This document summarizes research on PhD students' perspectives on their supervisors. The researchers analyzed over 5000 posts from an online forum for PhD students spanning 10 years. They found that students frequently discussed issues with communication, such as difficulties scheduling meetings and slow feedback. Some reported their supervisors taking on too many students. Some posts indicated academic bullying by supervisors. Others discussed supervisors who had moved away or left without arrangements. Some students believed their supervisors stole their ideas. However, a few posts were more lighthearted. The researchers concluded PhD students want effective communication and support from supervisors.

1. As others see us; What PhD students
say about their supervisors
Carol Haigh
Lee Yarwood-Ross

2. Background
 Student satisfaction surveys are implemented by
Universities in the United Kingdom annually
 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey results
(2011) indicated that supervision was rated by
students as the most important factor in their
degree
 Little research is available examining the actual
experiences of the supervisory process
particularly from the perspective of the PhD
student

3. Question
 What do PhD students REALLY think about their
supervisors?

4. Methods
Data collected from the post
graduate forum website
Forum set up in 2002 so 10 years
worth of data available
Searched forum using search terms
„supervisor(s) and supervision

5. Sample and analysis
175 pages of
text
> 3000 threads
10 threads from
each year
50 postings
from each
thread
100 threads
5000 posts
Thematically analyzed & summarized using
Tagxedo

6. Results

7. Communication difficulties
Things remain the
same, even after 2
years. I have met him
only once in 5 months
Difficulty getting
appointments
Supervisors slow with
feedback
I had to wait 18
months for my
first feedback
and then only got
it because I had
been pushing
Can’t talk to supervisor
I’ve spent the last few
months just drifting. I’m not
comfortable talking to my
supervisor about this, our
relationship isn’t great
Supervisors have
too many students
She is supervising a
much greater
number of students
than when I started
and is less
accessible now

8. Academic bullying
He has called me stupid, although my academic record is very
strong. He sneers and becomes vicious if I report other staff for
harassing me or if I get nervous around him. There is so much...My supervisor is
abusive toward
me, although he
always praises my
work

9. Desertion
My supervisor moved 500 miles
away. He suggested transferring
to the new university but that
wasn’t feasible...not least because
of their rules on taking on existing
students
My supervisor left last year and this
year has been a really difficult time.
All the systems supposed to be in
place failed miserably

10. Lack of trust in supervisor
 Is it normal for supervisors to nick
your ideas and use them as their
own?
 I say report them. I have had
that happen to a fellow
student with an evil prof. They
did not report him and he
continues to wreak havoc in
the department stealing ideas
and having no original thought
of his own

11. Some just made us smile
 I told my supervisor I was in love with him and
now he won‟t see me on his own anymore.
 “One thing I do know for certain though -
academics are selfish, ego-maniacal lunatics”
 Is it normal for a supervisor to insist on candlelit
supervision?
 supervisor-wise…well we‟re talking academic
bullying multiplied by twenty plus a little bit of
sadism thrown in for fun and next to „control
freak‟ in the dictionary, you will find a picture of
her face

12. So, we think we are…

13. Doctoral students think we are…

14. Be cautious….

15. In Conclusion
Doctoral students want us to…

17. Thank you for your attention