A phenomenological inquiry into students’ research practice experiences in Iran’s higher education: special focus on supervisor-student relationships

Abstract

ABSTRACT The increasing demands on faculty members and students to conduct research might result in domination in supervisor-student relations across cultural contexts. This study aimed to explore how students’ research relationships with their supervisors are manifested within TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) postgraduate curriculum in Iran’s higher education. In so doing, 17 MA and PhD students, drawing upon phenomenological research, were recruited to participate in the study. The findings, analyzed through thematic analysis, suggest that university professors, by building low-quality, hierarchical relationships in terms of professional and interpersonal relations concerning research engagement, sustain their power relations which might be construed as accepted norms within Iran’s higher education setting. The study brings ethical behavior into focus to humanize research practice and improve supervision processes/outcomes.