Examples of good practice in supporting planning and organising

Two dyslexic postgraduate researchers experienced difficulties in organisation and utilised different methods to overcome these challenges. One devised a unique method for managing their research which can be adapted or replicated for use with other researchers. At the university they attended the supervisor is including their method within resources distributed to all researchers. The researcher colour coded all their notes, reading, mind map plans and drafts of chapters with particular colours for specific themes. The researcher had a very visual style of learning and colours worked more effectiively than verbal prompts.

The other researcher and their supervisors worked as a team to design a feasible research plan.

Joint approach to planning

‘I could always see my finished thesis...I don't mean contaminating the research in that way but I could see what my thesis was going to look like, what the chapters would be. I had a plan. (My supervisors and I) actually sat down quite early on and decided what the thesis was going to be. Then what we decided to do was to concentrate on my weakest areas, so the chapter on dyslexic theory was left till last. So my first chapter, because I was new to biographical methods, was to write on biographical research methods. My methodology, which is usually your last chapter, came first. That really helped me because that was the practical side done and, when spring came, I knew exactly what I was doing for my fieldwork interviews.

In all the supervision meetings they questioned me on different ideas, what I was strong at, what I was weak at. They didn't make me think you need to know more on this. But they would state, ‘I think you need to do a bit more reading, so why don't we not spend this amount of time on your methodology. What you've got to do is go and read articles, journals - whatever.' They were very understanding about my reading speed as well. They didn't just say go and do this or do that; they always questioned how long it would take.

We planned out how long it would take to do this amount of reading, how long it would take to do this writing, then when could I hand it in and then when we would have the meeting to discuss. They always really work; they have always read everything I've done and given me feedback on what I have done. That really does boost confidence as well.’

Dyslexic postgraduate researcher