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good questions to ask dissertation supervisor

Getting to the main article

Choosing your route

Setting research questions/ hypotheses

Assessment point

Building the theoretical case

Setting your research strategy

Data collection

Data analysis

CONSIDERATION ONE

Things to discuss with your supervisor.

From your supervisor's point of view, this may only be the second time you have met to discuss your dissertation, and it could have been a few weeks or a couple of months since you first discussed your dissertation with them (i.e., STAGE FOUR: Assessment point may have been your first meeting). Therefore, start by briefly recapping what your dissertation is about, including the research questions/hypotheses that you are going to answer.

Next, if you developed a theoretical model for your dissertation (i.e., during STEP FOUR: Set the theoretical model for your dissertation in STAGE FIVE: Building the theoretical case ), it is worth showing this to your supervisor. After all, theoretical models are useful frameworks to describe what you are studying in a clear, succinct, and visual way. More specifically, your theoretical model should: (a) set the boundaries/scope of the research project in terms of the theories and constructs that will be studied and measured; and (b) illustrate the research hypotheses to be tested, and the predictions that are being made (if any) about the relationship between the constructs under study.

If you didn't develop a theoretical model, you should focus on explaining the main constructs you will be studying, and the potential relationships between those constructs. This will help your supervisor to understand the theoretical case for your dissertation upon which your research strategy is based. It will also allow you to spend the majority of the meeting discussing your research strategy, which is the main thing you need to discuss with your supervisor. When you discuss your research strategy, remember to focus on the major aspects of your research strategy rather than the detail and justifications behind all of your decisions. You just won't have time to do this unless your supervisor has given you a long meeting.

During this meeting, we would suggest that you: (a) determine whether your research design, research method and sampling strategy are sufficient; (b) get advice on whether your research strategy is likely to be achievable in the time you have available; (c) check that your research strategy meets your dissertation and university's ethical guidelines; (d) present your measurement procedure, if you have time; and (e) defend the choice that you have made. Each of these considerations is discussed in turn:

Determine whether your research design, research method and sampling strategy are sufficient

The research strategy that you set determines how you are going to carry out (i.e., operationalize) your dissertation. In this respect, your research design, research methods and sampling strategy need to fit with the research hypotheses you have set and the theoretical case you have built for your dissertation. This is important for achieve a good mark. However, these components of your research strategy also have a significant impact on the effort that is required to complete a dissertation. By effort , we mean the practical aspects of going out and collecting your data, which includes everything from setting up your research design, to building a representative sample of your population, gaining access to such data, collecting the data using the research methods you have set, before analysing that data. Whilst effort is not going to get you a good mark by itself, there is a minimum amount of effort that will be expected of you when it comes to carrying out your dissertation. For example, the use of secondary research is often criticised because there is a general expectation that you will go out and collect data in the field (i.e., primary research ), unless the secondary research, and the statistical analysis of that research is substantial. Similarly, the effort of putting together a probability sample can clearly be recognized over a non-probability sample due to the time and care that this takes. A third example would be your sample size , with the effort of collecting larger samples, for the most part, providing you with the ability to carry out more rigorous and extensive data analysis that is not possible with smaller samples.

By examining you research design, research methods and sampling strategy, your supervisor should be able to tell you, often from experience, whether the research you plan to carry out is sufficient for a good grade. There is nothing worse than meeting your supervisor too late when you are getting close to the end of the dissertation process, and finding out that you have not done enough. It is often too late to recover at this stage because you simply run out of time to analyse your data and write up your dissertation.

Get advice on whether your research strategy is likely to be achievable in the time you have available

Just as you don't want your research strategy to be insufficient, you also have to be careful that you don't take on too much, especially when it comes to the data collection phase. There are a number of factors that can affect the achievability of your dissertation, including issues of access (i.e., to people, organisations, data, facilities, and information), the size of the sample that you want, the length of the data collection process, whether you can receive help collecting your data, and what skills you may have to learn. If you are an undergraduate student, some of these factors can be difficult to judge because this will be your first dissertation, but even amongst master's students, this can be difficult. When you explain the research strategy you are using, it's a good idea to ask your supervisor whether they think it will be achievable in the time you have available.

Check that your research strategy meets your dissertation and university's ethical guidelines

Having worked through STEP SIX: Research ethics of STAGE SEVEN: Setting the research strategy , you should understand the ethical requirements arising from your choice of research strategy. However, if you do not know whether your choice of research strategy means that you need to write an Ethics Proposal , complete an Ethics Consent Form , or get permission from an Ethics Committee , we would suggest that you pass your ethical design by your supervisor. By ethical design , we simply mean those components of your research strategy that could undermine the five basic ethical principles you should abide by (i.e., minimising the risk of harm, obtaining informed consent, protecting anonymity and confidentiality, avoiding deceptive practices, and providing the right to withdraw). For example, if the research design involves exposing some participants to situations that may be psychological challenging or invasive, if the research methods involve some form of covert or deceptive aspect, or if the population that you are studying involves collecting data from minors or vulnerable groups, these are the kinds of things you should discuss with your supervisor. Since there is a danger that such ethical designs could undermine one or more of the five basic ethical principles, your dissertation may have to receive either informal or formal ethical approval . If your supervisor feels that you will not be able to get ethical approval, or that such ethical approval could severely delay your dissertation (i.e., since you cannot start collecting data until you have it), your supervisor may be able to advise you how to make small changes to your research strategy and ethical design to reduce the potential problems you could face.

Present your measurement procedure, if you have time

You'll not always have enough time to discuss your measurement procedure, but if there's one thing of detail that's worth asking your supervisor to look over, it's the measurement procedure you've used. This is important because the quality of your data is highly contingent on the quality of your measurement procedure (i.e., the reliability and construct validity of your measurement procedure).

If you've followed Route A: Duplication or Route B: Generalisation , this is not so much of an issue because (a) the measurement procedure you are drawing on in the main journal article should have been shown to be reliable and (b) you will not have made many (if any) changes. However, if you have followed Route C: Extension , especially a method or measurement-based extension , there may have been many changes to the measurement procedure used in the main journal article. Therefore, it is worth asking your supervisor to look over these changes. Unless your supervisor is a subject matter expert, they may only be able to help you with the face validity of the measurement procedure, but this can still be useful to avoid glaring mistakes. Your supervisor may be able to give you advice on things like the statement you read out to research participants to tell them what the research it about, what their ethical rights are, and so forth. They may also be able to offer advice on things like survey length or the number of data points you are trying to record in a structured observation, but for the most part, you should look to the main journal article and literature to determine such things.

Defend the choices that you have made

You don't want to defend your choices for the sake of it. If your supervisor strongly suggests that you change a major component of your research strategy, it would be advisable to seriously consider this. At the same time, unless your supervisor is an expert in your area of interest, you will know the contents of your dissertation far better than your supervisor: the research hypotheses you want to answer, the background literature to your dissertation, the research strategy that you plan to follow, and the justifications for all these choices. Making major changes to the theoretical case or research strategy you have set could require a lot of work, and you don't want to make these changes without being sure they are correct. it's worth remembering that you may have only spent 20 minutes with your supervisor, so some of the judgements your supervisor is making may be based solely of the main points you've put across in a short space of time, rather than a detailed assessment of the theoretical case or research strategy you have built. Therefore, if your supervisor does strongly suggest that you make any major changes, it is worth taking the time to defend the choices you have made in case these changes are unnecessary.

First meeting with your dissertation supervisor: What to expect

good questions to ask dissertation supervisor

The first meeting with your dissertation supervisor can be a little intimidating, as you do not know what to expect. While every situation is unique, first meetings with a dissertation supervisor often centre around getting to know each other, establishing expectations, and creating work routines.

Why a good relationship with a dissertation supervisor matters

What is important to know is that the relationship that you establish with your supervisor can be a crucial factor in completing a successful dissertation.

A better relationship often results in better and timely completion of a dissertation. This finding is backed up by science. This study , for instance, points out that student-supervisor relationships strongly influence the quality, success or failure of completing a PhD (on time).

Commonly experienced challenges in student-supervisor relationships, on the other hand, are “different expectations, needs and ways of thinking and working” (Gill and Burnard, 2008, p. 668).

Getting to know each other during the first meeting

Many first meetings with a dissertation supervisor include a considerable amount of ‘small talk’. Thus, you can expect to engage in a casual conversation to get acquainted.

Getting to know the work environment during the first meeting

PhD students who start their dissertation are often introduced to their lab, research group or department during the first meeting.

There may also be a discussion about accessing an institutional email address or online work environment as a dissertation student. And any questions that are important to answer to kick off the dissertation process.

Establishing a meeting and communication schedule

Establishing a meeting schedule, or at least discussing how often you are planning to meet, how regularly, and within what time intervals, can reduce a lot of stress and uncertainty.

Discussing your research idea with your dissertation supervisor

While you can expect a lot of Smalltalk, planning, and organisational issues to dominate the first meeting with your dissertation supervisor, it is common to also chat about your research idea.

Based on this information, the dissertation supervisor can already point you in the right direction, suggest relevant literature, or connect you with other students or colleagues who work on similar issues.

Discussing expectations with your dissertation supervisor

Expectations differ from supervisor to supervisor. Some may just expect you to simply get used to your work environment, read a lot and explore theories that are relevant to your dissertation. Others may want to see the first results in terms of a literature review or research proposal.

If you are writing a master thesis, your timeframe will be much shorter. Thus, it is even more important to define deadlines and milestones with your dissertation supervisor as soon as possible. The first meeting lends itself to making this plan.

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good questions to ask dissertation supervisor

Dissertation Advisor 101

How to get the most from the student-supervisor relationship

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | January 2024

Many students feel a little intimidated by the idea of having to work with a research advisor (or supervisor) to complete their dissertation or thesis. Similarly, many students struggle to “connect” with their advisor and feel that the relationship is somewhat strained or awkward. But this doesn’t need to be the case!

In this post, we’ll share five tried and tested tips to help you get the most from this relationship and pave the way for a smoother dissertation writing process.

Overview: Working With Your Advisor

  • Clarify everyone’s roles on day one
  • Establish (and stick to) a regular communication cycle
  • Develop a clear project plan upfront
  • Be proactive in engaging with problems
  • Navigate conflict like a diplomat

1. Clarify roles on day one

Each university will have slightly different expectations, rules and norms in terms of the research advisor’s role. Similarly, each advisor will have their own unique way of doing things. So, it’s always a good idea to begin the engagement process by clearly defining the roles and expectations in your relationship.

In practical terms, we suggest that you initiate a conversation at the very start of the engagement to discuss your goals, their expectations, and how they would like to work with you. Of course, you might not like what you hear in this conversation. However, this sort of candid conversation will help you get on the same page as early as possible and set the stage for a successful partnership.

To help you get started, here are some questions that you might consider asking in your initial conversation:

  • How often would you like to meet and for how long?
  • What should I do to prepare for each meeting?
  • What aspects of my work will you comment on (and what won’t you cover)?
  • Which key decisions should I seek your approval for beforehand?
  • What common mistakes should I try to avoid from the outset?
  • How can I help make this partnership as effective as possible?
  • My academic goals are… Do you have any suggestions at this stage to help me achieve this?

As you can see, these types of questions help you get a clear idea of how you’ll work together and how to get the most from the relatively limited face time you’ll have.

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good questions to ask dissertation supervisor

2. Establish a regular communication cycle

Just like in any relationship, effective communication is crucial to making the student-supervisor relationship work. So, you should aim to establish a regular meeting schedule and stick to it. Don’t cancel or reschedule appointments with your advisor at short notice, or do anything that suggests you don’t value their time. Fragile egos are not uncommon in the academic world, so it’s important to clearly demonstrate that you value and respect your supervisor’s time and effort .

Practically speaking, be sure to prepare for each meeting with a clear agenda , including your progress, challenges, and any questions you have. Be open and honest in your communication, but most importantly, be receptive to your supervisor’s feedback . Ultimately, part of their role is to tell you when you’re missing the mark. So, don’t become upset or defensive when they criticise a specific aspect of your work.

Always remember that your research advisor is criticising your work, not you personally . It’s never easy to take negative feedback, but this is all part of the learning journey that takes place alongside the research journey.

Fragile egos are not uncommon in the academic world, so it’s important to demonstrate that you value and respect your advisor’s time.

3. Have a clear project plan

Few things will impress your supervisor more than a well-articulated, realistic plan of action (aka, a project plan). Investing the time to develop this shows that you take your project (and by extension, the relationship) seriously. It also helps your supervisor understand your intended timeline, which allows the two of you to better align your schedules .

In practical terms, you need to develop a project plan with achievable goals . A detailed Gantt chart can be a great way to do this. Importantly, you’ll need to break down your thesis or dissertation into a collection of practical, manageable steps , and set clear timelines and milestones for each. Once you’ve done that, you should regularly review and adjust this plan with your supervisor to ensure that you remain on track.

Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll stick to your plan 100% of the time (there are always unexpected twists and turns in a research project. However, this plan will lay a foundation for effective collaboration between yourself and your supervisor. An imperfect plan beats no plan at all.

Gantt chart for a dissertation

4. Engage with problems proactively

One surefire way to quickly annoy your advisor is to pester them every time you run into a problem in your dissertation or thesis. Unexpected challenges are par for the course when it comes to research – how you deal with them is what makes the difference.

When you encounter a problem, resist the urge to immediately send a panicked email to your supervisor – no matter how massive the issue may seem (at the time). Instead, take a step back and assess the situation as holistically as possible. Force yourself to sit with the issue for at least a few hours to ensure that you have a clear, accurate assessment of the issue at hand. In most cases, a little time, distance and deep breathing will reveal that the problem is not the existential threat it initially seemed to be.

When contacting your supervisor, you should ideally present both the problem and one or two potential solutions . The latter is the most important part here. In other words, you need to show that you’ve engaged with the issue and applied your mind to finding potential solutions. Granted, your solutions may miss the mark. However, providing some sort of solution beats impulsively throwing the problem at your supervisor and hoping that they’ll save the day.

Simply put, mishaps and mini-crises in your research journey present an opportunity to demonstrate your initiative and problem-solving skills – not a reason to lose your cool and outsource the problem to your supervisor.

5. Navigate conflict like a diplomat 

As with any partnership, there’s always the possibility of some level of disagreement or conflict arising within the student-supervisor relationship. Of course, you can drastically reduce the likelihood of this happening by implementing some of the points we mentioned earlier. Neverthless, if a serious disagreement does arise between you and your supervisor, it’s absolutely essential that you approach it with professionalism and respect . Never let it escalate into a shouting contest.

In practical terms, it’s important to communicate your concerns as they arise (don’t let things simmer for too long). Simultaneously, it’s essential that you remain open to understanding your supervisor’s perspective – don’t become entrenched in your position. After all, you are the less experienced researcher within this duo.

Keep in mind that a lot of context is lost in text-based communication , so it can often be a good idea to schedule a short call to discuss your concerns or points of contention, rather than sending a 3000-word email essay. When going this route, be sure to take the time to prepare a clear, cohesive argument beforehand – don’t just “thought vomit” on your supervisor.

In the event that you do have a significant disagreement with your advisor, remember that the goal is to find a solution that serves your project (not your ego). This often requires compromise and flexibility. A “win at all costs” mindset is definitely not suitable here. Ultimately, you need to solve the problem, while still maintaining the relationship .

If you feel that you have already exhausted all possible avenues and still can’t find an acceptable middle ground, you can of course reach out to your university to ask for their assistance. However, this should be the very last resort . Running to your university every time there’s a small disagreement will not serve you well.

Communicate your concerns as they arise and remain open to understanding your supervisor's perspective. They are the expert, after all.

Recap: Key Takeaways

To sum up, a fruitful student-supervisor relationship hinges on clear role definition , effective and regular communication , strategic planning , proactive engagement , and professional conflict resolution .

Remember, your dissertation supervisor is there to help you, but you still need to put in the work . In many cases, they’ll also be the first marker of your work, so it really pays to put in the effort and build a strong, functional relationship with them.

good questions to ask dissertation supervisor

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How to get the most from your dissertation supervisor

(Last updated: 12 May 2021)

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We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Working with a supervisor on your own research project at dissertation level offers a very different relationship from the student-tutor relationship you might be more used to – and more comfortable with. It's a relationship that demands clarity and understanding, but that can develop (and challenge!) both your academic and interpersonal skills. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your relationship with your dissertation supervisor.

Choosing the right supervisor

If you're an undergraduate (and perhaps even a Master's student) you may find that your supervisor is chosen for you, based on a broad match with your dissertation topic. For most PhD students and some Master's students, however, choosing your dissertation supervisor will be one of the most important early decisions you make, and it will impact both the direction of your research and the shape of your dissertation. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself about your prospective supervisor (you can even ask some of them directly to the prospective supervisor, provided you deploy a degree of tact in doing so) to ensure you'll get the most out of your working relationship.

This question gets more important the higher the level of your dissertation. While you can expect most academics to have a broad familiarity with their field, it's not reasonable to expect that everybody in your wider field has a detailed knowledge of the theories, frameworks, and texts you'll use in your own work. And given the other demands on their time, it's also unreasonable to expect a supervisor to familiarise themselves with the work of fifty or a hundred scholars before they even start to read your work! Senior academics are likely to be upfront and refuse to supervise you if they lack the expertise to do so. But academics new to the profession may enthusiastically agree to supervise a project even if they're ill-equipped to provide the necessary level of critique. It's your responsibility to be both discerning and reasonable about your expectations.

You and your dissertation supervisor absolutely don't have to agree on everything – and disagreements can be enormously constructive (see below). However, there are also some approaches to the same field that are fundamentally incompatible. By all means pick a supervisor who will challenge your assumptions, but not someone who is ideologically opposed to everything you do before you start doing it.

By now you should "know yourself" sufficiently to be able to identify what you want in a supervisor. Are you a procrastinator in need of a "hands-on" supervisor who will give you strict deadlines for the delivery of outlines and chapters? Or are you highly self-motivated and content to work with a "hands-off" dissertation supervisor who will read your work when you ask them to do so, but not bug you otherwise? Also ask yourself about their style of grading papers – are they generous with praise at the expense of constructive feedback? Do they offer detailed, constructive feedback on how you can make your work better, or do you find their comments picky and overbearing? And, just as importantly, do you tend to get motivated or deflated by the sight of red pen decorating your work?

Popular supervisors may be supervising a high number of dissertations at any one time, potentially reducing the time they have to spend on you. On the other hand, if an academic has no supervisees at all, there might be a reason for that.

Working with your supervisor

It's important to realise that you and your supervisor will need to develop a working relationship based on trust and a shared understanding of what each expects from the other. The exact shape your working relationship takes will depend on your individual working patterns – and the subject area you're working in – but here are some useful pointers to consider

Work with, not for , your supervisor

No doubt you're used to taking modules at university and completing tasks, assignments and exams to pass those modules. You'll have become accustomed to a certain model of working: your tutor gives you direction and instruction, and you complete the assignments to satisfy their requirements. It can be easy, especially for undergraduates, to fall into this familiar pattern when working with a dissertation supervisor. But, although your dissertation will have to meet rigorous assessment criteria set by your department, you shouldn't think about your dissertation supervisor as the tutor for whom you're completing the work. Think of your supervisor instead as a teammate with whom you're working towards completing a goal – an original, rewarding piece of research.

As with any time you're working in a team, you'll need to provide what you're asked for – whether that's a draft of a chapter, a full dissertation outline, or just a set of research questions – when you're asked for it, because another member of your team requires it in order to fulfil their role in the collective endeavour. But don't forget the other important aspect of teamwork. Be clear about what you'd like your teammate to offer you at each step along the way. If you ask your supervisor to look at an early draft, make sure you're explicit about what kind of feedback you're seeking; if you were just looking for confirmation you're "on the right track" structurally, but your draft is full of factual and grammatical errors, it's not going to feel good for anyone when your supervisor assumes that it's a near-final version and rips it to pieces.

Engage your supervisor early

Many supervisors will insist that you meet frequently during the planning stages of your project, especially if you're writing an undergraduate dissertation. But if your supervisor is particularly "hands-off", they may not insist on these early meetings, so it's your job to do so! Involving your supervisor in the planning stages of your dissertation is essential, and will prevent you from making errors that take a great deal of time to fix later, or simply producing a dissertation that your supervisor fundamentally dislikes. Your supervisor will be able to recommend lots of readings for your literature review , and will help you develop a methodology that is robust, well-grounded and theoretically sound, and that – where applicable – adheres to the required ethics standards. If you and your supervisor are in sync about the grounding and methodology of your project, any disagreements that follow are liable to be of the productive rather than the destructive kind!

Meet with your dissertation supervisor frequently, and give them work little and often

Few things are more disheartening than delivering a 5000-word chapter to your supervisor and being told that you need to rewrite almost all of it, because your premise was flawed. It's best to get into the habit of checking in with your dissertation supervisor frequently to discuss where you plan on going next. If you're stuck, your supervisor may be able to help you frame an argument, or transition from one to another. Or they might point you to a couple of sources who will help you make the argument you're trying to make.

Most importantly, you needn't feel that you should only give your supervisor finished or polished work. This is one of the key ways in which a supervisor differs from a tutor, and one of the key reasons why you need to resist thinking of them as such. You shouldn't, of course, give your supervisor sloppy work that you simply haven't bothered to proofread and that is littered with spelling and grammar mistakes. But you can hand in draft introductions or in-process sections with development notes, provided you clearly communicate what it is you're giving your supervisor and what you expect them to do with it.

Disagree – but productively!

You and your supervisor absolutely don't have to agree on everything; academia is based on lively discussion and creative disagreement. Your supervisor is bound to disagree with at least some of what you write – whether it's an interpretation of an individual source or your entire conclusion. It's true that a minority of academics can be dogmatic, and if it becomes evident that your dissertation supervisor is in search of a disciple rather than a student, there may be a problem in your relationship.

If your supervisor is a particularly distinguished academic in their field, it can feel very intimidating to have them argue with you, and it's very tempting to simply back down. Sometimes that's also the right call – knowing when you're wrong and need to change direction is a skill you need to acquire as an emerging academic! Just as often, though, what feels like pressure to simply agree with your supervisor's way of seeing things is actually a challenge, to address counter-arguments in your dissertation and make your work more robust as a result. If you still think your argument is strong even after your supervisor has presented their own reasoning, appropriate that reasoning into your argument, and address head-on why you still believe your interpretation is better. If in doubt, ask your dissertation supervisor directly: do you think I'm just wrong here, or do I need to do more to convince you?

If all else fails… switch!

In the unlikely event that something goes wrong – perhaps you've realised too late that your supervisor simply wants you to write an entirely different dissertation from the one you're writing, or you find their feedback impenetrable and demoralising, or they're too busy to meet with you for weeks at a time – you may decide that you need to switch supervisors. Try talking this out with your dissertation supervisor first, and then approach your head of department.

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COMMENTS

  1. Consideration 1: Things to discuss with your supervisor at ...

    Learn what you should discuss with your supervisor including whether the research design, research method and sampling strategy are sufficient and how to defend your choices.

  2. First meeting with your dissertation supervisor: What to expect

    Good communication with a dissertation supervisor is key to advancing your research, discussing roadblocks, and incorporating feedback and advice. Commonly experienced challenges in student-supervisor relationships, on the other hand, are “different expectations, needs and ways of thinking and working” (Gill and Burnard, 2008, p. 668).

  3. Dissertation Advisor 101: How To Work With Your Advisor ...

    To help you get started, here are some questions that you might consider asking in your initial conversation: How often would you like to meet and for how long? What should I do to prepare for each meeting? What aspects of my work will you comment on (and what won’t you cover)? Which key decisions should I seek your approval for beforehand?

  4. 28 Questions I Wish I Had Asked When Selecting My PhD Advisor

    Questions I wish I had asked. Some of the questions below are more suitable to ask prospective advisors directly, while others are more targeted towards members of the group.

  5. How to get the most from your dissertation supervisor

    Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself about your prospective supervisor (you can even ask some of them directly to the prospective supervisor, provided you deploy a degree of tact in doing so) to ensure you'll get the most out of your working relationship.

  6. The Definitive ‘what do I ask/look for’ in a PhD Advisor Guide

    You’ve been accepted to a PhD program, and have time to ask questions while visiting - what do you look for and ask? Below are some high level ideas to keep in mind as you start this journey and an exhaustive reference of questions to ask, color coded by who you should probably talk to first.