Supervision

Download: Establishing a relationship with your supervisor

Have you been assigned a supervisor?

Have you met your supervisor?

• Schedule a meeting right at the start of the semester.
• Bring and complete your official Letter of Understanding.
• Discuss and clarify what your role is and the expectations.
• Schedule consistent check-ins to keep up-to-date with each other.

Important issues you might want to discuss and/or clarify:

• How do you work best?
• What are you looking for out of this relationship?
• What kind of feedback do they give?

Tip: This is a professional relationship which you are one half of; claim your agency.

Check out the Supervision workshops:

• Getting started with supervision
• Sustaining supervision
• Getting the best out your supervisor

Download: Communicating with your supervisor

Communication

Communicating efficiently with your supervisor is important. Remember this is a professional relationship, so try to actively listen and also claim your agency!

Meeting tips:

• Prepare an agenda
• Take notes and send follow-up emails after discussions
• Be clear about your level of understanding

Building communication skills is a lifelong process that requires practice. This includes learning how to give and receive feedback.

Feedback

How you give and receive feedback is an important aspect of communication with your supervisor. Think about the feedback you want to receive.

Reflect on questions like: What type of feedback will help you most? How often would you prefer feedback? How long do you expect to wait for feedback after submitting work?

Think about your answers to these questions when giving feedback as well.

When giving and receiving feedback, be aware of resistance strategies (like defensiveness).

Resources:

• PGSS Committee for Member Support are student volunteers who can listen and advise
• Office for Mediation and Reporting can listen and address issues of harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence
• Office of the Ombudsperson can listen and help you advocate for yourself
• Dean of Students can listen and direct you to resources

Support:

In your department: Supervisor --> GPD – Graduate Program Director --> Department Chair -->

Outside your department: Faculty Associate Dean --> GPS Associate Dean --> GPS Dean

Download: Defining expectations with your supervisor

Clarifying and redefining your role as a grad student

Explicit and implicit expectations

Explicit expectations are above the surface, clear, and easy to navigate. They can be found in the Student Handbook, McGill policies, Program requirements, and your Letter of Understanding.

Implicit expectations are often hidden beneath the surface, the unspoken expectations that exist between you and your supervisor that would benefit from open and honest conversation.

Some expectations you could discuss are:

• project timeline
• project format​
• skills development
• professional development
• meeting schedule​
• communication

Clarifying expectations can help you:

• Plan rest and vacations into your schedule.
• Communicate with your supervisor if you fall behind schedule.
• Avoid potential misunderstandings, disappointments, and conflicts.
• Organize your time to more efficiently reach your goals.

Redefining expectations

Conversations about expectations are ongoing! You can and should routinely discuss your expectations and your progress with your supervisor.

Many things will change over the course of your degree and these changes can affect your expectations and abilities, such as:

• family
• health
• motivation
• academic interests
• research goals
• job market expectations

Check out the Supervision workshops for more information and advice.

Download: Letter of understanding 

What is an LOU and how to get the most out of it

1. What is it?

• A Letter of Understanding (LOU) is a document that helps to structure and record a meeting with your supervisor about your relationship and mutual expectations.
• Different departments have varying requirements and templates for LOUs. Ask your Graduate Program Director about them!

2. What’s in it?

An LOU will often have you asking questions like these:

• When will we meet? How often?
• How will we communicate?
• What kind of feedback will I receive? How often? How fast?
• What are my research responsibilities?
• Are there options for further professional development?
• What are my long-term goals for getting this degree?

3. Why use it?

• An LOU is required for all PhD students and must be uploaded to myProgress, it is also just great tool to clarify your role as Grad student and get off on the right foot! It is not required for Master's students, but highly suggested!
• Check out this template from Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies