Novice Academic Roles: The Value of Collegiate, Attendee-Driven Writing Networks

10.28945/4700 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 149-170
Author(s):  
Sue Wilson ◽  
Jennifer Cutri
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Initial Period ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Research Dissemination ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: This particular study aims to contribute to the recent scholarly inquiry of doctoral student identity work within collegiate, attendee-driven writing networks. The study closely explores the implementation and impact of supportive measures in academia for novice researchers in the form of writing events. This paper draws on two case studies of doctoral students reflecting on the impact of their participation in social, academic literacy networks. The project also explores how these individuals were able to think about and mediate their own identities as they developed their reputations as experts in their field. Background: Completing a doctoral degree is a rich, rewarding endeavour; however, it is also a challenging process. Novice academics are vulnerable to psychosocial and emotional stresses associated with being an academic within the highly competitive environment, such as isolation and burnout. More recently, scholarly interest has emerged regarding the academy’s pressures upon novice researchers, such as those entering full-time academic roles after completing their doctoral studies. Methodology: A qualitative research design was implemented where data collection for this project involved in-depth semi-structured interviewing. The nature of the semi-structured interviews enabled professional dialogue with each participant. The semi-structured nature of the interviews enabled flexibility where follow-up questions and probes allowed for richer data gathering. Data analysis occurred within a sociocultural framework. Contribution: Explicitly focusing on doctoral students, we build upon existing knowledge and understanding of how novice academic writers negotiate, interpret, and understand the impact of their research dissemination and roles. While exploring how these individuals think about and mediate their identities during the initial period of asserting their reputations as experts in the field, this study looks at how collegiate, attendee-driven writing networks can support novice academics to meet the demands for quality research dissemination and strive to meet the metrics expected of them. Findings: This research has found that novice researchers who thrive on social interaction may often find collegiality lacking in their professional lives. Furthermore, those who can find a support network that fosters positive self-belief and provides a means for sharing successes benefit from countless opportunities for empowerment as novice researchers work through their doctorates. Recommendations for Practitioners: This research confirms and provides details around how a collegiate atmosphere for novice academics helps mitigate feelings of isolation, vulnerability, and a lack of self-confidence in their scholastic ability. Overcoming such feelings occurs through learning from peers, overcoming isolation and learning self-managing techniques. Therefore, establishing spaces for collegiate, attendee-driven writing events within doctoral settings is encouraged. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research into the benefits of collegiate, attendee-driven writing events and supporting the process of academic writing and dissemination can focus on transdisciplinary writing groups, as this particular study was centred within a specific faculty. Impact on Society: Within the neoliberal context of higher education, novice academics can benefit from attendee-driven writing events intended to empower them and provide growth opportunities. Through participation in collegiate, attendee driven writing networks, which are social and peer-based, we show that novice academics can learn how to combat unsettling feelings of perfectionism, isolation, fear of inadequacy, and failure. The social element is central to understanding how writers can increase their productivity and dissemination by writing alongside peers. Future Research: Novice researchers also represent early career researchers; thus, exploring collegiate, attendee-driven writing events for practicing academics is also encouraged. As noted above, exploring the potential of transdisciplinary writing networks would also be of value.

Exploring Barriers to Doctoral Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Insights From Practicing Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1552-1563
Author(s):  
Denise A. Tucker ◽  
Mary V. Compton ◽  
Sarah J. Allen ◽  
Robert Mayo ◽  
Celia Hooper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Doctoral Study ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Advance Research ◽  
Doctor Of Philosophy

Purpose The intended purpose of this research note is to share the findings of a needs assessment online survey of speech and hearing professionals practicing in North Carolina to explore their interest in pursuing a research-focused PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) and to document their perceptions of barriers to pursing a PhD in CSD. In view of the well-documented shortage of doctor of philosophy (PhD) faculty to attract, retain, and mentor doctoral students to advance research and to prepare future speech and hearing professionals, CSD faculty must assess the needs, perceptions, and barriers prospective students encounter when considering pursuing a doctoral research degree in CSD. Method The article describes the results of a survey of 242 speech and hearing professionals to investigate their interest in obtaining an academic research-focused PhD in CSD and to solicit their perceived barriers to pursuing a research doctoral degree in CSD. Results Two thirds of the respondents (63.6%) reported that they had considered pursuing a PhD in CSD. Desire for knowledge, desire to teach, and work advancement were the top reasons given for pursuing a PhD in CSD. Eighty-two percent of respondents had no interest in traditional full-time study. Forty-two percent of respondents indicated that they would be interested in part-time and distance doctoral study. The barriers of time, distance, and money emerged as those most frequently identified barriers by respondents. Conclusion The implications inform higher education faculty on how they can best address the needs of an untapped pool of prospective doctoral students in CSD.

scholarly journals Sexual violence during research: How the unpredictability of fieldwork and the right to risk collide with academic bureaucracy and expectations

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa T Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Competitive Disadvantage ◽  
The Right ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Research Endeavour

In a contradictory fashion, researchers, their departments and universities simultaneously recognize the unpredictability of fieldwork experiences and outcomes and help establish a bureaucratic system of planning every component of their research. Ethnographic unpredictability and its consequences are a fact of fieldwork and it is essential that researchers and institutions are prepared to view these as part of interpretable data, to learn from them and not mask them. This article examines ethnographic unpredictability through the lens of sexual violence which I experienced during my doctoral fieldwork in Sierra Leone. I show how I redirected my research and renegotiated my position as an academic. I discuss the culture of risk and analyse the influence of neoliberalism on the university. I describe how ‘market logic’ conceptualizes unpredictability as competitive disadvantage. I show the impact that the imaginary ‘perfect academic’ has on early career researchers and the complicity of mainstream academic (re-)presentation in nourishing the image of the ‘in-control academic’ through muting personal field experiences and vulnerabilities and silencing unpredictable occurrences in academic writing. I conclude with recommendations on how personal situatedness, vulnerabilities, and transformations can be approached as factors in every research endeavour which must not pose threats to an institution’s competitive advantage.

The Answer Is Yes

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Grubb ◽  
Pamela H. Scott ◽  
Donald W. Good
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Dual Enrollment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Student Aid ◽  
Fall Semester ◽  
Northeast Tennessee ◽  
The Impact

Objective: The study assesses the impact of dual enrollment participation on remediation and completion for traditional first time, full-time freshmen at a community college in Northeast Tennessee. Method: This study began with the full population of 1,232 students who enrolled between 2008 and 2012 at a community college in northeast Tennessee the fall semester after finishing high school. The population was required to have American College Testing (ACT) scores, completely fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), enroll full-time as a degree-seeking student, and complete the first fall semester. Propensity score matching was utilized to eliminate self-selection bias and enable parametric comparisons using optimal matching of dual enrollment participants and non-participants while controlling for a range of covariates. Results: The analyses showed that community college students who participated in dual enrollment were (a) 9% or nearly 3.4 times less likely to take remediation, (b) 26% or nearly 2.5 times more likely to graduate in 2 years, and (c) 28% or nearly 1.5 times more likely to graduate in 3 years. Contributions: This study contributes to the literature showing that dual enrollment reduces remediation rates and assists in timely completions for community college students. Policy recommendations are to increase equitable participation, normalize dual enrollment for students academically able to do college coursework, align state terminology with the nation, and improve data for future research.

Revisiting the pathways to retirement: a latent structure model of the dynamics of transition from work to retirement

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1739-1770 ◽  
Author(s):  
FENGYAN TANG ◽  
JEFFREY A. BURR
Keyword(s):  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Latent Structure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Structure Model ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Latent Structure Model

ABSTRACTA dynamic latent structure model of the work–retirement transition process was identified, focusing on transitions of work and retirement status for men and women aged 51–74 years. Using the Health and Retirement Study data (1998–2004), latent transition analysis was used to identify a best fitting model capturing work–retirement statuses in four samples defined by age and sex. The prevalence of each status was described and the dynamic transition probabilities within the latent structure were examined. Using multinomial logistic regression, socio-demographic, health, family and occupational factors were assessed to determine how each was related to the likelihood of occupying a specific latent status at baseline. Results showed that study respondents were classified into distinct groups: full retiree, partial retiree or part-time worker, full-time worker, work-disabled or home-maker. The prevalence of full retiree status increased, while the prevalence for full-time worker status decreased over time for both men and women. Membership rates in the work-disabled and partial retiree status were generally consistent, with decreased probabilities of the work-disabled status in the older age groups and increased probabilities of partial retirees among younger men. Our findings indicated that many older Americans experience multiple transitions on the pathway to retirement. Future research on late-life labour-force transitions should evaluate the impact of the recent Great Recession and examine the role of larger socio-economic contexts.

scholarly journals Not What I Expected: Early Career Prospects of Doctoral Graduates in Academia

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 152-169
Author(s):  
Brittany Etmanski ◽  
David Walters ◽  
David Zarifa
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Field Of Study ◽  
Doctoral Graduates ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
Full Time Employment ◽  
Academic Sector

Various studies acknowledge the uncertainty many doctoral graduates face when beginning their search for full-time employment within the academic sector. Recent graduates face a job market where the likelihood of obtaining full-time permanent positions in academia is perceived to be declining, and the mobility of graduates within the sector is unclear. Drawing on Statistics Canada’s 2013 National Graduates Survey, this paper assesses whether graduates who pursued a doctoral degree to become a full-time professor achieved their goal within three years of graduation. The results suggest that although a large portion of doctoral graduates pursued their degrees to become full-time professors, relatively few reported obtaining such positions within three years of graduation, regardless of field of study.  

scholarly journals Perceptions After Completing the Degree: A Qualitative Case Study of Select Higher Education Doctoral Graduates

10.28945/4572 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 305-327
Author(s):  
Meredith L Conrey ◽  
Gene Roberts, Jr. ◽  
Melissa R Fadler ◽  
Matias M Garza ◽  
Clifford V Johnson, Jr. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Doctoral Degrees ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Professional Goals ◽  
Education Administrators

Aim/Purpose: Limited research exists on the perceived value that a doctoral degree has on higher education administrators’ goals; therefore, this collective case study had two purposes. The first was to assess qualitatively the perceptions of four doctorate-holding higher education administrators to explore the potential value associated with their degrees, and the second was to determine whether they perceived that their degree attainments influenced the achievement of their professional goals, if at all. Background: Understanding goal attainment and the value associated with obtaining a doctoral degree is important to recognize the needs of doctoral students and to inform how to support degree-seeking professionals in achieving their professional goals. Building upon the conceptual model of doctoral value, as defined by Bryan and Guccione (2018), the researchers also utilized Becker’s (1964) human capital theory as the framework for understanding the perceptions of select administrative professionals who have completed their doctoral degrees in higher education. Methodology: Because this was a collective case study, four doctorate-holding higher education administrators were selected, through convenience sampling, to engage in a formal semi-structured face-to-face interview. Interview responses were evaluated using ethnographic analysis (i.e., domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, and componential analysis). Contribution: Findings from this research can be used to better understand the perceptions of graduates who earned a doctoral degree in education, particularly with an increase in the number of doctoral degrees in that field. The results from this study align with findings from previous studies. Findings: The ethnographic analysis of the data indicated that the administrators perceived their doctoral degree as a way to advance professionally (e.g., career opportunities and research publication) and as a way to improve personally (e.g., increased confidence and becoming a role model). Two domains emerged: attainment of goals and perceptions of doctoral degree value. The taxonomic analysis revealed that the attainment of goals included personal and professional goals. Lastly, the componential analysis led to the discovery of nine attributes associated with obtaining a doctoral degree. Recommendations for Practitioners: Administrators in higher education degree programs should understand the needs of their students while they are participating in doctoral studies. By knowing what doctoral students expect to gain after obtaining a doctoral degree, doctoral-program administrators might consider tailoring courses and support programs to meet doctoral student needs. Recommendation for Researchers: Additional longitudinal studies should be undertaken to understand better how doctoral graduates view the value of their degree many years later. Do their perceptions change over time, or are they solidified? Impact on Society: With an increasing number of individuals obtaining doctoral degrees in higher education, departments, colleges, and universities need to understand whether graduates find that their degree has been useful. Because there is a demand for agencies to emphasize skills and work-related training, the perceived value of the degree can inform policymakers on changes in curriculum and programming to increase the perceived value of the doctoral degree. Future Research: Future research should expand upon the number of students who are interviewed, and students in other academic programs may be interviewed to understand similarities and differences. Longitudinal studies should be conducted to understand if the perception of degree value changes over time.

scholarly journals Voices from the field: The impact of COVID-19 on early career scholars and doctoral students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felice Levine ◽  
◽  
Na'ilah Suad Nasir ◽  
Cecilia Rios-Aguilar ◽  
Ryan Gildersleeve ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Students Of Color ◽  
American Educational Research Association ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Research Association ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Organizational Responses ◽  
Research Organizations ◽  
The Impact

This joint report from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the Spencer Foundation explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early career scholars and doctoral students in education research. The report presents findings and recommendations based on a focus group study held in May and June of 2020. The purpose of the study was to listen to and learn from the experiences of education researchers. The study included separate groups of scholars of color, women of color, and doctoral students of color, given that the COVID-19 crisis was highly racialized and having a disproportionate impact on communities of color. The aim of the report is to provide information that higher education institutions, agencies funding research, professional associations, and other research organizations can use to support the next generation of researchers and help buffer or contain adverse impacts to them. The report offers seven recommendations that could help to foster institutional and organizational responses to COVID-19 that are equitable and enriching. It is part of an ongoing initiative by AERA and Spencer to survey and assess the pressing needs of early career scholars and doctoral students at this pernicious time of a national pandemic.

scholarly journals Doctoral Candidates’ Academic Writing Output and Strategies: Navigating the Challenges of Academic Writing During a Global Health Crisis

10.28945/4755 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 291-317
Author(s):  
Basil Cahusac de Caux
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Doctoral Candidates

Aim/Purpose: To date, few studies have investigated the impact of global health crises on the academic writing of doctoral candidates. This paper seeks to start a conversation about the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral candidates’ academic writing output and strategies. Background: This paper employs and analyses data elicited from surveys and interviews involving doctoral candidates from around the world. Data were collected during April 2020, at a time when government-mandated lockdowns and restrictions on movement were in full force in many countries around the world. Methodology: Surveys were conducted with 118 doctoral candidates from over 40 institutions based in four continents. Follow-up interviews were carried out with four doctoral candidates enrolled in an Australian institution. A qualitative descriptive design, employing thematic analysis, is used to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral candidates’ writing output and strategies. The data analysis includes statistical descriptions of the surveys. Contribution: This paper provides insights into the myriad challenges and obstacles facing doctoral candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the writing strategies adopted by doctoral candidates during a period of significant societal disruption, and illustrates how thematic analysis can be employed in research involving global health crises. Findings: Despite the adoption of novel approaches to academic writing, which appear in an insignificant minority of respondents, doctoral candidates’ overall commitment to academic writing has been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Similarly, delays to academic research activities caused by the pandemic have resulted in a significant decline in commitment (motivation) to academic writing and a substantial impact on doctoral candidates’ ability to write about their research. Recommendations for Practitioners: Supervisors and mentors should strive to provide doctoral candidates with timely feedback during the pandemic. Given the impact of the pandemic on doctoral candidates’ mental health and motivation to write, increased institutional and peer support is required to help doctoral candidates overcome academic issues during the pandemic and future health crises. This researcher recommends consulting regularly with and offering individually tailored solutions to doctoral candidates who are struggling to work on their theses during the pandemic. Similarly, institutions should empower supervisors in ways that allow them to provide greater levels of support to doctoral candidates. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research on the impacts of the pandemic on various academic cohorts, such as early career researchers (doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and assistant professors) and student cohorts (e.g., undergraduate and postgraduate), will clarify the extent to which the pandemic is impacting the academic writing of doctoral candidates. Impact on Society: The pressure placed on doctoral candidates to produce quality academic writing seems to have been heightened by the pandemic. This has a range of adverse effects for the higher education sector, particularly administrators responsible for managing doctoral candidate success and the academe, which recruits many of its faculty from holders of doctorate degrees. Future Research: Additional focus on academic writing of doctoral candidates during the pandemic is needed. Research should include randomised samples and represent a range of academic disciplines.

scholarly journals Doctoral Students Living, Leading, and Learning During a Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Debra Bukko ◽  
Jaskaran Dhesi
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
State University ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Uncertain Time ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of COVID-19 on doctoral students’ personal, professional, and academic roles and factors contributing to their persistence during the pandemic.Research Methods: The researchers engaged in qualitative research at a California State University CPED-inspired Ed.D. program, using semi-structured interviews, document analysis and a focus group. Data were analyzed through the CPED mentoring and advising framework, transformative learning theory, and self-authorship theory.Results: Three themes emerged: a convergence of roles within home and virtual spaces, leading in a complex and uncertain time, and caring relationships encourage persistence.Implications: Participants experienced increased self-awareness and development of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal dimensions of self. Relationships between cohort members and with faculty were integral to student persistence during a time of significant change and uncertainty. Recommendations for practice within Ed.D. programs and for future research are offered.

scholarly journals Preparing Doctoral Students for the Professoriate through a Formal Preparatory Course

10.28945/4174 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 033-067
Author(s):  
Mohammed S Alkathiri ◽  
Myrna R Olson
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Student ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Graduate Preparation ◽  
Multiple Data ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to investigate doctoral student preparation for the professoriate through a formal course entitled “The Professoriate.” Background: Many studies addressed the need for improved graduate preparation, however, the study of doctoral student experiences in preparation courses, designed as part of the doctoral academic programs, has received less attention. Methodology: Eleven doctoral students (one withdrew from the study) were enrolled in a formal course that was designed to prepare them for the professoriate. The study was conducted using an ethnographic case study approach with multiple data collection methods that included observation, interviews, member checking, and examination of related documents. Contribution: Acquainted with critical realist ontology, the researchers argued that it was necessary to investigate the concerns and preparation of doctoral students in order to better clarify the complex experiences that underlie their practices of making meaning and maintaining balance and well-being in the professoriate. Findings: Three prominent themes emerged that pointed out the experience of doctoral students with regard to their preparation for the professoriate: (1) Perceived concerns with regard to working in the professoriate; (2) Students’ preparatory practices and preparatory opportunities available to them; and (3) Students’ perspectives about “The Professoriate” course and its value. Recommendations for Practitioners: The findings highlighted that educators in doctoral programs need to address and evaluate students’ concerns and preparatory activities in order to make adjustments for students that enhance their success in the program as well as in the professoriate in future. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings suggest further research into the formal preparatory opportunities available for students within doctoral programs and the barriers affecting students’ ability to participate in informal preparatory activities. Impact on Society: The findings supported the importance of providing formal preparatory courses as part of doctoral programs. Formal courses within doctoral programs allow students to devote their time for preparation which will help them to better understand the professoriate and plan for their careers. Future Research: Future research may continue the study of formal opportunities to prepare for the professoriate that are available for doctoral students from different disciplines, the experiences of doctoral students taking part in such opportunities, and the impact on doctoral student readiness for the professoriate.

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