research and possible research methods
- Discuss avenues for literature search and review
- Suggest helpful literature and other sources
- Oversee the planning of the prospectus and dissertation
- Set and maintain the standard of work expected
- Offer input for improvements to draft chapters
- Provide guidance for dealing with outside agencies if necessary
- Warn of major problems
- Give feedback on argument, analyses, quality, and progress of the dissertation
- Encourage, support, and acknowledge progress
- Alert the student to major patterns of grammar or writing errors
Supervisors do not:
- Provide close editing of spelling, grammar, or punctuation
- Suggest a detailed topic or proposal, although they may encourage research in particular areas
- Make decisions for the student
- Tell the student specifically what to write
- Accept any draft for detailed comment less than two working weeks before the deadline
- Provide close editing of spelling, grammar, or punctuation
6.4.2 Second Reader's Role
Second readers function in a consultant role. While they receive copies (third readers also receive copies if third readers are assigned) of the proposal as it is developed, they are not are required to comment on those copies to the student. Rather, all input from the second reader is channeled through the advisor to the student unless another process is agreed upon by the advisor..
With the permission of the dissertation advisor (first reader), the role of the second reader may be expanded to an ongoing consulting role with the student during the development of the proposal and dissertation. When this occurs, the dissertation advisor must be informed of these consultations and of any changes made to the proposal or dissertation as a result of these consultations.
In general then, doctoral students should not ask second readers or external readers to read draft editions of individual chapters or the dissertation without the prior approval of the dissertation advisor. Second readers and external readers are only to be consulted on the defense-ready version of the completed proposal and/or completed dissertation unless arrangements are made with the advisor.
6.4.3 Phone Calls and Meetings
Students are to make phone appointments for the discussion of dissertation material, rather than making impromptu phone calls or writing lengthy emails. Prior to scheduled phone appointments, students should email the dissertation advisor with a list of the primary questions to be discussed, attaching an electronic copy of the areas of the dissertation under discussion. The more contextual information that is provided, the more accurate the response will be.
Brief emailed questions are appropriate from time to time. However, if numerous questions need to be discussed, a phone appointment should be scheduled instead.
Impromptu phone calls are discouraged, as the dissertation advisor may not be able to devote full attention to the questions if other classroom commitments or appointments are in progress at the time of the call or immediately pending.
Students are responsible for keeping dissertation advisors frequently informed of progress made in the research and writing of the dissertation.