Theological Research Methodology: Presentation 5

1. By Kevin G. Smith
The Supervisor-Student Relationship
Theological Research Seminar

2. THE RELATIONSHIP
Part 1

3. The Role of the Supervisor
• The supervisor as
project advisor.
• The supervisor as
academic guide.
• The supervisor as
quality assurer.
• The supervisor as
pastoral supporter.
At the PhD level, the role of the
supervisor is more that of a
colleague and advisor than one of
being a subject-matter expert.
From the beginning, you will
know more about your topic than
your supervisor will. He will be
able to advise on technical and
methodological issues, and
discuss the content with you, but
he will not the subject expert.

4. • Diligently study all prescribed materials.
• Carefully apply your supervisor’s advice.
• Initiate contact and request meetings.
• Abide by the approved research proposal.
• Work on your thesis diligently and steadily.
The Role of the Student

5. • Rule 1: dignity, respect, and courtesy
• Rule 2: no harassment
• Rule 3: accessibility
• Rule 4: privacy
• Rule 5: honesty
Research Ethics

6. Secrets of Success
Do
• Negotiate the terms of your
working relationship.
• Initiate interaction with
your supervisor.
• Follow your supervisor’s
advice.
Don’t
• Rush ahead without your
supervisor’s permission.
• Expect your supervisor to
spoon-feed you.
• Treat your supervisor like a
half-wit.

7. THE COVENANT
Part 2

8. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
1) I shall provide guidance about the nature of
research, requirements of the degree (including the
nature and extent of an ‘original contribution’),
standards expected, choice of research topic, and
acquisition of the requisite research skills.

9. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
2) I shall guide you in the preparation of a research
proposal that complies with the requirements of SATS. I
shall do this initially by discussing your research idea
with you, and later by offering detailed feedback on
draft research proposals. I shall only feed back on draft
proposals three times; the fourth draft must be suitable
for submission to the postgraduate committee.

10. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
3) I shall keep a written record of supervisory meetings:
in particular, of agreed work plans and of actions which
need to be carried out by the supervisor and by you,
the postgraduate student.

11. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
4) I shall hold you
accountable to the
completion dates agreed
in your research proposal,
and request periodic
progress reports.

12. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
5) I shall respond requests for comments in a timely
manner, typically two working days for email
communications and two weeks for feedback on
written submissions (e.g. a draft proposal; a draft
chapter). When I am unable to keep these response
times, I shall notify you.

13. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
6) I shall make myself
available for periodic
meetings at your request;
the meetings may take
place in person or via
online conferencing
technologies.

14. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
7) I shall monitor carefully your performance relative to the
standard required for the degree, to ensure that you are made
aware promptly of inadequate progress or standards of work, by
specifying the problems and discussing ways of addressing them.

15. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
8) I shall assist you in the
development of research
and writing skills, but I
shall not serve as your
editor.

16. Supervisor’s Responsibilities
9) I shall provide academic feedback on your thesis
chapters on a sliding scale; that is, I expect to provide
substantive feedback on the earlier chapters, but only
minimal feedback on the later chapters (towards the
end of the process you should be working quite
independently). I shall comment on a chapter a
maximum of three times.

17. Student’s Responsibilities
1) You must heed my academic advice, and diligently make all
required changes or corrections.
2) You must discuss with me your expectations concerning the
kind of guidance and feedback you wish to receive.
3) You must commit to work steadily on your research, and to
inform me if for some reason you are unable to do so for an
extended period.

18. Student’s Responsibilities
4) You must keep to the chapter submission dates proposed in
your research proposal. If for any reason you find yourself
unable to meet the deadlines, you should notify me so that
we can renegotiate the dates.
5) You must share and discuss with me any major change or
refinement to the research project.

19. Student’s Responsibilities
6) You must not undertake any field research without my
explicit approval to proceed with it.
7) You must submit one chapter of your thesis at a time, and
await my permission to proceed with the following chapter.
8) You must take responsibility for editing your work properly
before submitting it to me for feedback.