how to write first email to dissertation supervisor

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Sample emails to your dissertation supervisor

Published on October 13, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on March 24, 2017.

Table of contents

Making an appointment, asking questions, confirming agreements.

Dear Dr. Janssen,

The college has informed me that you will be my supervisor. I would therefore like to make an initial appointment to discuss my dissertation idea with you.

I look forward to hearing from you as to when you would be available to meet with me.

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Dear Prof. Smith,

I have encountered several difficulties while working on my dissertation. Could you please answer the following questions?

• I have found only limited literature on the concept of “social enforcement.” Are you familiar with any authors who have written on this topic?
• Measuring “social enforcement” in the literature has proven virtually impossible. At this point I would like to use “social control” as a starting point for the concept. What are your thoughts on this?

I would like to make an appointment to discuss these questions with you. When would be convenient for you?

I am writing in follow-up to our meeting on Monday. Could you please check the notes I have prepared concerning what we agreed and confirm that they are accurate?

Thanks in advance for your response.

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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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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

Getting to know each other during the first meeting, getting to know the work environment during the first meeting, establishing a meeting and communication schedule, discussing your research idea with your dissertation supervisor, discussing expectations with your dissertation supervisor.

Writing a dissertation is an exciting but also intimidating part of being a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD student. A dissertation is often the culmination of several years of higher education, and the last step before graduating.

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).

Good communication with a dissertation supervisor is key to advancing your research, discussing roadblocks, and incorporating feedback and advice.

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).

Therefore, getting acquainted with each other to set a foundation for the upcoming collaboration is often what first meetings with dissertation supervisors are (and should be) about.

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.

This conversation tends to look different based on whether you already know your dissertation supervisor, or whether you have never met them before. It could also be that you had a talk with your dissertation supervisor during a formal interview stage, but never talked informally.

Common questions to expect are:

• How are you doing?
• Did you find adequate housing, and did the (international) move go well?
• Did you bring a partner, spouse or family to a new country or city?
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Where and what did you study before?
• How did you experience your degree programme so far?
• What courses did you enjoy?
• How did you come up with your dissertation topic?
• What are your ambitions for this thesis?
• What are your expectations and goals for both the thesis process?
• What do you want to do after graduating?

You may also like: Getting the most out of thesis supervision meetings

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

It is not uncommon for the dissertation supervisor to walk around with the new student and introduce him or her to colleagues and supporting staff.

Getting to know your (new) work environment is less common for students who write a dissertation to complete their master’s degrees. Though in some cases, they conduct their master thesis research as part of a lab or existing research project, and will be introduced there as well.

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.

During the first meeting, it is very useful for both the student and the dissertation supervisor to discuss their collaboration for the coming months.

This particularly includes agreements on meetings and the frequency of communication. Even if your dissertation supervisor does not raise these issues during the first meeting, it can be helpful to raise them yourself.

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.

It can also be very valuable to talk about the frequency of communication. Does your dissertation supervisor appreciate a weekly summary of your progress? Or are you only supposed to reach out when you hit a roadblock?

Furthermore, what are the best ways to communicate? For instance, does your supervisor prefers emails? If so, check out some sample emails to a thesis supervisor ! Or does your supervisor prefer you to collect all your questions until the next supervision meeting, putting them on the meeting agenda?

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.

But don’t worry! Supervisors tend to be aware that you are just at the beginning of the dissertation process. Usually, they don’t expect you to provide a fully-fledged research proposal or a formal presentation.

However, be prepared to share your initial thoughts and ideas. Additionally, be prepared to explain why you are interested in the topic and how you roughly anticipate conducting your research and writing your dissertation.

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.

It is normal to feel slightly lost during the first weeks of working on your dissertation.

However, to keep this feeling to a minimum, it can be extremely helpful to create concrete steps and plans with your dissertation supervisor for the first weeks.

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.

Thus, make sure to discuss expectations for the upcoming weeks during the first meeting with your dissertation supervisor. It will prevent you from overthinking what you should do.

Elsewhere, I have written a guide for first-year PhD students with some directions and advice . As a PhD student, you can use this guide as an inspiration and starting point to discuss your own supervisor’s expectations.

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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• 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 Write an Email to Your Dissertation Advisor

Communicating effectively with your dissertation advisor is a crucial part of successfully completing your graduate program. In this article, we provide a comprehensive guide on what to do before writing the email, what to include, along with a customizable template to assist you in drafting a professional and respectful email to your dissertation advisor.

To effectively write an email to your dissertation advisor, identify your requirements, prepare a specific query, gather all necessary information, and construct an email with a respectful salutation, a clear introduction, detailed body, specific request, and a polite conclusion.

Table of Contents

What To Do Before Writing the Email

The quality of your communication largely depends on the preparation you do beforehand. Here are some steps you should take before writing your email:

• Identify Your Needs : Understand what you need from your advisor. Are you seeking guidance on a specific chapter? Do you need feedback on your methodology or results? Or perhaps you need clarification on some comments they made. Identifying your needs will help you articulate your request more effectively.
• Prepare Your Query : Once you’ve identified your needs, prepare a specific question or issue to address in your email. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for your advisor to provide helpful feedback.
• Gather Information : Make sure you have all the necessary information at hand when writing your email. This includes any documents, drafts, or data related to your query. If you’re referring to these in your email, consider attaching them for easy reference.

What to Include in the Email

Your email should be well-structured and contain the following elements:

• Salutation : Begin with a respectful greeting. Address your advisor by their professional title and surname unless they’ve indicated otherwise.
• Introduction : Start by briefly introducing the purpose of your email. This helps set the context and prepares the advisor for your request.
• Body : This is where you present your query or issue in detail. Make sure to provide enough context so that your advisor understands your situation. Also, keep your language clear and concise to ensure your message is understood.
• Request : Clearly state what you want from your advisor. Whether it’s feedback on a specific section, answers to questions, or general advice, make sure this is communicated clearly.
• Conclusion : Wrap up by summarizing your points and expressing gratitude for their time. Indicate that you are looking forward to their response.

Email Template

Here’s a customizable email template for you:

Writing an effective email to your dissertation advisor doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By identifying your needs, preparing your query, gathering relevant information, and structuring your email appropriately, you can ensure effective and respectful communication. Remember, your advisor is there to assist you, and clear communication is key to benefitting from their expertise.

The ChallENG Program

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

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.

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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 (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

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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 write an to dissertation supervisor email with an email template

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Sample Emails – How To Write An Email To Your Supervisor

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Emails provide an efficient and convenient way to convey job-related information to your supervisor. For that reason, every employee must learn how to compose a professional email. In this article, we will discuss a few reasons why you might need to reach out to your supervisor and tips and guidelines on how to write an email. We’ll also include a few sample emails to help you get started on your next email.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Sample Emails – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: Sample emails
• 3 Sample emails: Appointment
• 4 Sample emails: Questions
• 5 Sample emails: Agreements

Sample Emails – In a Nutshell

• Always have a clear subject line that summarizes what the email is about.
• Include salutations that address the supervisor by their title.
• Use a professional tone throughout your email.

Definition: Sample emails

Sample emails refer to pre-written templates intended to help others compose their own emails. The drafts are tailored for various purposes, including booking appointments, inquiries, and follow-up emails. Using these sample emails as your starting point for writing an email to your supervisor can save you time and effort. It also ensures you convey the correct information in a way that has structure and clarity.

Sample emails: Appointment

With all the management work to handle, supervisors tend to have busy schedules. For that reason, it is imperative to request a meeting before seeing them.

Booking an appointment shows that you value their time and understand how packed their schedule is. It also ensures you meet them at a time when all their attention is focused on the issues and concerns you are bringing to the table.

Subject: Meeting Request

Dear [Supervisor’s name]

I am writing to request a meeting with you to discuss [the purpose of your meeting]. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you in person, as this is a critical matter.

I understand that your schedule can be quite busy. So, let me know a date and time that works for you. Also, let me know if there is any information you would like me to prepare for the meeting. Thank you for being so considerate, and I look forward to meeting you.

Best regards,

[Your name]

Sample emails: Questions

Although it can be intimidating, writing an email to ask your supervisor questions can be crucial in various situations. For instance, you might have questions regarding your job responsibilities and expectations, upcoming projects or tasks, company procedures, and policies or career development opportunities within the company. Regardless of your reasons, it is essential to write your email professionally and respectfully. Here is how to compose your email:

Subject: Request for Information

Dear [Insert supervisor’s name]

I am writing to request additional information on [insert specific details about what information you need].

In particular, I would like you to clarify a few details on the following questions; [insert the specific questions you want the supervisor to give more information on]. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

[Your Name]

Sample emails: Agreements

A modern workplace involves a lot of terms of work and agreements between supervisors and employees. In most cases, you might need to email your boss to confirm these agreements. For instance, you can email to confirm an agreement on project objectives, changes in responsibilities at work, flexible work arrangements, or wages and compensation. Regardless of the reasons for writing the agreement email, it is essential always to confirm the details and express commitment to the agreement:

Subject: Agreement Confirmation [Insert your topic]

I am writing to confirm our recent agreement regarding [insert the discussion topic]. I understand that [insert key points of the agreement, such as the responsibilities, objectives, etc.] I appreciate your support throughout this process and look forward to proceeding with the agreement.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like me to clarify or formalize this agreement.

When are emails written to supervisors?

There are many instances when you can write an email to your supervisor, including:

• To seek clarification
• To provide updates on projects
• To address an issue

What are sample emails?

Sample emails are pre-written templates you can use to draft your email for various purposes, including job application and communication.

Can I use the sample emails without changing anything?

Yes , you can use sample emails, but only after filling in the details. Editing sample emails can help improve clarity and promote customization. It is wise to use these sample emails as a reference point rather than a ‘skeleton’ for your email.

Why are sample emails important?

Sample emails can:

• Save you a lot of time and effort
• Ensure consistency
• Enhance communication between you and your supervisor

These sample emails make work easier for individuals who aren’t fluent in the language they are writing.

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