Effective practices of research supervisors in handling postgraduate students

Abstract

Background and Objectives: There were issues and dearth of studies on postgraduate research supervision across all fields and discipline. This study sought to describe the effective practices of university research supervisors handling postgraduate students in education and health sciences.

Methodology: A descriptive qualitative design was used to understand the effective research supervision
practices based on the experiences of 10 university research supervisors in handling postgraduate students in the fields of education and health sciences. All supervisors voluntarily accomplished an online questionnaire consisting of 10 open-ended items. Their responses underwent thematic analysis.

Results: Evidence of expertise among the research supervisors was established. Data from the responses of the research supervisors were grouped into themes and analyzed according to the conceptual models of effective research supervision of Lee [7] namely functional model, emancipation model, relationship development model, critical thinking model, and enculturation model. Most of the responses on effective practices fall under the functional model wherein supervisors need to have directing and project management skills. Practices under this model were further categorized into communication, feedback, monitoring, managing and research process-related matters. Distinct findings in this study categorized under the other models include having dialogue with supervisees, respecting supervisees as thinkers, and showing respect to supervisees. Ineffective practices were also recognized. They included not reading the supervisee's work, imposing solutions to supervisees, pressuring them and not taking advising duties professionally.

Conclusion: Most of the effective practices of research supervisors in handling postgraduate students are founded on their supervisory functions particularly in their directing and project management activities.