You and your supervisor(s) will have expectations about your doctoral studies. Every project is different so expectations will vary a lot. While it can feel like a bit of a strange conversation to have with your supervisor, research has highlighted the importance of explicitly communicating responsibilities, expectations, and roles in relation to your doctorate.

resource is journal article

Refer to this journal article to read more about this.

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Checking in with your supervisor about what you expect to deliver to them and what you expect from them can help to realign your goals and keep communication open. Here are some supervisors talking about what they expect from students.

Christiane, a former PhD student and advocate for mental health and wellbeing, offers some strategies for managing the student-supervisor relationship.

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Here a recently finished doctoral student offers advice on her experiences of managing the process.

Sometimes doctoral students can feel obligated to help their supervisor or other members of staff at the expense of their own research and wellbeing. You can say no to extra work!

Nick Rowe, a lecturer who completed his PhD in Finland, discusses his journey and setting realistic expectations.