dissertation supervisor email

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Email contact with your dissertation supervisor

Published on October 13, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on August 24, 2018.

How to best approach your dissertation supervisor via email can vary by supervisor. For example, some supervisors are fine with being addressed by their first name, while others would prefer that you only use their title and surname.

Table of contents

The style and tone of your message, addressing your supervisor, keep it short and sweet, no response from your supervisor, formal or informal, receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting.

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See an example

Checklist: Formal email contact

Use an appropriate salutation. Example:  Dear Dr. X,

Explain the purpose of your email. Example: I am writing in follow-up to our meeting on Monday.

Be brief and clear about exactly what you want to say or ask. Example:  I have made the changes that we agreed on. Could you please check and confirm them?

Express your appreciation in advance. Example:  Thanks in advance for your help.

Use an appropriate closing. Example: Sincerely,

Your email looks appropriately formal.

In your first email contact with your dissertation supervisor, it is wise to address him or her quite formally (such as “Dear Dr. X” or “Dear Prof. Y”). You do not know what your supervisor will be comfortable with, so it is best to play it safe.

If your initial contact is too informal, your supervisor may get the wrong impression and start to question your professionalism and attitude.

If your supervisor’s response to your email closes with only his or her first name (such as “Sincerely, Ken”), you can assume that it is okay to address him or her by first name in your next message. To be extra safe, you can also wait until you have received a few more messages where he or she has closed in this way.

Examples of salutations and closings

Email signature

It is generally not necessary to use an email signature when corresponding with your supervisor. However, if your program requires that you do so or if it is your personal preference, you can use the following model:

• Name (first and surname)
• Educational institution
• Phone number
• Email address

Flawless writing

What is important in all cases is that your message is error-free. Make sure you use proper English (or whichever language is appropriate) and that you do not make any grammatical or spelling errors. Before you send a message to your supervisor, you are strongly advised to re-read the text carefully or even to have someone else read it, too.

A neat and accurate message shows your supervisor that you are both professional and serious about your project.

Dissertation supervisors are often busy people who are involved in many things at the same time. It is therefore important to be as clear and specific as possible in your messages, so they can quickly see what your problem is and then react.

Tips for writing clear and maintaining smooth contact

• Make sure you stick to only things that are relevant to your dissertation. For example, do not share stories from your personal life with your supervisor (unless they are important with regard to your results).
• Formulate your questions as clearly and concisely as possible , so that your supervisor understands what you want and can respond quickly.
• Do not ask long or complicated questions in an email; saving these queries for times when you have more personal contact will make things easier for both of you. You will spare your supervisor the time that he or she would need to reply in writing. On your side, asking such questions face-to-face allows you to get more comprehensive answers and to ask follow-up questions if you do not understand something.
• Give your supervisor enough time to respond. For example, don’t send questions the night before you have to submit something; do it a few days in advance instead.
• Always respond as quickly as possible to messages from your supervisor (when relevant). This includes confirming any appointments your supervisor proposes, answering all of his or her questions, indicating things you don’t understand and providing any information that he or she requests.
• The responsibility for writing the dissertation is yours. Instead of waiting for your supervisor to make contact, take the initiative to make an appointment. This is also better for your supervisor, because it shows him or her that you are serious about your project.

Confirming appointments via email

If you arrange something about an appointment with your supervisor verbally, it is smart to still confirm it via email. You then have something in writing to fall back on if any issues arise.

Similarly, it is also a good idea to summarize what you have agreed on, such as deadlines and matters relating to substantive issues. Ask your supervisor to check and confirm your notes, so that you are both 100% clear on where you stand.

See some sample emails

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Supervisors will generally always respond to your messages, but some are faster than others. If you do not get a reply, first think about whether there could be an obvious reason for the delay, such as that it is already late in the evening, it’s the weekend, or it’s a holiday.

Also note that not all supervisors are available five days a week. You can often find out what days your supervisor is available through your school. Before taking any action, consider how fast you need an answer. You don’t want to appear too impatient to your supervisor.

If you really cannot wait any longer or you haven’t heard anything from your supervisor in several days, send a polite reminder email. You can either briefly restate your question or refer to your previous message.

If you still do not get a response, try contacting your program or university. A department secretary can often connect you with your supervisor.

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Vinz, S. (2018, August 24). Email contact with your dissertation supervisor. Scribbr. Retrieved August 30, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/tips/e-mail-contact-with-your-dissertation-supervisor/

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Sarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch.

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How to Write an Email to a Potential Supervisor (With examples)

• December 15, 2021
• GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Writing to a potential supervisor can exponentially increase your chances of securing a position as a graduate student. However, you will be walking in a thin line between setting up a great first impression or a pretty bad one.

The good news is that leaving a great impression is much simpler than you would think; it simply comes down to how you structure your first email.

When I was applying for my graduate program, I sent 130 emails to different professors in different universities in both USA and Canada. For those 130 emails I sent, I got 53 replies, with nearly 40% conversion rate. From those 53 replies, 22 professors were interested in offering me a position in their lab and encouraged me to apply formally through the university’s graduate office.

In this blog post, you will find some helpful information that I figured out during my application process about writing an email to a potential supervisor. 

How appropriate would it be to write an email to a potential supervisor?

Reach out and write an email to a potential supervisor before applying is definitely one of those topics where you want to find out about the norms in your discipline. 

Reaching out to potential advisors ahead of time is fine, helpful but not necessarily required for most people. 

In some fields, it might be strange or unexpected or something that people don’t usually do, and in some other fields, it might almost feel like a requirement.

This might be different in different fields because, in some disciplines, advisor fit is much more important than others.  

Suppose you are in a discipline like humanities where you’re not working very closely with an advisor. In that case, it might be that students are accepted into the department generally, and that advisor fit doesn’t really matter.

In that case, you should still talk about specific faculty in your statement of purpose because that is a good reason why you’re applying to that program. 

It shows that you’ve done your research.

But you probably don’t need to do fact-finding on the capacity of individual faculty members before you submit your application.

But if you are in one of those disciplines where advisor fit can be essential for admission, writing an email to a potential supervisor is very important.

Overall, reaching out to potential advisors isn’t something you have to do, but it’s really more of a fact-finding mission.

It can be beneficial for you to get some helpful information.

Find out if they have the resources to recruit you.

Sometimes there’s one perfect potential advisor for you in a department, and that person cannot take on new advisees for some reason.

Maybe the funding capacity limit is already reached when you email the professor.

If that’s the case, they often are upfront about that and might even suggest other people that you should consider talking to or writing about in your application materials.

If you get one of these responses from a professor who says,” I’m unlikely to take on new PhD advisees”, that does not mean that you should not apply for that program.

Also, do not forget to follow up because sometimes the funding capacity can change at the last moment.

This is one of the advantages of writing an email to a potential supervisor because they might let you know if something like that happens.

But it’s good for you to know that you should look into other options as well. Even if you are highly interested in that particular program, putting all your eggs in one basket is not a good idea.

The other important thing that you could find out from reaching out to a prospective advisor is their current research direction.

For example, if you look at someone’s recent publications, think about when the professor did that research.

If a paper is published recently, this paper went through peer review. 

Roughly add the revision time and paper writing time.

They might have done that research two years ago.

Are they still doing that kind of research?

You can, of course, find out a fair amount of research work and their timelines by going to a faculty member’s website or by looking at current grant funding.

Especially, grand funding tells you what that person will be doing for the next few years.

People’s trajectories can change a lot. 

Have I ever made a mistake like this? I have. Big time! See the below email I received when I was writing to a professor!

So, you want to make sure you have an idea of what they’re doing now because you could mention them in your statement of purpose letter .

When should you reach out to a potential supervisor?

Typically graduate applications are due late fall / early winter.

You should check and make sure that you have a sense of this timeline.

It wouldn’t necessarily hurt to reach out earlier. 

But, I would recommend reaching out one to two months before the deadline because that’s when supervisors know if they can offer new graduate student positions.

Sometimes funding decisions come in over the summer, so they might undoubtedly know whether they’re taking on new graduate students when the deadlines are closer.

Another reason not to email professors early is, some professors aren’t working as much over the summer.

Also, they might be heads down and writing a book or doing research and not responding to emails quite as readily as they might during the academic year.

A template for writing an email to a potential supervisor

Here’s an example email that I used when applying for graduate programs. This is the email I wrote to the professor I’m currently working with.

Make sure to adjust this email to be compatible with your field of study.

This will give you a sense of the information you might want to mention in your email.

Title: Inquiry from a prospective graduate student Dear Professor [name], I am a (Your major) graduand from the (Your university). I’m interested in a graduate study opportunity under your supervision in your research group. I am considering applying to your department’s graduate program, one reason being that I am very interested in the work you are doing on Hydrophobic surfaces. Given that your research takes both experimental and theoretical approaches for surface analysis and development, it further encourages me to apply since it is a perfect confluence of my research interests. I particularly enjoyed your paper “(Paper that you’re interested in)” and possibly see myself doing that kind of work. My own research interests relate to surface and interface science, computational materials science, thin films and coatings, and electrochemistry. I graduated with a (Your overall GPA) and a (CGPA) in the last two years of undergraduate study and am currently working as a researcher for eight months at [institute], a world-leading manufacturer of weight measurement technologies. At [institute]’s research lab, I am implementing studies on the micro throwing power of watt’s type baths by electrochemical simulations (COMSOL Multiphysics), ideally targeting to enhance Ni20Cr thin films’ surface wettability. I have just submitted an article on my current research findings, which was accepted by Materials Today: Proceedings. I have attached our recent publication and other relevant documents with more details. I am wondering if you will be considering taking on new PhD advisees for September intake or if you have suggestions for other faculty I should reach out to. I would be happy to answer any questions or have an online interview if more information would be helpful. ( Your signature )

You will find more tips of writing the perfect email to a potential supervisor here .

First and foremost, do not forget to do your homework before writing an email to a potential supervisor.

Do not send the same email to every professor that you choose.

Although it seems like a lot of work, do your research first and write a specific email for each supervisor. You can always use similar phrases here and there but never use the same template because a professor who receives many such emails can easily understand what you are doing.

And, that is not a good first impression.

If you want to have a robust application, you need to research what faculty are doing.

Also, note that my email word count is nearly 250. Not including many things in your email is also essential when writing an email to a potential supervisor.

Professors are always busy. They do not have to spend more than 1 or 2 minutes on an email. So you must know to impress the professor within that time frame, or your email will go straight to the junk folder.

Note that I also mentioned a paper that I was interested in. This is optional. But if you decide to mention a paper, make sure that you understand the basic concepts of that paper. Because, if this email leads to a quick interview, they might ask some questions from the paper. If that happens, you don’t want to embarrass yourself.

But just mentioning the general research area is more than enough for the first email because it shows that you’ve done your homework.

Also, it’s very important to mention that your research interests and the supervisor’s current area of research are similar.

It doesn’t have to be exactly the same.

But it should be in the same domain. In this example, my prospective supervisor (When I was writing this email) was working on a combination of physical chemistry and computational modelling. The interests I mentioned align with what he was interested in. But they are not precisely the same.

Maintain an effective email management system

At the time I was writing to potential supervisors, I was working full-time in a research lab. My work schedule was 10 hours a day. So, it took me a while to begin writing to potential supervisors.

In fact, it was too late to start writing, and I was told by friends to wait until next year to apply. They have already contacted supervisors and secured graduate positions at this point.

This is when I snapped out of my procrastination bubble and began thinking about how to secure a graduate position. Moreover, I had very specific research interests, so getting into a graduate program has already been challenging in the first place.

Before contacting professors, I also reviewed their profiles at hundreds of universities to find relevant labs.

Therefore, I needed a robust and efficient system for emailing potential supervisors. After a few tweaks, I created an effective yet simple system for managing graduate applications.

I use the notion app to build my graduate application management system.

It only took me two weeks to find professors whose research interests were similar to mine. And I have secured a graduate position in a lab conducting the exact research I was interested in.

You can grab the template by clicking the link below.

Do not directly ask for a meeting

Something else that you might have noticed that the email was ended with :

” I would be happy to answer any questions or have an online interview if more information would be helpful.”

There are lots of different ways that you could do mention this.

However, you may want to leave the option open without directly demanding a meeting.

Because if that prospective professor is not taking new advisees for the term, it would not be a great use of either of your time to have a meeting.

If the professor wants to talk more to you, they might be the one to suggest a meeting.

Or wait until you get a reply from them to decide to ask for a meeting, depending on their response.

They also might offer in their reply to answer questions, in which case you can ask questions in an email, or you can say,

“I do have some questions. Would you prefer email, or would it be easier for you to talk on the phone or video conference call?”

Why would you not get a reply?

But, sometimes, you might not get a reply at all.

It’s very important not to take it personally if they do not respond to your email.

My email conversion rate was 40%, which means that I haven’t heard anything 60% of the time.

Believe it or not, professors receive more than 100 emails per day when the deadlines are closer. So, there is a bigger chance that the professor hasn’t even seen your email.

Maybe your research background does not properly align with what they are looking for from a graduate student to join their lab. Here’s a reply I received from a professor mentioning this issue.

There are other reasons to why you haven’t heard when you write an email to a potential supervisor.

• The applicant has no clear idea about their research interests.
• There are no vacancies in their labs to accommodate new students.
• Your email is poorly drafted, and you have not specifically addressed that particular professor.
• You copy many professors in a single email.
• There’s no subject on the email.

Types of responses you might get

If you don’t hear back from a professor, do not assume that that means you shouldn’t apply to that program, or you shouldn’t mention them in your statement of purpose.

You can’t assume that a non-response means that they have no interest in your application.

It’s possible that when you reach out to someone, they might be excited to talk to you.

Many of the kinds of conversations you might have in a pre-application discussion with a faculty member might be pretty similar to the type of conversation you would have after you’ve applied.

So, it’s helpful to have a meeting/interview with a professor this way.

Also, if a professor suggested looking for other faculty members, you should email them. 

Because those suggested professors might work in a research area that you might be interested in. It might also be a signal for people who have funding or actively recruiting new students.

So, research them and consider reaching out to them if they mention someone specific.

You might also get a very vague reply such as :

“Thank you for reaching out. I look forward to seeing your application.”

You do not have to take that as a bad sign; it just means that they’re looking forward to seeing your application.

They chose to reply to you even though they have the freedom to ignore your email. That means something. Do not lose hope.

Make sure to mention the faculty members who replied to you so that they will recognize your application in the application evaluation process.

Final words

Writing an email to a potential supervisor is an essential step in your graduate application process.

Having a clear idea about who you are writing to and why you are writing to that person is important to get a reply.

If you have gone through the same process and found some important aspects about writing an email to a potential supervisor, let us know in the comment section.

As always, be proactive, be kind and try to help one another!

Images courtesy : Mail vector created by stories – www.freepik.com , Business photo created by creativeart – www.freepik.com , phdcomics , Image by Freepik

Aruna Kumarasiri

Founder at Proactive Grad, Materials Engineer, Researcher, and turned author. In 2019, he started his professional carrier as a materials engineer with the continuation of his research studies. His exposure to both academic and industrial worlds has provided many opportunities for him to give back to young professionals.

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Very useful article. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I want to know about followup emails. How long we have to wait ?

I’m glad this article was helpful to you, Poornima!

Professors sometimes do not respond to emails for the following reasons: (1) They are genuinely busy. (2) They do not have funding to support your education and (3) Their inboxes are flooded with emails every day, and responding to them all can be a challenge.

Although the time to write a follow-up email depends on your own circumstances, give them a reasonable amount of time to respond. It is a good idea to wait at least one week before sending a follow-up email.

You can read our other blog posts to learn more about writing follow-up emails .

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November 14, 2022

How to write an to dissertation supervisor email with an email template

How to reply to an to dissertation supervisor email with an email template, how to write email to dissertation supervisor using our email template.

Learn how to write better to dissertation supervisor emails with our tips and templates.

Learn how to reply to to dissertation supervisor emails with our tips and templates.

Learn how to write email to dissertation supervisor using our tips and template

Table of contents

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First meeting with your dissertation supervisor: What to expect

The first meeting with your dissertation supervisor can be a little intimidating, as you do not know what to expect. While every situation is unique, first meetings with a dissertation supervisor often centre around getting to know each other, establishing expectations, and creating work routines.

Why a good relationship with a dissertation supervisor matters

What is important to know is that the relationship that you establish with your supervisor can be a crucial factor in completing a successful dissertation.

A better relationship often results in better and timely completion of a dissertation. This finding is backed up by science. This study , for instance, points out that student-supervisor relationships strongly influence the quality, success or failure of completing a PhD (on time).

Commonly experienced challenges in student-supervisor relationships, on the other hand, are “different expectations, needs and ways of thinking and working” (Gill and Burnard, 2008, p. 668).

Getting to know each other during the first meeting

Many first meetings with a dissertation supervisor include a considerable amount of ‘small talk’. Thus, you can expect to engage in a casual conversation to get acquainted.

Getting to know the work environment during the first meeting

PhD students who start their dissertation are often introduced to their lab, research group or department during the first meeting.

There may also be a discussion about accessing an institutional email address or online work environment as a dissertation student. And any questions that are important to answer to kick off the dissertation process.

Establishing a meeting and communication schedule

Establishing a meeting schedule, or at least discussing how often you are planning to meet, how regularly, and within what time intervals, can reduce a lot of stress and uncertainty.

Discussing your research idea with your dissertation supervisor

While you can expect a lot of Smalltalk, planning, and organisational issues to dominate the first meeting with your dissertation supervisor, it is common to also chat about your research idea.

Based on this information, the dissertation supervisor can already point you in the right direction, suggest relevant literature, or connect you with other students or colleagues who work on similar issues.

Discussing expectations with your dissertation supervisor

Expectations differ from supervisor to supervisor. Some may just expect you to simply get used to your work environment, read a lot and explore theories that are relevant to your dissertation. Others may want to see the first results in terms of a literature review or research proposal.

If you are writing a master thesis, your timeframe will be much shorter. Thus, it is even more important to define deadlines and milestones with your dissertation supervisor as soon as possible. The first meeting lends itself to making this plan.

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E-post To Dissertation Supervisor – How To Approach It

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Writing an e-post to your dissertation supervisor can feel daunting. The process is often marked with anxiety, especially when one is uncertain about the nuances of professional communication or the specific expectations of their supervisor. Efficient communication with your academic advisor is a vital factor in your process towards completing a dissertation . This guide provides practical tips on how to draught an e-post to your dissertation supervisor.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 E-post to Dissertation Supervisor – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: E-post to dissertation supervisor
• 3 E-post to dissertation supervisor: Style and tone
• 4 E-post to dissertation supervisor: Tips
• 5 E-post to dissertation supervisor: No reply

E-post to Dissertation Supervisor – In a Nutshell

• The first e-post to dissertation supervisor should have a clear subject title, a formal salutation, and error-free language.
• Keep your e-post to dissertation supervisor short, relevant and with a clear call to action.
• If you do not receive a response to your e-post in, say, a week, you can send a polite follow-up epost.

Definition: E-post to dissertation supervisor

There are several instances where you would need to send an e-post to dissertation supervisor, as highlighted in the list below:

• Arranging an appointment for an initial appointment of a follow-up meeting.
• Asking questions about a problem you encounter and getting clarification.
• Confirming agreements for matters you discussed.

It is a good idea to make a summary of what you and your supervisor agree on regarding issues such as deadlines and steps forward. Request your supervisor to verify your notes to ensure you agree and are completely clear on the way forward.

E-post to dissertation supervisor: Style and tone

Write your e-post to dissertation supervisor formally and use your school epost address to come across as professional (in place of your account). The guide below gives tips on writing the e-post to dissertation supervisor, the style to use and what to avoid.

Addressing your supervisor

It is best to address your supervisor formally in your first epost. Since you do not know how they would prefer to be addressed, it is better to err on the side of caution. An initial informal e-post to dissertation supervisor may send the wrong message and cast doubt your attitude and professionalism.

If your supervisor responds to your epost with their first name in the closing, e.g., (‘Sincerely Gabriel’), it may be okay to address them by their first name in the following epost. However, we recommend waiting until you have exchanged a few more eposts where they have closed informally to be extra safe.

The table below gives examples of closings and salutations you can use in your e-post to dissertation supervisor on formal and informal occasions.

Epost signature

Using an epost signature is at your discretion, although it is not necessary. However, you can model it as below if you do choose to use it or if your programme requires it:

• First name and surname
• Study programme
• Institution of study
• Telephone number
• Epost address

The e-post to dissertation supervisor must be well-written with good grammar and correct English (or any appropriate language). We strongly recommend that you proofread your e-post to dissertation supervisor carefully for any mistakes before sending it or ask another person to read it to get a fresh set of eyes on it.

A concise e-post to dissertation supervisor will display your professionalism and seriousness about your project.

E-post to dissertation supervisor: Tips

Below are some valuable tips for writing an e-post to dissertation supervisor.

Concise subject line :

The purpose of a subject line is to summarize the epost and get the reader interested. Use a short, clear summary to reinforce your call to action.

Connections :

Make sure you mention any connection you may have with the supervisor. Did you hear the professor speak at an event, or were you referred to them by a former student or their colleague?

Keep it relevant :

Dissertation supervisors are usually engaged, so stick to what is pertinent to the dissertation. For instance, do not add personal anecdotes to your e-post to dissertation supervisor unless they are essential to the application.

Do not ask long, complex questions in the e-post to dissertation supervisor :

Save any complicated questions for when you can speak to your supervisor more personally. This will allow you to get detailed answers and follow up where you are dissatisfied with a response. You will also save your supervisor the time and effort needed to write replies to your questions.

Have a clear CTA (Call to Action):

Your e-post to dissertation supervisor should be very clear and leave no doubt about what you want from them. Ask your questions as clearly as possible. You are more likely to get a faster response if your supervisor is clear on what you want.

Introduce yourself :

After requesting to work with them, introduce yourself briefly. Include your institution of study, research interests and why you are interested in working with them. We also recommend attaching your resume to the epost.

Respond as quickly as you can:

Confirm any appointments your supervisor makes, provide any information they request, answer their questions and request clarification on what you don’t understand. Taking the initiative to contact your supervisor shows that you are serious and driven. Contact your supervisor to arrange an appointment instead of waiting for them to set it.

E-post to dissertation supervisor: No reply

Supervisors will usually always respond to your eposts; however, the reply rate may vary. Do not take it personally if they do not respond to your epost immediately. Researchers also teach research and travel, and may even supervise other students.

If you don’t receive a reply in about a week, you can follow up politely. However, be careful not to look too impatient by not allowing your supervisor sufficient time to reply.

If your supervisor still does not respond after your follow-up e-post, you can contact your programme or the department secretary, who can contact you with your supervisor.

How should you approach a dissertation supervisor?

Your first e-post to dissertation supervisor should clearly state who you are and what you would like from them. It is beneficial also to mention how you heard of them, whether by attending their lectures, by recommendation, or another way.

When can I address my dissertation supervisor informally?

In your first e-post to dissertation supervisor, address them formally by their title to avoid giving the impression of unprofessionalism. If your supervisor responds with an informal closing severally, you may assume that it is alright to address them as so.

Can I contact other potential supervisors?

Yes, you can. However, when sending an e-post to dissertation supervisor, you should make it clear from the beginning that you are also contacting other potential supervisors.

This transparency will help you avoid any misunderstandings in the future.

What should I do if I don't get a reply to my e-post to dissertation supervisor?

The response speed will vary among supervisors, as most are often engaged with other commitments. Wait for about a week, then send a polite follow-up e-post to dissertation supervisor.

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Tips for contacting a thesis supervisor

When you are emailing a potential thesis supervisor it’s important that your communications are professional – first impressions matter! Your email should be formal, in many ways similar to a job application letter. Below are some tips to help you get off to a good start.

Email etiquette

• Start with a proper salutation such as “Dear” (not “Hey”)
• Use the academic’s first name or title and surname (e.g., Lauren or A/Prof. Kark)
• Conclude your email with a formal sign-off such as “Kind regards” or “Sincerely”

Introduce yourself

• Provide the academic with an overview about yourself – what you are studying, the research area or topic you are interested in and when you hope to start your thesis
• Provide a brief statement about why you’re interested in the topic or area and what you think you might bring to the project
• Remember to show your eligibility and enthusiasm!
• In your email suggest a meeting to further discuss the project
• Thank the academic for their time and consideration
• Be patient if you don’t hear from the academic immediately. If there is no reply after a week or two, it may be worth sending a polite follow-up email

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Dissertation Advisor 101

How to get the most from the student-supervisor relationship

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | January 2024

Many students feel a little intimidated by the idea of having to work with a research advisor (or supervisor) to complete their dissertation or thesis. Similarly, many students struggle to “connect” with their advisor and feel that the relationship is somewhat strained or awkward. But this doesn’t need to be the case!

In this post, we’ll share five tried and tested tips to help you get the most from this relationship and pave the way for a smoother dissertation writing process.

Overview: Working With Your Advisor

• Clarify everyone’s roles on day one
• Establish (and stick to) a regular communication cycle
• Develop a clear project plan upfront
• Be proactive in engaging with problems
• Navigate conflict like a diplomat

1. Clarify roles on day one

Each university will have slightly different expectations, rules and norms in terms of the research advisor’s role. Similarly, each advisor will have their own unique way of doing things. So, it’s always a good idea to begin the engagement process by clearly defining the roles and expectations in your relationship.

In practical terms, we suggest that you initiate a conversation at the very start of the engagement to discuss your goals, their expectations, and how they would like to work with you. Of course, you might not like what you hear in this conversation. However, this sort of candid conversation will help you get on the same page as early as possible and set the stage for a successful partnership.

To help you get started, here are some questions that you might consider asking in your initial conversation:

• How often would you like to meet and for how long?
• What should I do to prepare for each meeting?
• What aspects of my work will you comment on (and what won’t you cover)?
• Which key decisions should I seek your approval for beforehand?
• What common mistakes should I try to avoid from the outset?
• How can I help make this partnership as effective as possible?
• My academic goals are… Do you have any suggestions at this stage to help me achieve this?

As you can see, these types of questions help you get a clear idea of how you’ll work together and how to get the most from the relatively limited face time you’ll have.

Need a helping hand?

2. Establish a regular communication cycle

Just like in any relationship, effective communication is crucial to making the student-supervisor relationship work. So, you should aim to establish a regular meeting schedule and stick to it. Don’t cancel or reschedule appointments with your advisor at short notice, or do anything that suggests you don’t value their time. Fragile egos are not uncommon in the academic world, so it’s important to clearly demonstrate that you value and respect your supervisor’s time and effort .

Practically speaking, be sure to prepare for each meeting with a clear agenda , including your progress, challenges, and any questions you have. Be open and honest in your communication, but most importantly, be receptive to your supervisor’s feedback . Ultimately, part of their role is to tell you when you’re missing the mark. So, don’t become upset or defensive when they criticise a specific aspect of your work.

Always remember that your research advisor is criticising your work, not you personally . It’s never easy to take negative feedback, but this is all part of the learning journey that takes place alongside the research journey.

3. Have a clear project plan

Few things will impress your supervisor more than a well-articulated, realistic plan of action (aka, a project plan). Investing the time to develop this shows that you take your project (and by extension, the relationship) seriously. It also helps your supervisor understand your intended timeline, which allows the two of you to better align your schedules .

In practical terms, you need to develop a project plan with achievable goals . A detailed Gantt chart can be a great way to do this. Importantly, you’ll need to break down your thesis or dissertation into a collection of practical, manageable steps , and set clear timelines and milestones for each. Once you’ve done that, you should regularly review and adjust this plan with your supervisor to ensure that you remain on track.

Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll stick to your plan 100% of the time (there are always unexpected twists and turns in a research project. However, this plan will lay a foundation for effective collaboration between yourself and your supervisor. An imperfect plan beats no plan at all.

4. Engage with problems proactively

One surefire way to quickly annoy your advisor is to pester them every time you run into a problem in your dissertation or thesis. Unexpected challenges are par for the course when it comes to research – how you deal with them is what makes the difference.

When you encounter a problem, resist the urge to immediately send a panicked email to your supervisor – no matter how massive the issue may seem (at the time). Instead, take a step back and assess the situation as holistically as possible. Force yourself to sit with the issue for at least a few hours to ensure that you have a clear, accurate assessment of the issue at hand. In most cases, a little time, distance and deep breathing will reveal that the problem is not the existential threat it initially seemed to be.

When contacting your supervisor, you should ideally present both the problem and one or two potential solutions . The latter is the most important part here. In other words, you need to show that you’ve engaged with the issue and applied your mind to finding potential solutions. Granted, your solutions may miss the mark. However, providing some sort of solution beats impulsively throwing the problem at your supervisor and hoping that they’ll save the day.

Simply put, mishaps and mini-crises in your research journey present an opportunity to demonstrate your initiative and problem-solving skills – not a reason to lose your cool and outsource the problem to your supervisor.

5. Navigate conflict like a diplomat 

As with any partnership, there’s always the possibility of some level of disagreement or conflict arising within the student-supervisor relationship. Of course, you can drastically reduce the likelihood of this happening by implementing some of the points we mentioned earlier. Neverthless, if a serious disagreement does arise between you and your supervisor, it’s absolutely essential that you approach it with professionalism and respect . Never let it escalate into a shouting contest.

In practical terms, it’s important to communicate your concerns as they arise (don’t let things simmer for too long). Simultaneously, it’s essential that you remain open to understanding your supervisor’s perspective – don’t become entrenched in your position. After all, you are the less experienced researcher within this duo.

Keep in mind that a lot of context is lost in text-based communication , so it can often be a good idea to schedule a short call to discuss your concerns or points of contention, rather than sending a 3000-word email essay. When going this route, be sure to take the time to prepare a clear, cohesive argument beforehand – don’t just “thought vomit” on your supervisor.

In the event that you do have a significant disagreement with your advisor, remember that the goal is to find a solution that serves your project (not your ego). This often requires compromise and flexibility. A “win at all costs” mindset is definitely not suitable here. Ultimately, you need to solve the problem, while still maintaining the relationship .

If you feel that you have already exhausted all possible avenues and still can’t find an acceptable middle ground, you can of course reach out to your university to ask for their assistance. However, this should be the very last resort . Running to your university every time there’s a small disagreement will not serve you well.

Recap: Key Takeaways

To sum up, a fruitful student-supervisor relationship hinges on clear role definition , effective and regular communication , strategic planning , proactive engagement , and professional conflict resolution .

Remember, your dissertation supervisor is there to help you, but you still need to put in the work . In many cases, they’ll also be the first marker of your work, so it really pays to put in the effort and build a strong, functional relationship with them.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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How to get the most from your dissertation supervisor

(Last updated: 12 May 2021)

Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Working with a supervisor on your own research project at dissertation level offers a very different relationship from the student-tutor relationship you might be more used to – and more comfortable with. It's a relationship that demands clarity and understanding, but that can develop (and challenge!) both your academic and interpersonal skills. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your relationship with your dissertation supervisor.

Choosing the right supervisor

If you're an undergraduate (and perhaps even a Master's student) you may find that your supervisor is chosen for you, based on a broad match with your dissertation topic. For most PhD students and some Master's students, however, choosing your dissertation supervisor will be one of the most important early decisions you make, and it will impact both the direction of your research and the shape of your dissertation. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself about your prospective supervisor (you can even ask some of them directly to the prospective supervisor, provided you deploy a degree of tact in doing so) to ensure you'll get the most out of your working relationship.

This question gets more important the higher the level of your dissertation. While you can expect most academics to have a broad familiarity with their field, it's not reasonable to expect that everybody in your wider field has a detailed knowledge of the theories, frameworks, and texts you'll use in your own work. And given the other demands on their time, it's also unreasonable to expect a supervisor to familiarise themselves with the work of fifty or a hundred scholars before they even start to read your work! Senior academics are likely to be upfront and refuse to supervise you if they lack the expertise to do so. But academics new to the profession may enthusiastically agree to supervise a project even if they're ill-equipped to provide the necessary level of critique. It's your responsibility to be both discerning and reasonable about your expectations.

You and your dissertation supervisor absolutely don't have to agree on everything – and disagreements can be enormously constructive (see below). However, there are also some approaches to the same field that are fundamentally incompatible. By all means pick a supervisor who will challenge your assumptions, but not someone who is ideologically opposed to everything you do before you start doing it.

By now you should "know yourself" sufficiently to be able to identify what you want in a supervisor. Are you a procrastinator in need of a "hands-on" supervisor who will give you strict deadlines for the delivery of outlines and chapters? Or are you highly self-motivated and content to work with a "hands-off" dissertation supervisor who will read your work when you ask them to do so, but not bug you otherwise? Also ask yourself about their style of grading papers – are they generous with praise at the expense of constructive feedback? Do they offer detailed, constructive feedback on how you can make your work better, or do you find their comments picky and overbearing? And, just as importantly, do you tend to get motivated or deflated by the sight of red pen decorating your work?

Popular supervisors may be supervising a high number of dissertations at any one time, potentially reducing the time they have to spend on you. On the other hand, if an academic has no supervisees at all, there might be a reason for that.

Working with your supervisor

It's important to realise that you and your supervisor will need to develop a working relationship based on trust and a shared understanding of what each expects from the other. The exact shape your working relationship takes will depend on your individual working patterns – and the subject area you're working in – but here are some useful pointers to consider

Work with, not for , your supervisor

No doubt you're used to taking modules at university and completing tasks, assignments and exams to pass those modules. You'll have become accustomed to a certain model of working: your tutor gives you direction and instruction, and you complete the assignments to satisfy their requirements. It can be easy, especially for undergraduates, to fall into this familiar pattern when working with a dissertation supervisor. But, although your dissertation will have to meet rigorous assessment criteria set by your department, you shouldn't think about your dissertation supervisor as the tutor for whom you're completing the work. Think of your supervisor instead as a teammate with whom you're working towards completing a goal – an original, rewarding piece of research.

As with any time you're working in a team, you'll need to provide what you're asked for – whether that's a draft of a chapter, a full dissertation outline, or just a set of research questions – when you're asked for it, because another member of your team requires it in order to fulfil their role in the collective endeavour. But don't forget the other important aspect of teamwork. Be clear about what you'd like your teammate to offer you at each step along the way. If you ask your supervisor to look at an early draft, make sure you're explicit about what kind of feedback you're seeking; if you were just looking for confirmation you're "on the right track" structurally, but your draft is full of factual and grammatical errors, it's not going to feel good for anyone when your supervisor assumes that it's a near-final version and rips it to pieces.

Engage your supervisor early

Many supervisors will insist that you meet frequently during the planning stages of your project, especially if you're writing an undergraduate dissertation. But if your supervisor is particularly "hands-off", they may not insist on these early meetings, so it's your job to do so! Involving your supervisor in the planning stages of your dissertation is essential, and will prevent you from making errors that take a great deal of time to fix later, or simply producing a dissertation that your supervisor fundamentally dislikes. Your supervisor will be able to recommend lots of readings for your literature review , and will help you develop a methodology that is robust, well-grounded and theoretically sound, and that – where applicable – adheres to the required ethics standards. If you and your supervisor are in sync about the grounding and methodology of your project, any disagreements that follow are liable to be of the productive rather than the destructive kind!

Meet with your dissertation supervisor frequently, and give them work little and often

Few things are more disheartening than delivering a 5000-word chapter to your supervisor and being told that you need to rewrite almost all of it, because your premise was flawed. It's best to get into the habit of checking in with your dissertation supervisor frequently to discuss where you plan on going next. If you're stuck, your supervisor may be able to help you frame an argument, or transition from one to another. Or they might point you to a couple of sources who will help you make the argument you're trying to make.

Most importantly, you needn't feel that you should only give your supervisor finished or polished work. This is one of the key ways in which a supervisor differs from a tutor, and one of the key reasons why you need to resist thinking of them as such. You shouldn't, of course, give your supervisor sloppy work that you simply haven't bothered to proofread and that is littered with spelling and grammar mistakes. But you can hand in draft introductions or in-process sections with development notes, provided you clearly communicate what it is you're giving your supervisor and what you expect them to do with it.

Disagree – but productively!

You and your supervisor absolutely don't have to agree on everything; academia is based on lively discussion and creative disagreement. Your supervisor is bound to disagree with at least some of what you write – whether it's an interpretation of an individual source or your entire conclusion. It's true that a minority of academics can be dogmatic, and if it becomes evident that your dissertation supervisor is in search of a disciple rather than a student, there may be a problem in your relationship.

If your supervisor is a particularly distinguished academic in their field, it can feel very intimidating to have them argue with you, and it's very tempting to simply back down. Sometimes that's also the right call – knowing when you're wrong and need to change direction is a skill you need to acquire as an emerging academic! Just as often, though, what feels like pressure to simply agree with your supervisor's way of seeing things is actually a challenge, to address counter-arguments in your dissertation and make your work more robust as a result. If you still think your argument is strong even after your supervisor has presented their own reasoning, appropriate that reasoning into your argument, and address head-on why you still believe your interpretation is better. If in doubt, ask your dissertation supervisor directly: do you think I'm just wrong here, or do I need to do more to convince you?

If all else fails… switch!

In the unlikely event that something goes wrong – perhaps you've realised too late that your supervisor simply wants you to write an entirely different dissertation from the one you're writing, or you find their feedback impenetrable and demoralising, or they're too busy to meet with you for weeks at a time – you may decide that you need to switch supervisors. Try talking this out with your dissertation supervisor first, and then approach your head of department.

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How to email a professor requesting to supervise a PhD thesis?

I am interested in applying to PhD in Mathematics in University of Luxembourg. In the webpage it is written that "We recommend that you contact potential thesis supervisors by email to discuss your areas of general research interest and specific ideas for a thesis topic. You may consider sending a description of the research project and your CV. Once you have identified a supervisor, he/she will initiate the application process and complete the application for admission."

Therefore, I need to contact potential thesis supervisors by emails to discuss areas of general research interest and specific ideas for a thesis topic. That is, first I need to convince a professor to supervise me or I am well prepared to work under the professor.

Therefore, I am thinking that I will send an email to a professor. But I am facing some troubles.

I want to apply to PhD in Mathematics on Algebraic Topology. One thing that I have understood is to be selected I need to show interest on that particular subject. I want to convince the professor that I am well prepared to work under him and eager to join his research group. But, the problem this how to show the interest?

I have planned something and I want to execute my plans. I am sharing with you. One of the ideas is to read some papers of the professor and do comment on that. But I think it's not so the good idea because it may be cause of a bad impression. But I may be wrong. Now I am writing here, what I am thinking.

I am thinking the followings.

• Since, I am particularly interested in Algebraic Topology, I will attach in the email a detailed learning roadmaps (mentioning the references) of Algebraic Topology in which way I learned the subject.
• I am thinking that I will attach (or give a google drive link) solutions of the exercises of some books, the exercises of those books are not easy to solve (even for researchers). I am preparing the hand written solutions on the IPad.
• Also, I will attached a write-up for the ideas for future research on the particular topic, in which I would like to help from some papers of the professor and mention those in my write-up. That's mean I will read some papers of the professor and made a write-up where I will include my ideas as well as some parts (or results or may be some ideas) of the Professor's paper.

Please advise me. Am I thinking in a right way? Please help me. It will also be helpful for me if you add your opinions and advise in details.

Thanking in advanced.

• graduate-admissions
• mathematics
• supervision
• 1 I think that what you propose would be enough. –  user135405 Commented Apr 2, 2021 at 16:27
• 2 I don't think sending an email with books you've read and a few solved exercises would get you any responses. I think Adam at Avidnote's answer is good -- you should try to look for postings about PhD positions and apply to those. One good place to look for algebraic topology PhD openings is on the ALGTOP mailing list archives. –  Stephen McKean Commented Apr 2, 2021 at 17:16

2 Answers 2

It all depends on the university and so I don't thinkt here's one piece of advice that suits all cases. At some universities, PhD positions are advertised on their website and through other channels, and potential applicants will need to submit their proposal through those official means. In other situations, a Professor can manually pick a grad student to supervise as their PhD student if they have the funding to do so.

My advice is to look at the credible websites that advertise PhD positions, and search for a position that relates to your field. From my experience, very few professors would respond positively to receiving a cold email like this from out of the blue. They will usually just be deleted. The best case is to contact someone you've worked with before, or through someone who knows the Professor who can put in a good word for you.

• 3 One place to find European PhD openings in algebraic topology is on the ALGTOP mailing list archives. For example, there were 5 such openings announced between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021: lists.lehigh.edu/pipermail/algtop-l/2021q1/thread.html . –  Stephen McKean Commented Apr 2, 2021 at 17:14
• 2 Nice tip! I suppose one could also check twitter/linked and set Google alerts for when a new position is published. –  Adam at Avidnote Commented Apr 2, 2021 at 17:16

I don't think you need to send a "learning roadmap" or solved exercises. A learning roadmap doesn't really convey whether you have learned the subject. The University of Luxembourg requires that you have a masters degree before you start your PhD. If you have a masters in math, then you've probably solved a few exercises in the process.

Having ideas for future research projects is a very good thing, especially if they are ideas relating to the work of a potential advisor. My advice is to keep the initial email short and to the point -- you can add more details once you get a response. Something like:

"Dear Prof. [So and So],

I am interested in applying for a PhD position at the University of Luxembourg. I obtained my Masters from [the Institute of Such and Such]. I would be interested in working on a project relating to your work on [informal group laws]. I have a few ideas for potential projects in this direction. Please let me know if you would be willing to discuss these.

Thank you in advance for your time,

user454229"

Of course, don't just copy this and insert the relevant details. You want to write the email in your own voice. This is just to give you an idea of how to keep it short and to the point. And good luck!

• Thanks for your answer. My university does not offer a course in Algebraic Topology. But I have learned the basics of the subject on my own. Since I have no proof that I have learned the subject, I am thinking that I will send my hand written exercises (on IPad) through a google link. I will send the exercises of the books like, Hatcher; Knots and Links. I think solving those are not easy (even for early researchers) task. I am talking just a way about convincing the professor that I am well prepared to do work in his research group. Am I going in a right direction? –  user138005 Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 5:21
• I am thinking that I will make this material available on a website and let professors know about it. Is that a good idea? –  user138005 Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 7:23
• I still don’t think this is a good idea. I wouldn’t say the exercises in Hatcher are hard for researchers. If you have good ideas for research directions and can discuss them, that’s a much better indication that you have a solid background in the subject –  Stephen McKean Commented Apr 3, 2021 at 12:23

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A dissertation or research project is normally par for the course on degree programmes. In my experience, it is a source of anxiety for many students and I’m in no doubt that this one module can act as a barrier to undertaking a University degree course.

However, what students don’t often realise is that you will be allocated a supervisor to support you with this work. To help you understand the crucial supervisor-supervisee relationship, this article summarises what supervision is in this context, and highlights some of the characteristics of a good supervisor, as well as what makes a good supervisee. There are also tips for getting a dissertation going and managing your relationship with your supervisor. Hopefully this will make the prospect of completing a research dissertation less daunting and/or help you improve your existing supervisor-supervisee relationship.

What is supervision? There are so many answers to this question, it is hard to know where to start. Supervision transcends lots of roles and situations but, in the context of a University dissertation, your supervisor is the member of staff allocated to you to support you to complete your project. Typically, their role is to advise you on the project (e.g. research design, ethics, and comment on drafts). Note, they are not there to tell you what to do (although you might want to listen to their comments as these will be made with the aim to help you improve the project). Perhaps more importantly, they are not there to do the project for you (you’d be surprised how many students think this!). Often your supervisor will only have a limited number of hours allocated to support your work (e.g. 10 hours) so you need to use the time wisely.

What makes a good supervisor? When I asked my students this in a recent teaching session I was inundated with answers! They were getting close to handing in their dissertations so were quite far down the supervisory journey and had a lot to say about it. Here’s a summary of their thoughts on this:

• Trustworthy
• Encouraging
• Approachable
• Sensitivity – e.g. understand the contest in which the supervisee is working and whether there might be other factors that the supervisee may not be aware of
• Communication is key – personally I would argue that being an “active” listener is one of the most important things I can do as a supervisor. For example, what is the student interested in? Have they got a workable idea for their project? For students, this extended to the more mundane (but equally important things) like answering emails quickly.
• Does not misuse power – i.e. operates a non-oppressive supervisory process
• Able to give constructive criticism
• Experienced but open to learning – e.g. from supervisees, from new situations

What makes a good supervisee? When in class, this question often surprises students. There is often an emphasis on the supervisor “doing their job properly” and “providing support” but supervision is a two way relationship and we have expectations of you too. This includes (in no particular order):

• Able to set goals and stick to them – the ability to set your own goals and work diligently to meet these agreed objectives is a key expectation. For example, if you say you are going to complete your ethics form by X date, then do it.
• Good time keeping – if you organise a meeting with me, have the curtesy to turn up on time (or let me know if you are running late). Sometimes students work on the basis that because they pay fees I work for them. Whilst I appreciate this perspective, I cannot emphasise enough that this is not true. I work to support all students, not just one. My time is not indefinite and students should not take it for granted that I am available to meet them on a whim.
• Good time keeping II – maybe this one should say patience. Basically if you want me to read a draft of something and comment on it, don’t send it to me the night before the deadline. Give me time and space to read it properly. Not only does this mean I’m more likely to do it and perhaps provide more detailed feedback as I have more time, it also allows you time to act on that feedback.
• Respond to feedback – whilst we are on the topic of feedback, let’s talk about how important it is to make changes in response to feedback. I have lost count of the number of times I have spent hours reading a draft and providing detailed feedback on content, structure, writing style etc. only to find no changes are made in the final version. Ok, a student can choose whether to make changes or not (after all, it is their project) but it is hugely frustrating to feel you have wasted valuable time commenting on a draft (often when you were busy and could have been doing something else) only to find that changes are not made or (even worse) are limited to correcting typos and referencing errors.
• Take criticism – no-one likes to receive criticism but a supervisor would be neglecting their role if they didn’t highlight weaknesses in your work. This can be hard to stomach but remember that by thinking objectively about the feedback and making changes will only act to strengthen your work.
• Have the ability to identify their own strengths and developments – speaks for itself!
• Open and honest – e.g. communicating any issues they are experiencing. You don’t have to tell me the details of your personal problems but knowing they exist helps.
• Takes initiative – I love it when a student comes in with a brand new idea rather than rehashes a study already done many times before. It is much easier to get enthusiastic about your project if it is something new.
• Considers ways to overcome problems – if something is challenging and you turn up to your meeting with your supervisor with some ideas on how to fix the problem, this is ideal.

Top tips After a (very informal!) canvas of colleagues’ views, here are some of the tips they had for making the most of your dissertation project and managing your supervisor-supervisee relationship.

• Pick the right topic – choosing a dissertation topic can be daunting. However, in my experience, getting this right is half the battle with a dissertation project as it is 10 times easier to motivate yourself to work on something you are interested in! Don’t be afraid to think outside the box – you’ll get extra credit for being innovative and creative. “Hot Topics” can also be a good bet.
• Be realistic – the most obvious example I can give here is topic selection. Is what you are suggesting likely to get ethical approval? Is it achievable in the timescales you have to complete the project? I think my favourite example of an undergraduate project which I did not allow a student to undertake was from a meeting which started with the immortal words “I want to interview serial killers…”
• Don’t let it slide – dissertation deadlines fall at the end of the academic year and, despite early warnings that these deadlines will come around quickly, many students still have a mad panic close to the deadline trying to get everything finished.
• Time management – related to the above but perhaps with some more practical pointers. Picture the scene, close to a deadline, a student has a crisis. They email their supervisor at 11pm on a Sunday evening when your deadline is Monday 4pm. Do you really expect an answer?!! Perhaps surprising, this happens all the time – just a few weeks ago I got a phone call at 9:30am asking why I had not responded to an email which had been sent in the early hours of that morning…
• Be realistic II – Supervisors will typically aim to respond as quickly as they can. However, you need to be realistic about timescales for this. Especially over the summer. Especially when you are waiting for feedback. Remember it is unlikely your supervisor is only supervising you. Therefore, when you are thinking they only need to read you 5000 word draft, they might actually need to read 10 or 15 5000 word drafts (plus anything else they are working on).
• Don’t wait until you are having a crisis before asking for support.
• Be prepared – if you arrange a meeting with your supervisor, make sure you go prepared. You would be surprised how many supervisees I have who ask for a meeting but come with no agenda (and sometimes even no pen!)
• Make notes – remember to keep a record of meetings, e.g. what was discussed, what your actions are, what your supervisors actions are. A dissertation is a long term project and it is likely you will forget the specifics agreed in early meetings if you don’t have a record of what was discussed.
• Act on feedback provided – don’t just read it, act on it.
• Keep in touch – provide your supervisor with regular updates (even if there is little to report). This gives them an oversight of your progress. Also, reply to your supervisor when they email you!

Conclusion A good supervisor – supervisee relationship can help ensure your dissertation journey is a positive one so it is important to work to ensure that you build and maintain a strong working relationship. Your supervisor is there to support you – just remember their role is to guide and support you, not to do your project for you.

Working with your dissertation supervisor By: Dr Amy Burrell

Amy holds a BSc in Applied Psychology, an MSc in Forensic Behavioural Science, and a PhD in Forensic Psychology. Amy is a Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at Coventry University and can be contacted on [email protected] She was previously the Training Manager for Perpetuity Training who specialise in security training (see  www.perpetuitytraining.com ) and is also involved in the Crime Linkage International NetworK (C-LINK) (see www.crimelinkage.org )

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How do I email my supervisor? Part two – the thank you note.

The questions might be naive, but I do want to learn more about the “Australian” way of sending regards to supervisors. My supervisor invited me to a formal business dinner this week with some other professors. As a PhD student who just started research, I felt thrilled about this occasion. He will be on his sabbatical leave soon and we will continue to contact via email, once a month. From the culture of my own country, I should send my supervisor an email containing all the following items. However, I am also thinking about the concerns listed in the brackets. I am not sure whether such a personal email is too far for this more professional supervisor-student relationship in Australia. Thanks again for the dinner. (I have already expressed my gratitude orally and in a previous email. Will this be tedious?) Thanks for all his guidance and caring for the past several months. (But it sounds like a concluding remark, which might not be proper at this time.) Have a safe journey. (A must-say in my hometown. But I was told it was considered odd, or even rude by some Americans. The main reason for this email.) Enjoy the sabbatical leave. (Enjoy?) I will work hard during this period. (Another must-say. But I have never heard students promise this in western countries.) I am struggling between my rational brain and emotional brain, as well as two different cultures. Looking forward to hearing from you. Warm regards, Courteous Student

Here is what I wrote back:

Dear Courteous,

Inter-cultural communication is, indeed, delicate work. Add to that the stress of playing the role of ‘junior’ colleague in academia… let’s just say, it’s challenging. Even students raised in the same culture as their supervisor can struggle with this kind of communication task, which is why it is an excellent topic for a blog post!

When we write a letter, we are playing a role. Think about a letter you would write to a friend while you are on holiday vs a letter you would write to a politician, complaining about Australia’s refugee policy. Want to sound happy and affectionate to your friend and angry and persuasive to the politician. You are a different person when you write each letter. You play the role through your choice of greeting, the words you use, expressive punctuation and so on. For instance, you would not sign off an angry letter to a politician with “with love”; the recipient of your letter will feel very weird, and you will have failed to communicate.

Unlike other parts of formal education, you do not have a ‘social ritual’ that will guide you in everyday interactions with your supervisor; the relationship will emerge and develop over time. Each supervisor / PhD student relationship is unique. I have a very different kind of relationship with every PhD student I supervise, even though I like to think I approach everyone the same way. When the communication is electronic, the interaction problem is magnified because you don’t have live feedback from the person to judge and adjust your performance. Too casual? Too formal? It’s tough to find the right tone, especially at the beginning of your working relationship.

The ‘meta’ problem here is that you do not have a well-defined role to play. Are you a student? A junior colleague? A friend? You can be all three at the same time, or just one, depending on how the relationship between yourself and your supervisor evolves. Even if you do get to the ‘friends’ end of the spectrum, there will still be a power relationship that is unequal; at least until you graduate and in all likelihood, beyond. Recently I met my delightful and supportive masters supervisor at a social event, completely by chance. I studied with her 18 years ago now (!). Back then we were in almost daily contact, even though now we speak but rarely. We certainly became friends, after a fashion. But I still feel like a junior colleague when I talk to her. She’s the most unthreatening, lovely person you can imagine, so this wasn’t from anything she did at the time, or since.

It’s tricky, so let’s tackle it one letter at a time. Here’s what I would write, based on your list of what you want to express. My explanation for every sentence is in square brackets. Reading these notes gives you a sense of how difficult it can be to negotiate the supervisor/student power relations, even in a very everyday piece of correspondence:

Dear [whatever you call him/her – in Australia, most supervisors are more comfortable with first names from PhD students]

I hope you enjoy your sabbatical [‘enjoy’ is an entirely appropriate here – us academics are nerdy and a sabbatical is a dream come true!] . I appreciate all your guidance and care over the last couple of months [keep emotional stuff short and to the point, but don’t forget to include it. If you’ve already thanked by email for the dinner, don’t do it again because in Australia this will feel overbearing. We are not good with gratitude. Maybe it’s a convict thing?] . I plan to work on [insert something general, but specific here like your upcoming milestone presentation. Being specific shows your supervisor that you are confident and have things under control and that you have listened to their advice] over the next couple of months. I’m looking forward to our emails/touching base [this sentence confirms your agreement about communication over the next little while, so he/she knows you understand. The second mode of expression ‘touching base’ is more casual, depends on whether you feel your relationship is moving in that direction or not]  every two weeks. Do let me know if you need to change this arrangement for any reason [indicates you are flexible and understand the nature of his/her leave – gives them something to thank you for, an important ingredient of this sort of communication. In English, saying thanks demands another thanks and sometimes it’s hard to know how to stop the cycle. One reason why emojis are so useful in text messaging!] . Safe travels! [this is a casual way of wishing someone all the best on a journey – not offensive and entirely appropriate. you can choose whether you use the exclamation mark – makes it sound more ‘jaunty’ if you do, thus decreasing the emotional content].

[your usual sign off … mine is ‘best’ if I don’t know a person that well or just my initial in lower case: “i”, if they are a colleague-friend ]

Have you ever struggled to find the right ‘tone’ to email your supervisor? What were you trying to say? Did you manage to communicate well, or not? Love to hear your stories in the comments – from your issues, more blog posts might come!

Related posts

How to email your supervisor (or the tyranny of tiny tasks and what you can do about it)

Five ways to avoid death by email

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The Thesis Whisperer is written by Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University . New posts on the first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe by email below. Visit the About page to find out more about me, my podcasts and books. I'm on most social media platforms as @thesiswhisperer. The best places to talk to me are LinkedIn , Mastodon and Threads.

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Writing your dissertation - working with your supervisor

Posted in: dissertations

Your supervisor

Before you begin your dissertation, it is highly likely you will be assigned a supervisor to oversee your progress from first steps to completion. Your supervisor will help you formulate ideas and give you guidance on how best to develop your research topic and course of action. But you need to always remember that this is your project, and your supervisor will not provide you with content or additional lessons on a particular topic. Their role is to help you work out your own pathways to success.

Get organised

Lecturers are very busy people, and your dissertation is only a small part of the duties and responsibilities they have to carry out during the summer months. So in order to get the most out of your supervisor and maintain a positive and productive professional relationship with them, you need to get organised.

Here are some important guidelines to follow:

• Agree a timetable of meetings at the start of your project and stick to it.
• Ensure that each meeting has a focus e.g. “setting a research problem”, “analysing the data”, with a clear set of questions to ask.
• your research plan
• early results of your data collection
• draft chapters.
• Arrive on time to each meeting you have arranged. At the end of each supervision meeting agree some action points for you to focus on before the next time you meet.
• Keep a record of what you decide in supervision sessions.
• Don't bug your supervisor with emails in between your meetings. Save up your questions for your next scheduled appointment.

If you are not happy with an aspect of your supervision, discuss this with your supervisor. If this is too difficult or awkward, your personal tutor may also be able to offer advice.

See also Communicating with your tutor

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• How to Email a Potential Supervisor
• Applying to a PhD

It’s well known that contacting a potential PhD supervisor before applying to their position can greatly increase your chances of success. Unfortunately, it also works the opposite way.

The good news is that leaving a great impression is much simpler than you would think; it simply comes down to how you structure your first email.

To learn how to email a potential supervisor the correct way, follow our guidelines below.

Guidelines for Your First Email

1. do your research.

Before contacting a supervisor, you need to have researched them. Hopefully, you would have already have done this before deciding that they would be suitable for your project. However, if you haven’t, read up and learn about their research.

This is important to confirm that your project is relevant to the supervisor and that they have suitable expertise to support you.

As well as information about their research and recent publications, you can find their email address on their University’s academic profile page. Their email address should also be available in the PhD listing you originally saw the position.

2. Use a Clear Subject Line

Use a short subject line which clearly shows your intention. Supervisors receive countless emails a day from students, other professors, external collaborators and research bodies. Therefore, an unclear subject line will probably go unnoticed in their busy inbox.

Good examples of subject lines include:

• Enquiry for NERC-funded PhD in Climate Change
• Prospective Applicant – EPSRC – Material Science PhD

If the University provides a reference number in the PhD listing you found the position, ensure you include it at the end of your subject line.

3. Address Them

Always start your email with “Dear” followed by the supervisor’s surname.

Make sure you use the supervisor’s correct title. Starting an email to a professor with “Dear Dr” rather than “Dear Professor” won’t only annoy them but will imply you have poor attention to detail. Therefore, using the wrong title will immediately set a poor impression and sometimes may even be enough for the supervisor to stop reading your email.

4. Introduce Yourself and State Your Intentions

First, introduce yourself by providing the following information:

• Your academic qualifications
• Your level of experience

Second, indicate that you are interested in undertaking a doctoral research project. If you’re emailing regarding a specific project, then provide its title.

If the University isn’t offering projects with pre-defined titles, then instead indicate which specific areas of the research field you are interested in. When expressing your research interests, also discuss why you are interested in having them as your supervisor. In your explanation, include relevant examples of their recent work and relate it back to your research topic. This will show the supervisor that you have thought about the direction of your research and have undertaken detailed research around the topic. It will also show that you’re familiar with their work. This won’t only help build rapport but will also show the supervisor that you believe he will be a good match for you.

After discussing your interests, confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements and move on to discuss your funding situation. If you intend to apply for funding or a scholarship on acceptance into your programme, mention this and list the names of the funding bodies and scholarships you will be applying to.

5. Conclude

Conclude your email by reinforcing your enthusiasm for the position and summarising why you think you’d make a great research student.

In addition to this, you could also suggest a meeting as a way for the two of you to discuss the contents of your email. This isn’t required but does sometimes make it easier for the supervisor if they have a lot to discuss.

6. Thank Them

Thank the supervisor for their time and end your email with “Kind regards” followed by your first and last name in full.

Email Etiquette

Attach Supporting Information

Your goal should be to make the exchange as simple as possible for the supervisor. Therefore, attach any supporting information such as your CV if you expect they may ask for it or find it useful. This will save them having to email you back asking for further information should they need it.

Keep It Brief

As mentioned above, supervisors won’t have time to keep going back and forth, therefore, avoid vague statements or being too broad about your interests.

Whilst it’s OK to email several potential supervisors offering similar positions, ensure you tailor each one so it’s relevant to the specific supervisor you’re emailing. If your email is too generic, they’ll likely think you repurposed it from one of your earlier emails to another supervisor and so choose to ignore it.

Lastly, before you hit send, read over your email and confirm it’s free from any grammatical mistakes. As a postgraduate student applying to a PhD position, your email needs to be error-free.

Be Patient With Follow-Ups

Supervisors are extremely busy people. They have classes to teach, research students to supervise and several independent projects to lead. Therefore, don’t be too disheartened if you don’t hear back from them right away.

If you don’t receive a reply after a week, send them a polite follow up. If they still don’t get in contact after another week, they’ve likely either stopped accepting applicants are too overwhelmed to process their inbox. In these cases, it’s best to start looking for alternative supervisors.

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How to email a potential supervisor

Tips and templates for how to ask an academic to supervise your research project.

Compose your email carefully

• Use your ANU email address; by policy, ANU staff can only communicate with ANU students through your ANU email address.
• Use an informative, brief subject line.
• Use formal language (no emoticons, abbreviations, etc.)
• Address a potential supervisor as Dr (appropriate for anyone with a PhD) or Prof.
• Be direct. Introduce yourself and your reason for emailing.
• State if you are interested in a course project, an honours project, or a masters project.
• If you are interested in a specific project or topic mentioned on the website, explain why.
• If relevant, mention a paper you read and why it was interesting to you or a question you have.
• Ask to schedule a meeting and suggest several times that suit you.
• Acknowledge that the potential supervisor may be busy and provide them the opportunity to suggest alternate times.
• Sign using your legal name, as well as any name a staff member may know you by.
• Attach a CV and your Statement of Results (from ISIS). 

After you email

• Don’t take it personally if the potential supervisor doesn’t respond immediately! Researchers travel, teach, do research, supervise students, serve on university committees and are very busy.
• If you don’t hear back in a week or so, you can send a brief, polite follow-up email.
• You should respond promptly if the researcher emails you, thank the supervisor for the response, and respond to any questions.
• If the potential supervisor asks to be addressed by a first name or signs an email with a first name, you can address future emails using the potential supervisor’s first name.

Email templates

DO NOT SEND THIS EMAIL

From: [email protected] Subject: Research

I want to do research! J Im a grt student and want to learn more. What do you do research on?

TX, Student Name

DO SEND THIS EMAIL

From: [email protected] Subject: Potential research project

Dear Professor Surname , I am a year in degree at ANU and I am writing to ask about opportunities for Honours research projects in Semester 1 of next year. I did a research project on topic with names in course . Expression of interest in the topic . I am especially interested in your previous work on describe a paper or talk .

I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you time period , but please let me know if a different time would be more suitable. I have attached my CV and statement of results to this e-mail, but if there is additional information that I have not included that you would like, I would be happy to provide it to you. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Ambitious Student

Modified from UC Santa Cruz How to Email a Research Professor .

Dear Professor X , My name is Name , and I am very interested in becoming involved in research in Subject Area . I am a X year student, and I have taken Courses and Additional Experiences . I have attached my CV and statement of results. My goal is to Goal .

I have reviewed your staff profile and am interested in the work that you have done. I was intrigued by your journal article, "Article Title." It Additional Information about Topic . I would like to get involved in research in this area because it will help me to better prepare for Goals .

Would it be possible to meet with you to further discuss Topic and my possible involvement in research? I am available Days and Times , but please let me know if a different time would be more suitable. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Name

Modified from UC Irvine Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program .

Updated:   15 August 2019 / Responsible Officer:   Science Web / Page Contact:   Science Web

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Sending a thank you email to my MSc project supervisor?

I submitted my dissertation this morning. I started my project right at the beginning of lockdown so it was all remote. My supervisor has been really great by involving me in the research project revision (other people's supervisors just changed them without asking their students), just generally being supportive and giving loads of feedback on my written work.

Would it be weird or over familiar to send him a message saying thank you for the above? Does anyone have any ideas for how to word it?

Edit: he is also retiring

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