Your supervisor just got your 2 AM “urgent” email that’s longer than your thesis introduction. Here’s what they’re really thinking but can’t say.
Subject: “We need to talk about your emails”
From: Your Very Patient Supervisor
To: You (Yes, You)
Dear Student,
I’ve been your supervisor for three months now, and we need to discuss some supervisor communication tips. Since professional courtesy prevents me from being completely honest, let me translate what I really mean when I respond to your emails.
When You Email at 2 AM
What you write: “URGENT: Quick question!”
What I think: Your poor planning is not my middle-of-the-night emergency. Also, it’s never actually quick.
What I wish I could reply: “The library has opening hours. So do I.”
When Your “Quick Question” is 500 Words Long
What you write: [Proceeds to tell entire life story before asking if you should use APA or MLA formatting]
What I think: I stopped reading after paragraph two and scrolled down looking for the actual question.
What I wish I could reply: “TL;DR – what do you actually need?”
When You Ask the Same Question Every Week
What you write: “Sorry, but could you explain the methodology section again?”
What I think: Did you think I was making casual conversation last week? Do you take notes, or do you just nod and hope for the best?
What I wish I could reply: “Please buy a notebook. They’re cheaper than therapy.”
What We Really Want You to Know
These supervisor communication tips aren’t complicated, but they’ll transform your academic relationship:
Email Like a Human Being
Good email: “Hi Dr. Smith, I’m choosing between regression analysis and factor analysis for my data. Which works better for a sample of 200? Need to decide by Friday. Thanks!”
Bad email: “Dear Esteemed Professor Dr. Smith, I hope this email finds you in excellent health and high spirits. I was contemplating the methodological approaches available for statistical analysis and wondering if you might have a moment in your undoubtedly busy schedule to consider…”
We get it. You’re being polite. But we also have 47 other emails to answer.
Come to Meetings Prepared
What makes us happy:
- You bring specific questions
- You take notes while we talk
- You actually do what we discussed last time
What makes us question our career choices:
- “So… how’s my thesis going?”
- You ask the same questions we answered last week
- You have seventeen reasons why our suggestions won’t work
Stop Apologizing for Everything
You: “Sorry for bothering you, sorry for the long email, sorry for existing…”
Us: You’re a PhD student, not a criminal. Ask your questions with confidence.
According to research from Times Higher Education, clear communication is the foundation of successful supervision relationships.
The Reality Check
We chose to supervise you because we believe in your research. The frustration comes from communication that wastes both our time.
Master these supervisor communication tips:
- Email us like you email your friends (but professionally)
- Take notes in meetings
- Try our suggestions before explaining why they won’t work
- Plan ahead so everything isn’t “urgent”
Harvard’s mentoring guidelines confirm that students who communicate clearly have more successful academic outcomes.
The result? Better recommendations, more opportunities, and a supervisor who genuinely enjoys working with you.
Think of supervision like any relationship – clear communication makes everything better.
Ready to improve your supervisor communication tips and accelerate your academic progress? Book a consultation with us to learn exactly how to build better relationships with supervisors and transform your research experience.