Introductory and Best Practice workshops for Research Supervisors
All supervisors who are new to supervising research degree students at Portsmouth are required to attend the Introductory Workshop for Research Supervisors within one year of joining the research supervision team.
Introductory Workshop for Research Supervisors
24 January 2023, 28 June 2023 (09.45am–4.00pm)
Hear what makes an effective supervisor from both a supervisor's and a student's perspective through the use of case studies and group discussion, and explore the most effective ways of dealing with issues that can arise as part of the supervision process
This mandatory workshop is aimed at staff planning to be a supervisor, new supervisors, and supervisors new to the University of Portsmouth and offers a general introduction to the issues involved in research supervision and procedures.
Participants will be presented with an overview of the developing national agenda for research degree programmes, an account of supervisor practices, an overview of essential University regulations and conduct, and ethical review procedures. Online research resources will be demonstrated including the Skills Forge software.
Developmental workshops
If you want to keep up with best practice as a research supervisor, we offer a number of further developmental workshops each year.
Managing and Monitoring Research Degree Students
26 January 2023 (10.00am–12.00pm)
This workshop will cover the main issues involved in recruiting, registering, managing, and monitoring research degree students at the University of Portsmouth. The University’s procedures relating to monitoring students’ progress will be outlined and discussed. Potential issues in PGRS supervision and progress will be discussed and strategies for overcoming difficulties will be outlined. Participants will be provided with a pack containing all the forms discussed and the most recent Operational Handbook for PGRs.
Best Practice in Supervising Part-Time and Professional Doctorate Students - online
30 January 2023 (10.00 am–12.00pm)
This workshop is relevant to all those who supervise part-time students registered for a PhD, an MPhil, or a Professional Doctorate, as well as those who may be part of a supervisory team of a part-time student in the foreseeable future.
More than half of all doctoral students at the university study part-time. Part-time students have particular pressures and issues that do not affect full-time students in the same way. Financial pressures, committing up to six years to a doctorate and changes at work all mean that the supervision of part-time students may, at times, be more demanding than that of those studying full-time. The aim of this workshop is to identify the issues and challenges of supervising part-time students and to explore good practice in addressing these. Firstly we’ll consider the expectations, challenges, and opportunities of supervision from the perspective of both the supervisor and the research student. This will then provide an opportunity to share good practice and learn from the experience of colleagues in different parts of the university. The session will explore some of the common issues and experiences that part-time students face and draw on feedback from past/present part-time students. The workshop will also be an opportunity to discuss specific issues that supervisors have with supervising part-time students.
Compilation Style PhD Thesis
1 February 2023 (1.00pm–3.00pm)
This session will outline the structure of the continental PhD thesis as employed in the University’s Department of Psychology in the last 10 years and the compilation thesis that has been pioneered in the Faculty of Business and Law over the last two years. The origins, advantages, and challenges of this form of thesis will be highlighted during the presentations. We will conclude by holding a question and answer session with the attendees.
In many European countries, standard PhD dissertations are based on a collection of published or potentially publishable articles, written in a concise journal-style during the course of registration for the degree. This approach can lead to more publications, better completion rates, and greater potential employability for the PhD students who complete this style of a thesis.
For the compilation/continental style thesis, there is usually a brief introduction setting out the ‘thesis’ being defended, summarising the following chapters, and explaining how they relate to one another. There is no large, separate, literature review; instead, each chapter has a self-contained paper / article-like structure. Unlike the PhD by Publication route, compilation/continental style theses are completed during a normal period of PhD registration.
PhD by Publication
2 May 2023 (2.00pm–4.00pm)
You’ve done the research, you’ve written the papers, you’ve attended the conferences, presented and defended the results, you’ve listened to the feedback and you’ve had the final versions published in refereed journals.
You’ve done the hard yards. You know about the research process; research philosophy; research methodologies; data analysis and you have a good understanding of the published literature in your discipline. But for whatever reason, you never got around to doing a PhD. It is, however, possible to submit your work for the award of PhD by Publication and gain the recognition of a doctorate.
This seminar will:
Discuss what a PhD (Publication) is and what it is not
Review the Regulations on PhD (Publication)
Take you through the process of registering, writing the commentary, and preparing for the assessment (Viva)
Best Practice in Being a Second or Third Research Supervisor
9 May 2023 (1.15pm–3.30pm)
The aim of this workshop is to acquaint supervisors with the main issues surrounding being an effective second or third research supervisor. Although the first supervisor has most of the regulatory responsibility for the good progress of a postgraduate research student, the second and the third supervisor can hold key roles such as: ‘Project Manager’, ‘Experienced supervisor’, ‘Research Methods Expert’ or ‘Apprentice Supervisor’. The session will examine how the second and the third supervisor can best contribute to the supervision team and how they can manage issues if things go wrong.
Best Practice in the Selection and Admission of PGR Students
12 June 2023 (09.45am–12.00pm)
This workshop will provide supervisors and departmental research degree representatives with a detailed overview of the selection and admissions processes for research students, from setting up university bursaries to admissions processes, to dealing with visa requirements for international students, to conducting fair interviews and making offers to students. It will be an opportunity to share good practice and to learn from the experience of colleagues from different areas of the university and explore some of the common issues and experiences surrounding PGR admissions, and the specific issues supervisors have when selecting research students.
In order to support potential supervisors, provide a more consistent experience for PhD applicants, and to provide greater clarity of the expected roles for both supervisors and students, every PhD selection panel from October 2013 onward will need to have at least two members who have undergone this training (QAA, 2012). If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled times for this workshop, the Graduate School has created an online version of the workshop which you can complete.
Introductory Workshop for new DRDCs - online
29 June 2023 (10.00pm–12.00pm)
This workshop is aimed at new Departmental Research Degree Coordinators (DRDCs) and staff interested in or planning to take on the role of DRDC in the future. Current DRDCs are also welcome to attend. The workshop offers an introduction to the role and responsibilities involved in being a DRDC at the University of Portsmouth. An experienced Faculty Research Degree Coordinator (FRDC) will take participants through these roles and responsibilities in relation to the student journey from application and admissions to viva and completion. An overview of essential University regulations and procedures will also be provided and online research resources will be demonstrated including the Skills Forge software.