The key to a good relationship with your advisor, your department, and Queen's University is to understand what they expect of you and what you can expect of them. Norms for behaviours, attitudes, and roles exist and your goal is to work with your advisor to agree on what they are (or at least understand the constraints under which you will be working). You will also need to explore what a dissertation means to your advisor, your department, your discipline, and to Queen's University. Without a clear-cut sense of the mutual expectations and responsibilities, you may find your dissertation process derailed before it has even begun.

General Information on Understanding Expectations

• Web page from the Re-envisioning the PhD site with links to pages on selecting an advisor, working out expectations
• Brief commentary on advisor's roles from the Chronicle of Higher Education
• A good place to start is the School of Graduate Studies. Here you will find information on writing and research support, funding resources, international student support, dissertation templates, and more.

Step 1: Seek out and establish necessary support.
Step 2: Negotiate with your advisor/department about what they seek/expect from you.
Step 3: Discuss expectations for the dissertation with your advisor/ department.
Step 4: Generate and complete forms and timeline.

 

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