Division III Supervisory Checklists
SupervisorsStudents
Graduate Units
Contact
Checklist for Supervisors in Division III
The supervisor's primary task consists in guiding and inspiring students to realize their scholarly potential. At the same time, the supervisor must ensure (to the best of his or her ability) that the rules and regulations of the university are met. A checklist on good supervisory practice might include the following questions:
1. Do the supervisor and the student understand that research progress meetings should be scheduled at regular intervals? Of course, the supervisor-student relationship should be such that the student can see the supervisor whenever difficulties or breakthroughs arise in her/his research. It would be helpful if records are kept of the dates of these more formal meetings and the matters discussed and the research directions agreed upon.
2. Does the supervisor, as part of research training, take steps to ensure that appropriate general experimental practice is correctly followed and that careful and complete records of experimental procedures and results are kept?
3. Does the supervisor understand that adequate feedback on draft chapters (or parts of chapters) should be provided within two weeks or an agreed upon time?
4. Does the supervisor provide opportunities for students to meet leading scholars in the field (for example, by introducing students to seminar speakers) and does the supervisor encourage students to make public presentations of various aspects of their research?
5. Does the supervisor fully understand her/his responsibility to ensure adequate supervision of graduate students during research leaves or other extended absences from the university?
Checklist for Students in Division III
By entering into a doctoral program, you have made a committment to devote the time and energy necessary to engage in research and write a dissertation that makes a substantial and original contribution to knowledge. It is your responsibility as a student to conform to university and program requirements and procedures. Although it is the duty of the supervisor to be reasonably available for consultation, the primary responsibility for keeping in touch rests with the student. A checklist on how to build a good supervisor/supervisee relationship might include the following questions:
1. Have you obtained a clear indication that the research topic you are pursuing and the methodology you are using are likely to yield original contributions to knowledge (that is, likely to result in an acceptable doctoral thesis)?
2. Is your literature survey up to date? Do you regularly review the literature in your research areas as it is published?
3. Have you, with your supervisor's help, organized a supervisory committee made up of at least three members of the graduate faculty at the University of Toronto (including your supervisor) and does the committee meet at regularly scheduled intervals? Do you prepare and present a report of your progress and an outline of future research directions at these meetings?
4. Are you maintaining exemplary records of your experimental work? It is essential that your records be clear and complete so that others could replicate your experiments recognizing that others may not interpret their results in the same way as you have.
5. Have you developed a clear understanding with your supervisor concerning ownership of intellectual property and the possibilities of co-authored publications and patent applications?
6. Do you regularly consult the department brochure and understand all of the elements that are required for completion of the doctoral degree? Do you attempt to establish a timetable for yourself, estimating realistically the time required for experimentation and thesis writing?
7. If you are uncertain about your writing skills, are you making a serious effort to remedy this problem throughout your program rather than waiting until you are faced with writing the final document?
8. Do you make yourself available to your supervisor at mutually acceptable times for regular meetings? That is, can your supervisor find you? Do you prefer, for example, working 8 p.m. through until 6 a.m. while your supervisor prefers the more conventional 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. day?
Checklist for Graduate Units in Division III
1. Does the student handbook or brochure contain, in addition to information about the program, its regulations and procedures, financial support, departmental policies on graduate programs, appropriate references to SGS and University policies, information about faculty members and their research interest and graduate student life in the department? Does it list graduate courses being given that year and does it include course descriptions? For Physical Science departments, are safety regulations and procedures outlined?
Such a brochure should be updated annually and every graduate student registered in the department should be given a copy each September.
While it might be helpful to send this brochure to all applicants who receive an offer of admission, the cost may be prohibitive and the information not necessarily helpful for the applicant in decision-making. The department's information sheet should certainly be included with every offer of admission.
2. Does the department have procedures in place that make it as easy as possible for a student to find a supervisor that will be a "good match", not only with respect to research interests but also personal attributes that promise a satisfactory working relationship? Are there procedures that allow for a change in supervisors once research is underway? Is it considered acceptable to switch supervisors after the master's degree?
3. Are there clearly defined requirements for the evaluation of student progress (by the end of April each year) by people other than the designated supervisor? For example, is the student's supervisory committee required to meet at least once a year and prior to April 30th?
4. If the department schedules comprehensive examinations, are the objectives of these examinations clearly understood by students and is (are) the examination(s) designed to assess adequately the student's background knowledge?
5. Does the department have a handbook for supervisors of graduate students? Such a handbook could include, inter alia, the Endrenyi Report, the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies' publication "Graduate Studies: A Practical Guide" and the booklets "Research Student and Supervisor (An Approach to Good Supervisory Practices)" and the "Role and Nature of the Doctoral Dissertation" published by the Council of Graduate Schools.
Contact
Steve Rutchinski
Student Services Officer, Division III
School of Graduate Studies
63 St. George Street
Tel: 416-978-2657
E-mail: s.rutchinski@utoronto.ca