Strategies for effective graduate student supervision

You and each of your supervisees are in a professional, often near-peer relationship. The characteristics of this relationship affect your job satisfaction and the educational experiences of your supervisees. The qualities, styles, and interactions can be diverse, but evidence and experience support some practices more than others.

Dr. Nathan C. Hall, Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies provides a brief overview of research and strategies concerning effective graduate student mentorship for early career researchers.

Highlights of this section

Sections on clarifying expectations and communication can help supervisors prevent problems 

Sections on giving feedback, and tracking student progress share strategies that reduce time to completion.  

If you are a new supervisor, want learn about self-assessment, or other strategies, see the Improving the supervisory practice section.