Research Supervision
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The 'ideal' supervisor

Overview and research

The single most significant characteristic of the ideal supervisor is that they recognise each supervisory relationship is unique and requires particular skills and approaches. More information is also available about the four main supervisory styles.

What is particularly interesting about the studies that have been done on the 'ideal' supervisor is that the findings all suggest that it is the affective dimensions that candidates value the most highly, e.g. support, availability, interest and enthusiasm. Issues of technical 'know-how' are usually rated somewhat lower down the list of desirable characteristics.

Adrian Lee, Carina Dennis, and Philip Campbell, (2007) analysed the 350 applications from science mentors and mentees for the Mentors' Award of the journal Nature, and found that the following are what applicants suggested differentiated a mentor from a standard supervisor.

  1. Mentor for life: career development and long-term interest
  2. Enthusiasm: for science, for the student's project and the student
  3. Sensitivity: to personal and professional needs and circumstances
  4. Appreciating individual differences
  5. Respect
  6. Unselfishness: "lack of intellectual jealousy"
  7. Supports others: outside their own sphere of responsibility
  8. Teaching and communication skills

The above text was based on the following research:

Janssen, A. (2005). Postgraduate research supervision: Otago students' perspectives on-quality supervision-problems encountered in supervision. Dunedin: University of Otago.

Lee, A., Dennis, C., & Campbell, P. (2007). Nature's guide for mentors. Nature, 444, 791-797.

Ideas and tools

The attached self-assessment tool has been developed from two studies on the 'ideal' supervisor. One was undertaken by Anna Janssen (2005) of the University of Otago, where she undertook in-depth interviews with 40 candidates across a range of disciplines. The second, by Adrian Lee, Carina Dennis, and Philip Campbell, (2007) is based on the analysis of 350 applications from science mentors and mentees for the journal Nature Mentors' Award.

ANU information

The ANU has the annual Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and Supervision. Each award recipient receives a monetary prize of $4000. The Awards are presented by the Vice-Chancellor at the ANU graduation ceremony. Details of the awards and previous recipients can be found on the ANU Teaching and Learning web site.

 

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