Some questions to ask when choosing an advisor (adapted from a document prepared by the Graduate School, State University of New York at Stony Brook):

Is the advisor an expert in the area of research or scholarship that you intend to pursue? Is his/her critical or theoretical orientation consistent with yours?

How much freedom will you have in your choice of dissertation topic with this advisor?

What is the reputation of the advisor within the discipline?

How responsive is the advisor? How long does it take him/her to return written material with comments?

How accessible is the advisor for discussion?

Is the advisor likely to remain on the faculty for the duration of your degree work?

How many students does he/she advise? If none, why? If a large number, does this affect the attention that he/she pays to individual students?

How much time does he/she spend away from campus? Is he/she available during the summer?

How long do students take to complete their degrees with this advisor?

What proportion of this advisor's students successfully complete the program?

What is the placement record of this advisor's students? Where do they get jobs?

Does the advisor publish with his/her students as first author?

How many publications does the typical student accumulate with this advisor?

Do the advisor's students go to disciplinary or professional conferences?

Do the advisor's students make presentations of their own work at conferences? Do they make presentations of joint work with the advisor?

How much interaction is there with other advisees of this faculty member? Does he/she direct a research group or rather a series of individuals?

How much of the research is collaborative with the advisor and/or other advisees?

How much involvement is expected in "group" research projects that are not appropriate for inclusion in your dissertation? How much of this contributes to your professional development and marketability?

How is credit for collaborative work assigned?

Is the advisor engaged in patentable or saleable work? If so, how does he/she assign credit to the student? Does this work get published promptly?

Is the advisor's work funded? What are the guarantees of funding for the advisor's students? Do the advisor's students get summer support?

Does the advisor assist his/her students in obtaining their own funding from outside sources such as fellowship programs?

Does the advisor have good relations with other faculty in the program?

Does the advisor have a reputation for ethical behavior?

Are the advisor's work habits compatible with your own?