Supervision and Research
Supervision
The primary focus of graduate education at the Centre is the one-to-one relationship between you and your supervisor.
Supervisors are normally allocated when students arrive in Oxford. In some cases, circumstances may require a change of supervisor during the course of study. Occasionally, students at the Centre are assigned more than one supervisor to support their research.
You can expect to meet with your supervisor regularly to discuss your research, receive focused and constructive feedback, and plan the next stages of your work.
Director of Graduate Studies
The Centre's Director of Graduate Studies oversees the graduate research training programme.
The Director is also available to provide general advice and support to research students and should be your first point of contact if you wish to discuss any aspect of your supervision or research programme.
College Advisors
Your College Advisor is another important source of academic and pastoral support.
They can offer guidance on your academic progress and provide advice if you encounter issues that cannot be resolved within the Centre.
Thesis Formatting
Your supervisor will advise you on the work you should prepare for discussion during supervision meetings.
In general, all written work should be presented in a well-formatted, carefully edited form, free from spelling, grammatical, and other errors.
Your thesis may be formatted using OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities) or another recognised citation style. Many students undertaking socio-legal research find the Harvard (author–date) referencing system or the Chicago Manual of Style more appropriate for their work.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
The University and the Centre are committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic and research integrity.
The University provides comprehensive guidance, policies, and supporting resources on research integrity through its website.
To avoid plagiarism, students should follow good academic practice by using sources responsibly and referencing them accurately. Students are encouraged to consult the University's guidance on plagiarism and complete the University's online plagiarism course.
If you have any questions or concerns about academic integrity, citation, or referencing, your supervisor and the Director of Graduate Studies will be happy to provide advice.
Graduate Supervision Reporting (GSR)
At the end of each term, the University requires a progress report from:
- The student
- The supervisor
- The College Advisor
The Graduate Supervision Reporting (GSR) system provides an opportunity to review your progress, reflect on your achievements, and identify any areas where additional support may be helpful.
Further information is available through the University's Student Self Service pages.
Vacations
Research continues throughout the year, and the distinction between term time and vacation is often less defined for research students.
Most teaching and seminars take place during term, and supervisors are generally available to meet with students regularly.
During University vacations, supervisors may occasionally be unavailable while undertaking their own research or taking annual leave. However, supervision does not stop, and supervisors will ensure that appropriate guidance and support continue throughout the vacation period.