Negotiating a ‘Scary Gap’: Doctoral Candidates, ‘Writing Up’ Qualitative Data and the Contemporary Supervisory Relationship

Abstract

The complex task of 'writing up' qualitative data provides difficulties and challenges for both doctoral candidates and their supervisors, which can often result in detrimental effects on the supervisory relationship. These effects can be heightened by the pressures currently felt by supervisors, not least to ensure their supervisees submit in a timely fashion. We argue here that these pressures are in part responsible for a shift in supervisory pedagogy from a relational to a processual grounding. This article addresses some of the consequences of these effects via analysis of interviews with doctoral candidates and their supervisors from a series of interdisciplinary research training workshops in the UK designed to provide help for doctoral candidates engaged in writing up qualitative data. In these workshops doctoral candidates came together briefly for a residential workshop along with peers at the same stage of the doctoral cycle who were away from their institutional homes. We discuss the relationship between process and relationality and how a workshop of this kind might impact on writing and help with timely submission.

Inside the Minds of Doctoral Students: Investigating Challenges in Theory and Practice

“…These challenges include and are not limited to problematic supervisory relationship (Humphrey & Simpson, 2012;Sharip & Ibrahim, 2014;Tress, Tress, & Fry, 2009), financial hardship (Sharip & Ibrahim, 2014), being in a liminal state (being stuck) (Kiley, 2009), stress and isolation (Jairam & Kahl Jr, 2012), and time demands (Tress et al, 2009). Added to these challenges are problems related to being an international student such as culture shock and language problems (Harman, 2003a;Skotvoll, 2014).…”

Peer-mentors Reflect on the Benefits of Mentoring: An Autoethography

“…This is particularly relevant as high attrition rates within Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) is a major problem in Australia and many other countries including the UK, United States, Western Europe and Canada (Humphrey & Simpson, 2012). Within the Australian higher education sector this is of particular concern as, funding is dependent on "student progress and completion" (Devenish et al, 2009, p. 52).…”

'There is no writing that is writing without teachers'—Teachers' role in the writing process of a seminar paper

“…Given the low rate of submission of theses and dissertations in many universities around the world, policy makers understood that the main focus should be the accompaniment of the process (Grant, 2005) in which students move from relying on the tutor to independence and a sense of ownership of the text (Humphrey & Simpson, 2013).…”

“…Several studies have already pointed out the low level of academic writing in higher education and in teacher education in particular (Ezer & Margolin, 2008;Ezer, Margolin & Sagee, 2010;Yarchi, 2001), and indeed, many students find writing a "threatening" assignment. They often find themselves stuck or feeling alone, leading to a sense of abandonment, or lack of belief in their own abilities (Humphrey & Simpson, 2013).…”