Super Vision 3 The research journey Research workshop notes prepared for discussion with staff at Divine Word University November, 2012 By Prof Neil Béchervaise

Super vision 3 The research journey Stage 1 was the start of the affair, you met, you agreed on what was needed, You committed yourselves to the support of the candidate, you began your own preparation to meet the candidates needs, You worked with the candidate to successfully complete the research proposal for the Faculty Committee and the Ethics approval application for the HREC Stage 2 is when the work of the team really begins

Super vision 3 The research journey But before you become a super visor, think carefully How do you feel when you don’t know the answer? How do you feel when you don’t like the answer? How do you feel about working with people you do not really like? How do you feel about students who know more than you do about some part of your subject Supervisors need to know the answers to these questions – and more.

Super vision 3 The research journey Supervision teams need to know how they respond to their own uncertainty. Because they need to Ask ‘What if’ questions Understand that their candidate may be feeling very uncertain Be ready with strategies that boost confidence

Super vision 3 The research journey A good research topic is posed as a question for which - no-one yet knows the answer. Otherwise why research it A good supervisor – or supervising team works with the candidate to find ways to get better answers but The supervisor never owns the answers because The candidate owns the research

Super vision 3 The research journey Some supervisors do not like the feeling that the candidate will get the glory when they have done so much work to make it happen If the candidate owns the research that is because the supervisor has encouraged this development

Super vision 3 The research journey A good supervisor – or supervising team – lets candidates make mistakes But never lets them fall far from the path they need to be following because What if the candidate gets really lost? Restoring lost confidence is much harder than restoring direction with a ‘What if?’ question

Super vision 3 The research journey A well written thesis will begin with an abstract The well written abstract will: contextualise the research state the question outline the conclusions make recommendations for the use of the research

Super vision 3 The research journey A well written thesis will: Describe the methodology used Explain how the data sample was obtained Describe how the data was collected Detail how the data was analysed Explain how any ethical issues were mitigated

Super vision 3 The research journey The well written literature review will: Identify the fields of literature that have been examined Critique the major arguments that have been made Identify the gaps in the literature to date Establish that the research question has not yet been addressed [in sufficient detail]

Super vision 3 The research journey A well written analysis will: Describe the findings in broad outline Provide detailed examples [and/or calculations] to support the findings Establish the conclusion [or conclusions] that can be drawn from the

Super vision 3 The research journey A well written conclusion will: Explain how the conclusions address the original research question/s Establish recommendations for action based on these conclusions Identify and discuss the limitations to the conclusions based on limits to the methods used, the sample or the scope of the research Identify and discuss possible future research to extend the findings and/or reduce the limitations of the present study

Super vision 3 The research journey A well written bibliography [reference list] will provide a complete list of all literature, print and electronic, used to Develop the research question Establish the research methodology Confirm findings that are already established Identify any limitations which should be considered

Super vision 3 The research journey Most thesis writers follow one of a limited number of presentation patterns depending on their subject area. Arts theses may look very different from science theses or business theses but their intention is the same: the discovery or confirmation of original knowledge

Super vision 3 The research journey Most candidates want to get started as quickly as possible. As supervisors, we want to encourage their enthusiasm. Reading can begin immediately Reviews of research methods and sampling techniques are useful Some data can be gathered before the proposal is accepted and Ethical issues can be identified and discussed before the proposal is approved Wise supervisors encourage the early rush of enthusiasm. We can always counsel moderation when the need for rigor becomes obvious.