Discover what is expected at a postgraduate level, explore strategies for success, and find practical tips and support to help you make the most of your learning journey.
Whether you are continuing directly from undergraduate study, returning to education after a break, or joining us as an international student, this module aims to help you develop as a confident researcher and as a postgraduate learner.
Developing as a postgraduate student
Your postgraduate journey starts here
Starting a postgraduate programme is an exciting step, but it can also feel unfamiliar. Whether you are continuing directly from undergraduate study, returning to education after a break, or joining us as an international student, you are bound to have questions and mixed emotions about what lies ahead.
You may feel excited, curious, nervous, confident—or a mixture of all. Many students may wonder whether they will be able to manage the workload, meet academic expectations, or whether they are 'academic enough' to succeed. Although these feelings are common, it is important to remember that you are not expected to have developed all required skills, confidence and aptitudes at the beginning of your postgraduate study. This is part of your development as a postgraduate student.
It's not simply about the quantity
Postgraduate learning is not simply a larger version of undergraduate study. The key difference is not the amount of knowledge you need to study, but how you engage with it. Success is often determined by the quality of your engagement with knowledge rather than the amount of information or the number of books and articles you have read.
As we move from one level to another, the expectations of our role and the nature of learning in each level change as well. The table below illustrates some of the differences as we progress from one level to another:
| Undergraduate | Master's (Level 7) | PhD and Doctorate (Level ) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question asked | What is known? | How good/useful is what is known? | What is not yet known? |
| Critical thinking | Emerging and developing | Advanced and consistent | Independent and original |
| Independence | Guided learning | Significant autonomy | Highly autonomous researcher |
| Research | Use research | Evaluate and conduct own research | Produce original research |
| Knowledge contribution | Demonstrate understanding | Extend understanding | Generate new understanding |
Be clear about your destination
Understanding examiners' expectations
One of the most important steps in becoming a successful PG student is understanding what is expected of you. Think of your readers, in this case your examiners, and their expectations when reading and assessing your work. Take time to explore assessment criteria, grade descriptors which you can find in module handbooks and guidance provided by tutors and supervisors.
The table below provides a summary of the different grade descriptors for levels 7 and 8:
| Level 7 | Level 8 |
|---|---|
| Clear, logical and convincing arguments consistently provided | Ability to conceptualise, design and implement a research project for the generation of new knowledge |
| Depth of knowledge and understanding evidenced by critical awareness of relevant literature at the forefront of the disicipline | Ability to adjust own research design in case of unforeseen circumstances |
| Independent inquiry operating with advanced concepts, methods and techniques to solve problems in unfamiliar contexts | Interpretation and creation of new knowledge and quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline and merit publication |
Understanding and meeting these expectations is a process of learning that takes time and requires you to be active in discussing them with your tutors and supervisors. This process also requires developing a number of academic skills that need to be approached as part of your learning and not extra or meant only for those students who are ‘struggling’.
Remember, you are not alone in this journey as you can work with your Learning Skills Team, who provide sessions and one-to-one tutorials on a number of topics such as:
- Finding and evaluating information
- Essays and dissertations
- Planning
- Academic writing
- Editing and proof reading
- Referencing
Working with supervisors
Your supervisor will play an important role in your postgraduate journey, providing guidance, feedback, and support as you develop your knowledge and skills. However, postgraduate study is about becoming an independent learner and researcher, so understanding what to expect from your supervisor—and what they can expect from you—is key to building a productive working relationship.
Although different supervisors might have different approaches, this relationship needs to be always built on clear communication, mutual respect, preparation and developing understanding of each other’s roles
What to expect from your supervisor:
Your supervisor should help you develop your ideas, focus your research, and understand academic expectations.
Your supervisor should provide constructive feedback on your work to help you develop. Feedback is one of the most valuable parts of postgraduate learning. No matter how challenging it is, feedback aims to develop your work, and not to judge you as a learner. It is important to take this feedback seriously but not personally.
Your supervisor should direct you to relevant resources and services when needed.
Your supervisor should challenge your thinking, encouraging you to evaluate evidence, question assumptions, and develop your own perspective. While this might sometimes be uncomfortable, remember that this is not personal, as the supervisor’s aim is to develop your critical thinking and your independent judgement.
As postgraduate study involves taking increasing responsibility for your own learning and progress, the supervisor's role is to support your learning, but they are not expected to:
- Proofread or edit your work line by line.
- Tell you exactly what to write.
- Be available at all times.
- Manage your workload for you.
- Solve every challenge you encounter.
Alongside your supervisor, you will also work with a Chair of Studies. Although they do not work as closely with you as your supervisor, the Chair of Studies helps support your overall academic development and ensures that required processes are correctly administrated throughout your programme of study. Their responsibilities may include:
- Providing additional advice and guidance when necessary.
- Offering expertise in specific aspects of your research.
- Participating in Review or joint supervisory meetings.
- Reviewing your overall progress and help ensure you are developing successfully.
- Acting as an additional point of contact if you have concerns about your supervision or research journey.
Key points
Take time to discuss with your supervisor key points such as:
- What do I expect from my supervisor?
- What does my supervisor expect from me?
- How best to prepare for meetings?
Who is responsible for what?
| Responsibility | Student | Supervisor |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing for meeting | Yes | |
| Providing feedback | Yes | |
| Meeting agreed deadlines | Yes | |
| Responding to queries in reasonable time | Yes | |
| Acting on feedback | Yes | |
| Providing academic guidance | Yes |
Research data management (RDM)
Watch this video to find out what research data management is:
Why should we manage research data?
Researchers can personally benefit from good practice in research data management. It can:
- Ease navigation through required processes (e.g. reporting)
- Protect your intellectual property
- Help locate and accurately distinguish between files/datasets
- Keep files/datasets secure
- Make it easier to share data with collaborators
- Improve the opportunities to collaborate, be published and cited, and to be given the opportunity to carry out more research.
In addition, many research funders now mandate that research data should be discoverable, accessible and shareable and will have policies on how they expect research data to be managed. These conditions have to be met in order to be eligible for their research funding. Check the relevant funder’s web pages for information.
Open data
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recognises that research data should wherever possible be made openly available for use by others in a manner consistent with relevant legal, ethical, disciplinary and regulatory frameworks and norms, and with due regard to the cost involved.
Making your data open improves its visibility and means that it can be a resource for others to discover, cite and reuse. Sharing research data can add to the impact of your research and help others to build on what you have already achieved. This can be of particular benefit to researchers who don't have access to the same resources as you. Other benefits of open data include:
- Shows academic rigour and integrity
- Research reproducibility and transparency
- Potential for increased collaboration
- Long-term preservation of data when shared in a repository so you don't have to worry about it being lost or destroyed
- Improved credibility of research findings
The FAIR data principles
The ‘FAIR data principles’ were published in Scientific Data in 2016. FAIR stands for: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. Following these principles will help researchers keep their research data as open as possible, as appropriate to the nature of the data and circumstances.
How can we manage research data?
- Make a data management plan
- Follow the FAIR data principles
- Keep your data secure and make sure you have back up files
- Add your data to an open access repository: e.g. Pure (use the item type ‘Dataset’), Figshare or a discipline specific repository such as GenBank (gene data) or Archaeology Data Service.
Open access and repositories
Open Access is the free, immediate, online availability of research articles combined with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment.https://sparcopen.org/open-access/
Background to the open access movement
This video explains the background to the open access movement, why open access is needed and how the movement has developed over time.
Types of open access
There are three main routes to making an article open access: green, gold and hybrid:
The author publishes in a traditional, subscription-based journal but also deposits a copy (usually the final author version - the author’s final manuscript incorporating all changes resulting from peer review) in a repository, such as CCCU Research Portal. The published version of the journal sits behind a subscription paywall, but the “final author version” is available to anyone, subject to any embargo period imposed by the publisher.
The full text of the article is accessible to anyone, without subscription charge, from the journal's website. However, the author needs to pay the publisher an Article Processing Charge (APC) to be able to publish their article open access.
This is a subscription journal that has some open access articles published in it - these are made open access on payment of an APC. The rest of the articles in the journal are behind a paywall, but authors can choose to make these open access via the green route (see above).
You may also hear about diamond or platinum open access. These forms of open access are where the article is published as open access immediately, but without the author having to pay an APC.
How to make your research open access
Add it to CCCU Research Portal (Pure) repository
Adding your research output(s) to a repository is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to make research open access. Repositories don’t just include journal articles, they preserve records of all kinds of research, including texts, music, performances, artefacts, images, sound recordings, blog posts and more. If the output is not a journal article, there is not usually a requirement to enter the full text or the actual file (of e.g. a sound recording) into the repository.
However, research funders are already working towards making it compulsory to make research monographs and other longform research outputs open access. The current plan is that this will be done either through deposit in a repository or on payment of a Book Processing Charge (like the APC for articles). Open access is already compulsory for UKRI-funded monographs.
CCCU's repository provides:
- A secure archive for research outputs
- Improved discoverability and citation.
- Enhanced institutional and individual profile.
- Statistics on download and use of publications.
Publish in an open access journal - see above for routes to open access [insert link to previous section]
If you wish to publish in an open access journal and have to pay an APC, you should have a look at the information on transformative agreements for open access publishing – we may be able to save you money.
Where to publish your research
This infographic gives some examples of things to consider when deciding where to publish your research.
Academic publishing
Before you think about where to publish your research, it’s a good idea to have some understanding of how academic publishing and peer review work. This video explains some basics.
You should also think about open access.
Predatory publishers
Unfortunately, there are 'publishers' who prey on authors and charge large fees for publishing in their journals - journals that may not even really exist, or that do not have the credentials the publisher claims they have. Look at the information below to learn how to spot predatory publishers:
If a call for submission does not come from a trusted source, treat it as spam. Be similarly wary of unsolicited offers to join editorial boards or conferences.
Check for writing and research quality, relevance to discipline and adequate copy editing.
It should contain:
- A clear and appropriate scope
- An editorial board with recognised experts and current contact information for them
- A description of the peer review process
- Transparent information about whether article processing charges (APCs) or other fees are charged
Check that any impact metrics listed by the journal are recognised and reputable.
Still unsure?
- Check with colleagues and peers in your field
- Get help from an Academic Librarian
(Information in the above section adapted from 'How to Assess a Journal' infographic by the Canadian Association of Research Libraries under the CC-BY licence.)
Journal finder tools
Think. Check. Submit. helps researchers identify trusted journals and publishers for their research. Through a range of tools and practical resources, this international, cross-sector initiative aims to educate researchers, promote integrity, and build trust in credible research and publications.
This video can help you to find out more about Think.Check.Submit and how it can help you.
Some journal publishers provide tools to help researchers decide which of their journals they might want to publish in. Here are two examples:
Taylor & Francis Journal Suggester
Another tool you might try is JANE - Journal/Author Name Estimator. This is a tool where you can search for suitable journals by entering your article title or abstract.
Social media for researchers
Why use social media as a researcher?
Generally, people do research because they want to make the world a better place – either through scientific discovery, technological improvements or generation and improvement of people’s knowledge and understanding. The more you can share your research and let people know about it, the more the public can benefit from it – people can see your ideas and develop them and perhaps use them in ways you may not have thought of. Sharing research can lead to collaboration and innovation.
It’s imperative to be up to date with the latest communication technologies and to be able to use them effectively and thoughtfully. Social media tools are (or should be) intuitive and user-friendly, but they require thought and care if they are to be used effectively and without harming people’s wellbeing (including your own). Thinking about and using social media helps us think more generally about the digital world and how what we do online can affect our ‘real-world’ lives.
People often shy away from self-promotion, but it’s becoming more necessary for researchers to be ‘out there’ and communicating with one another and the public. We may not like it, but it doesn’t have to be arduous, as social media tools make it easy to share and disseminate our research. The harder part is to know how and when to share it, and who with. This is why it makes sense to have a dissemination plan. If it makes you feel better, think of it as promoting your research, rather than promoting yourself.
Copyright and intellectual property rights on the internet
Material on the internet is protected by copyright in the same way as books and journals. Check the terms of use on individual websites to see if specific conditions are applied.
It is possible to find free-to-use content online. Some websites make material available for use under a licence, such as Creative Commons. Watch this video to find out more about Creative Commons.
Do not assume that material is free to use if there is no copyright statement.
Disseminating your research
How to create a dissemination plan
It’s useful to have a plan for how you’re going to use social media to promote and disseminate your research. Watch the video below to find out how to create one:
Wellbeing
It’s really important to look after our own and others’ health and wellbeing when using social media. Overuse, or misuse, of social media can affect our lives on- and offline. It is easy for social media to take over people’s lives, but using it sensibly can be beneficial. The key is that you should be in control of your social media, rather than it controlling you.
Introduction to research metrics
Research metrics are ways of measuring the impact of research – how many times it has been read and/or cited by others. There are three types of research metrics:
- Those that measure the impact of the journal the research is published in (e.g. the Journal Impact Factor)
- Those that measure the impact of the individual researcher (citation analysis in various forms)
- Altmetrics, where use of social media and other forms of dissemination are measured to indicate the impact of an article and/or its authors.
Traditional research metrics
The Padlet below shows the many problems with traditional metrics. Read the Padlet to learn about these issues and see why traditional metrics can be biased, unfair and inaccurate.
Altmetrics (Alternative metrics)
Scholarly communication is changing, and we need new and different ways of measuring our communications in order to get the complete picture of the impact of research outputs, many of which are not traditional papers and therefore cannot be measured by traditional metrics.
Using altmetrics means measuring, for example, how many times something has been tweeted, shared on blogs, mentioned on Facebook etc, mentioned in a policy document, and more. This information can then be shared visually using symbols such as the ‘altmetrics donut’ or the PlumX graphic.
Although altmetrics have become more popular over time, they are not without their own problems. Explore this infographic to learn more about the issues with altmetrics.
Responsible metrics
If you’re not sure what you, as a researcher, can do to promote or use responsible metrics, a good place to start is with DORA, The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment. DORA encourages all individuals and organizations who are interested in developing and promoting best practice in the assessment of scholarly research to sign DORA.
The key principles of responsible metrics, as defined by the UK Forum for Responsible Research Metrics, are:
- Robustness: basing metrics on the best possible data in terms of accuracy and scope
- Humility: recognising that quantitative evaluation should support, but not supplant, qualitative, expert assessment
- Transparency: that those being evaluated can test and verify the results
- Diversity: accounting for variation by research field, and using a range of indicators to reflect and support a plurality of research and researcher career paths across the system
- Reflexivity: recognising and anticipating the systemic and potential effects of indicators, and updating them in response.
Key takeaways
Make a plan for your postgraduate study
Now that you've learned about studying at postgraduate level, why not make a plan to help yourself. For example:
- Contact your supervisor to clarify expectations
- Book a tutorial with a Learning Developer for help with writing at Level 7 or 8
- Book a tutorial with an Academic Librarian to find out more about using subject-specific databases
- Create a research data management plan
- Ask the Open Research Librarian about routes to publishing your research
Credit
Written by Rami Younes and Claire Choong
Last updated 2026