PGR Guide: Annual Progress Report
Introduction
This guide was written for PGR students and covers the topic of Annual Progress Reports. The sections in this guide are:
- About annual progress reviews.
- What is needed?
- Creating a new annual progress report.
- Question guidance.
- Viewing reports.
- Help and assistance.
About annual progress reviews
Each PGR student is to be reviewed at least once per year, in accordance with the Progress Review Policy. The forms are completed in MMS (https://mms.st-andrews.ac.uk/mms/)
There three key forms in the review process;
- a self-assessment from the Student
- a report from the Supervisor
- a report compiled by the Review Team
The student and supervisor reports will be read by the Review Team and will inform the Reviewers’ report. The Reviewer report will make a recommendation based on the progress of the research degree, which will be one of four categories of possible outcomes: green, yellow, amber or red. Depending on the outcome subsequent reviews may be held at different frequencies.
The Student self-assessment is a crucial part of your annual progress review and must be submitted alongside any other material requested by your School (e.g. draft introduction, or sample chapter). It will be used by your reviewers to inform your progress review interview, and will be seen by your supervisor.
What is needed?
To complete the form, you will need:
- A brief description of your project,
- How often you have met with your supervisor and what form this takes,
- Status of any needed ethical or risk assessments,
- Information on academic work not related to your research,
- A detailed completion plan,
- Details of any issues associated with your project,
- Details of any additional support you think would help your project,
- Progress to date.
- Your data management plan (first year only)
Creating a new annual progress report
To create a new annual progress report:
- Access MySaint: https://mysaint.st-andrews.ac.uk/
- Select the Sign in link in the top right of the MySaint home page.
- Sign in using your university username and password.
- Select My courses from the navigation panel on the left of MySaint (Select the three lined hamburger icon in top left to open the navigation if it is closed). If the My courses link is not appearing, select the Student link at the top of the navigation
panel to open the student options. - Locate the RESEARCH module (or MS(ct)(Res) module).
- Select the Postgraduate Administration link.
- Select the Annual Progress Reports tab.
- Locate the Your self-assessment forms section
- Select the Create new link.
- Complete the required fields.
- Select the Save button to save the form at any time.
- Once complete select the Submit Review button to submit the review.
Question guidance
This section will give guidance on how to answer each question. Both standard Research students and MS(ct)(Res) students can create progress review forms, however the forms have a slightly different question set.
First year section
The first year section will only be shown to students in their first year of their research degree.
Have you completed a data management plan?
A data management is created at the start of your research. It is very specific to your own research and relates to your intentions for the data you plan to create or reuse. More information can be found here: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/research/support/open-research/research-data-management/requirements-for-postgraduate-students/data-management-plans/.
To complete the question select the check box corresponding to either Yes or No. If you have selected Yes, you can upload your plan by selecting the Browse button and choosing your file. If you have not completed a data management plan you can explain why it is not needed in the text box provided.
Was the data management plan discussed with your supervisor?
Not all projects need a data management plan, so it may or may not be discussed.
To complete the question select the checkbox corresponding to either Yes or No.
Main questions
1. Working thesis title
To complete the question select the text box and enter your current working thesis title.
2. Please give a brief description of your project.
To complete the question select the text box and enter a brief description of your project.
3. How often are you in contact with your supervisor? What forms does this contact take? Do the supervisory arrangements seem satisfactory to you?
To complete the question select the text box and describe your contact with your supervisor. Please include how often you met with your supervisor, what from that took e.g. in person, Teams meetings. Please also comment on how satisfactory you found your supervision.
4. Have you discussed any ethical or risk assessment issues related to your project with your supervisor, and taken appropriate steps where necessary (e.g. submitting UTREC forms)?
To complete the question select the text box and describe any discussions regarding any ethical or risk assessment issues, and if any steps were taken.
5. In addition to your research, what other academic work have you been involved in over the past year (e.g. teaching, research seminars, conference attendance, publications, grant proposals)?
To complete the question select the text box and describe any other academic work you have been involved in, in addition to your research.
6. What is your current state of completion? Please Indicate how much of the thesis you have already completed and submitted to your supervisor(s), and provide a detailed completion plan. Your completion plan should clearly evidence your plans for timely submission of your thesis, specifying interim deadlines by which you intend to complete particular aspects of your project.
To complete the question select the text box and describe your current state of completion.
7. Please indicate any problems which have arisen in connection with your project. Have you discussed them with your supervisory team?
To complete the question select the text box and indicate if you have had any problems. This is an essential question so if you have not experienced any issues, please indicate this.
8. Is there any support (academic or pastoral) currently not provided that you think would help you to complete your project in a timely manner?
To complete the question select the text box and describe any support you feel will be benificial for you moving forward with your project. If you do not anticipate needing additional support please enter ‘No’.
9. Do you think you progress to date is satisfactory, and that you are on track to complete your thesis within the expected timeframe? Please be candid. If you wish you may choose to reflect upon and assess yourself against the 4-tier assessment criteria that will be used by your reviewers.
To complete the question, select the text box and comment on your progress to date.
1. What is the working title of your thesis?
To complete the question select the text box and enter your current working thesis title.
2. Please provide a brief description of your thesis?
To complete the question select the text box and enter a brief description of your project.
3. How often are you in contact with your supervisor?
To complete the question select the appropriate option from the drop down list. The options are:
- More than once a week: On average you are meeting with your supervisor more than once every 7 days.
- At least fortnightly: On average you are meeting with your supervisor more than once every 14 days.
- At least monthly: On average you are meeting with your supervisor at least once every calender month.
- At least every other month: On average you are meeting with your supervisor at least once every two calender months.
- Quarterly: On average you are meeting with your supervisor once every three months, or 4 times a year.
- Infrequently: You are meeting with your supervisor less then 3 times a year.
4. What form does this contact take?
To complete the question select the text box and enter describe what usually takes place during meetings with your supervisor and if you are expected to complete any tasks beforehand.
5. Do the supervisory arrangements seem satisfactory to you? Have you received timely and helpful feedback?
To complete the question, select the text box and describe how satisfactory you find the current supervisory arrangements.
6. Have you discussed any ethical or risk assessment issues related to your project with your supervisor, and taken appropriate steps where necessary (e.g. submitting UTREC forms)?
To complete the question select the text box and describe any discussions regarding any ethical or risk assessment issues, and if any steps were taken.
7. How would you describe the progress you have made so far? Please indicate how much of the thesis you have already drafted and submitted to your supervisor(s), and provide a detailed completion plan.
To complete the question, select the text box and describe the process you have made so far in your thesis. Please include:
- How much of the thesis has been drafted or is completed – this could be done by listing the chapter titles along with the state of each chapter (done, submitted, fully drafted, partially drafted, etc).
- A detailed completion plan – for example in which order you hope to complete each chapter and by when.
8. Please indicate any problems which have arisen in connection with your project. Have you discussed them with your supervisory team?
To complete the question, select the text box and describe any problems which have arisen with your project, if you raised them with the supervisory team, and any resolution methods that were put into place.
9. Is there any support (academic or pastoral) currently not provided that you think would help you to complete your project in a timely manner?
To complete the question select the text box and describe any support you feel will be benificial for you moving forward with your project. If you do not anticipate needing additional support please enter ‘No’.
10. What are your current career plans after you complete this degree? What advice or support have you already sought regarding these and is there further advice or support that you feel might be useful?
To complete the question select the text box and describe your current career plans after your degree.
11. Do you think your progress to date is satisfactory, and that you are on track to complete your thesis within the expected timeframe? Please be candid
To complete the question, select the text box and comment on your progress to date.
Viewing reports
To view your own self assessments, as well as Supervisor and Reviewer’s reports you can:
- Access MySaint: https://mysaint.st-andrews.ac.uk/
- Select the Sign in link in the top right of the MySaint home page.
- Sign in using your university username and password.
- Select My courses from the navigation panel on the left of MySaint (Select the three lined hamburger icon in top left to open the navigation if it is closed). If the My courses link is not appearing, select the Student link at the top of the navigation
panel to open the student options. - Locate the RESEARCH module (or MS(ct)(Res) module).
- Select the Postgraduate Administration link.
- Select the Annual Progress Reports tab.
- Select the date to view the report.
You can view Supervisors reports after they have been submitted, and Reviewers reports after they have been approved by the DoPGR.
Help and assistance
If you wish to raise concerns that you do not feel comfortable with your supervisor seeing, you should share them with the Director of Postgraduate Studies (DoPG) in the first instance. You should also, however, feel free to approach the Registry Student Support Officer or the Associate Provosts.
For technical issues please see our Student FAQ pages or contact [email protected].