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Expectations of postgraduate studies

Basis for a discussion on expectations between supervisor and PhD student

The aim of this documentation is to identify any areas of divergence in the expectations
of the doctoral student and the supervisor with regard to the research studies.

This is a survey to be completed separately by both the doctoral student and the supervisors, with the specific doctoral student/research project in mind. Once the survey has been completed, the supervisors and the doctoral student compare their answers together with the department representative, using the survey as a basis for a more in-depth discussion, chiefly of their differences but also of the similarities in their expectations.

How to fill in the form

Circle the option that best corresponds to HOW YOU THINK THINGS SHOULD BE. The figures in between the two extremes indicate elements of both factors. For example, choose 3 if you think that both alternatives are equally important. Some aspects listed actually have answers influenced or dictated by regulations. It is the responsibility of the department representative to clarify those aspects at the meeting. Thereby, this exercise also provides an introduction to and a common understanding of some of the relevant definitions and regulations of the research studies.

After you have filled in the form you will get an email with your answers. Save this till the discussion meeting. The answers will be deleted from the server immediately.

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Please, fill in the first and last name of the doctoral student.
General questions about the PhD studies and questions about supervision.
In general
My view of doctoral studies as a whole (1 is employment, 5 is education)
To what degree do you view postgraduate studies as employment or education?
Employment
Education
The aim of doctoral studies (1 is thesis, 5 is researcher)
What do you think is the aim of the postgraduate studies, to write a thesis or to become a skilled researcher?
Thesis
Researcher
Please, state other important aims of postgraduate studies.
Supervision
What form should supervision mainly take? (1 is spontaneous, 5 is pre-arranged)
To what degree do you think supervision should be spontaneous discussions or pre-arranged meetings?
Spontaneous
Pre-arranged
How often should some form of supervision/discussion take place?
How often do you think supervision should take place?
Who should supervise?
What do you think is the best form of supervision, by the main supervisor or by the main supervisor supported by co-supervisors?
Who takes the initiative for supervision? (1 is supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should take initiative for supervision, the supervisor or the doctoral student?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
How fast is it reasonable for the supervisor to give feedback on a manuscript?
What dp you think is a reasonable time for giving feedback on your manuscript?
Who is responsible for the individual study plan? (1 is supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should be responsible for the individual study plan?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
Research work should be done (1 is fixed schedule, 5 is freely)
To what degree do you think that research work should be done according to a fixed schedule with deadlines or freely?
Fixed schedule
Freely
If there are deadlines, who sets them? (1 i supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who you think should set deadlines?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
Questions about research and teaching.
Research
Who defines the original research project? (1 is supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should define the original research project?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
Who runs the research project (attends meetings, makes contacts and such)? (1 is supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should run the research project?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
Who is responsible for solving scientific problems? (1 is suprevisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should be responsible for solving scientific problems?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
Who solves practical problems (equipment, field work, logistics, and such)? (1 is supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should be responsible for solving practical problems?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
The thesis
Who decides on the contents of the thesis? (1 is supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who you think should decide about the content of the thesis?
Supervisor
Doctoral student
The doctoral student can decide on the length of the thesis (number of articles or chapters) (1 is low degree, 5 is high degree)
Do you think the doctoral student should be able to decide about the length of the thesis to a low or high degree.
Low degree
High degree
How do you think the research work should and will be carried out? (1 is independently, 5 is with others)
Do you think the research work should and will be carried out independently or together with others?
Independently
With others
Questions about publications and funding.
Funding
Who applies for funding for ongoing project costs (material, field work, and such)? (1 is project director/supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should apply for funding for ongoing projects?
Project director/
supervisor
Doctoral student
Who applies for funding for travel to conferences and workshops? (1 is project director/supervisor, 5 is doctoral student)
Who do you think should apply for funding for travel to conferences and workshops?
Project director/
supervisor
Doctoral student
Questions about the workplace and working hours.
The workplace
Who should arrange access to personal computer and telephone? (1 is department, 5 is doctoral student)
Do you think the computer and telephone should be ready at the workplace or should the doctoral student arrange it by themselves?
Department
Doctoral student
Work may be carried out elsewhere for certain periods (fieldwork, other study location, and such) (1 is likely/desirable, 5 is unlikely/undesirable)
Do you think work will be carried out elsewhere?
Likely/
desirable
Unlikely/
undesirable
Working hours/leave
Do you think working hours should be strict or flexible? (1 is strict, 5 is flexible)
Do you think working hours should be strict or flexible?
Strict
Flexible
Do you think annual leave should be set or taken freely? (1 is set, 5 is taken freely)
Do you think annual should be set (taken mainly in July) or taken freely?
Set
Taken freely
Do you think it is right or wrong working longer than normal working hours? (1 is right, 5 is wrong)
Do you think it is right or wrong to work long hours?
Right
Wrong
Questions about teaching and distribution of different activities over time.
Teaching
How much do you think the doctoral student should teach? (1 is little, 5 is much)
Do you think the doctoral student should teach as little or as much as possible?
Little
Much
How restricted to the doctoral student's area of research do you think the teaching should be? (1 is narrow, 5 is broad)
Do you think the content of teaching should be restricted to the doctoral student's area of research? Do you think it should be narrowly restricted or broadly chosen from the entire subject area?
Narrow
Broad
Distribution of activities over time
Choose how you think the degree of activity within the three areas of research, theoretical study (courses) and teaching should be distributed over your years as a doctoral student.

Verify that the activities do not exceed 100% per year!
Choose how much of your working time you think should be assigned to research over your years as a doctoral student.
Choose how much of your working time you think should be assigned to theoretical studies (courses) over your years as a doctoral student.
Choose how much of your working time you think should be assigned to teaching over your years as a doctoral student.
Questions about participation in scholarly and social activities.
Participation in scholarly and social activities
Answer questions about participation in activities.
Taking part in the common scholarly activities of the department/division (seminar, meetings, and such) is (1 is unimportant, 5 is important)
Do you think it is unimportant/important to take part in scholarly activities of the department?
Unimportant
Important
Socialising with other doctoral students and researchers at the department/division is (1 is unimportant, 5 is important)
Do you think it is unimportant/important to socialise with other doctoral students and researchers at the department.
Unimportant
Important
Taking part in the common social activities of the department/division (coffee breaks, parties, discussions, and such) is (1 is unimportant, 5 is important)
Do you think it is unimportant/important taking part in common social activities at the department.
Unimportant
Important
Please fill in your own email address, that is the email address to the person filling in the form. We will send you the filled-in form to use as a base for discussion.

Directors of Postgraduate Studies

Klas Flärdh
Professor

Telephone: +46 46 222 85 84
E-mail: Klas [dot] Flardh [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se

Dennis Hasselquist
Professor

Telephone: +46 46 222 37 08 
E-mail: Dennis [dot] Hasselquist [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se

Biology Doctoral Students Council

BDR – Biology Doctoral Students Council

Graduate research school

The graduate research school in integrative biology on our external website.

Page manager: Inger [dot] Ekstrom [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se | 27 Jan 2022