‘You don’t want a smart Alec’: selecting examiners to assess doctoral dissertations

The use of external examiners in the doctoral assessment process is seen as a quality assurance process in most higher education systems. This article suggests that the selection of examiners is a critical aspect of that process. Interview analysis highlights the professional/academic considerations involved in selecting suitable examiners, as well as the somewhat more difficult to determine personality issues. Most of the findings lead to an...