This workshop builds on the previous workshops in the Research Supervision series. Attendance at the previous workshops is not a strict pre-requisite but is strongly recommended. The specific formal requirements considered here will be those for the PhD degree, however the essential aspects of the workshop will be equally relevant to those supervising professional or practitioner doctoral projects.

This session considers specific issues relating to supervision in the end-stages of research degree programmes, with a particular focus upon delivering successful, on-time completions. The session begins with a look at the formal requirements for completion (thesis submission, examination and revision) before a broader consideration of more general aspects of “doctorateness” and how supervision can contribute to this.

Participants will then explore a range of specific issues relating to end-stage research degree supervision via individual, pair and group exercises and discussion. Issues under consideration include: supporting project planning in the “end-game”, setting and communicating expectations, maintaining focus and providing support, and moving the project and the PGR towards final completion. The need to deliver on-time is a strong feature of the session.

The session will conclude with a brief look at issues relating to the simultaneous management of multiple research degree projects, and introduce issues relating to the broader management of research in general.

Having completed this workshop, participants will:

• have considered issues relating to final thesis completion and submission, and be able to guide their PGRs through these stages
• have identified approaches for delivering completed projects and supervising others in doing so
• have considered issues related to simultaneously managing multiple projects