Advising and the Student Faculty Relationship
2008-2009
Since the study for a research degree involves cooperation between the student and the lead advisor, the advising process takes on a critical role.
It is the lead advisor’s responsibility to:
- give guidance about: the nature of research and the standard expected, the planning of the research program, literature and sources, any required attendance at taught classes and requisite techniques;
- maintain contact through regular meetings with the student;
- be accessible to the student at other appropriate times when advice may be needed;
- give detailed advice on necessary completion dates for successive states of work so that the whole may be submitted within the scheduled period;
- request written work as appropriate and return such work with constructive criticism in a timely manner;
- arrange for students to talk about their work with other students and staff and to have practice in oral examinations;
- ensure that the student is made aware of any inadequacy in progress or of failure to reach an acceptable standard.
It is the student’s responsibility to:
discuss with their advisors the type of guidance and comment that they find most helpful; take the initiative in raising problems or difficulties, however basic they may seem; maintain the progress of the work in accordance with the stages agreed upon with the lead advisor, including in particular the presentation of written material as required in sufficient time to allow for comments and discussion before proceeding to the next stage; provide annually a brief formal report to the IPC through the lead advisor; decide on a date for submission, having taken into account the lead advisor’s opinion.
