Research supervision
Finding a supervisor
It’s obviously important to find the right supervisor before you submit an application for research candidature. They should have credentials and expertise in your discipline, and be qualified to provide supervision at your proposed level of study.
Five easy steps to get started:
- Do some preliminary research to see whether your proposed topic’s already been covered by someone else (if so, you may be able to find a new angle if not a new topic).
- Develop your ideas to the point where you can articulate a primary research question for your thesis – even though this will probably change along the way.
- Consider whether your topic is best suited to a Master’s or PhD thesis or project. Do you think your research will neatly fit a 50,000-word Master’s thesis, for example, or are you almost certain you’ll need to write much more in order to address your main research question? If you’re not sure, don’t worry – this is something you can discuss with prospective supervisors. The important thing is that you have a clear idea of your key idea. Your prior studies/grades will also be a factor here.
- Visit the website of the faculty in which you’d like to study, and identify potential supervisors. Each La Trobe faculty has a webpage devoted to its research profile and activities, where you can see details of staff publications, achievements and research interests.
- Contact the academic/s aligned with your needs to discuss your topic and application.
Preliminary planning will help ensure effective communication. It may also help you gain a place – applications are competitive and it’s important to have a strong rationale for your proposal.
