Research and Supervision: Conversations early on about key issues

Abstract

This paper addresses a number of important issues for supervisors and supervisees as they begin the research journey together. Rather than present this material in a standard academic format, the paper takes the form of a series of conversations between a student and a supervisor. They correspond to the kinds of discussions that a post-grad and supervisor might have in the early stages of the research process, perhaps until the researcher is beginning to gather data. The conversations are based upon my experiences. None are actual situations. Perhaps they are conversations I would like to have had. They concern issues that need to be addressed in the early stages of the relationship between supervisors and students and the research they hope to undertake.