DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

January 20, 2020.

Pifer, M. J., & Baker, V. L. (2016). Stage-based challenges and strategies for support in doctoral education: A practical guide for students, faculty members, and program administrators. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 11(1), 15-34.

The current article, which appears in, International Journal of Doctoral Studies, is authored by experienced doctoral authors, Meghan J. Pifer and Vicki L. Baker. The authors synthesize a research concerning doctoral studies by systematically considering how the research on doctoral studies can best inform the scholars and their supporters in the doctoral journey. (Pifer and Baker, 2016)

In their findings, these authors bring out three primary phases of doctoral education: Knowledge consumption (first-years joining school and cultivating their identities as doctoral learners); knowledge creation (the candidacy exams, coursework completion and development of the proposal, defense and dissertation); and knowledge enactment (learners endorse the sociocultural and technical knowledge they gained to engross scholar roles).

These authors assert that program effectiveness and success of the student in the doctoral journey would be promoted and elevated through effective communication of policies and guidelines, acceptance and support of culture, resource investment, and regular and frequent feedbacks by faculty administrators and members concluded by reminding those in the doctoral process on the importance of comprehending the three stages and therefore creating awareness of the potential challenges through their transition in the doctoral journey. (Pifer and Baker, 2016)

They encourage proactive responses to the challenges. However, this stage model research and experiences are analyzed from the authors’ own perspective and therefore influenced by their academic biases. (Pifer and Baker, 2016)

Smith, A. E., & Hatmaker, D. M. (2014). Knowing, doing, and becoming: professional identity construction among public affairs doctoral students. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 20(4), 545-564.

This article, found in the Journal of Public Affairs Education, has been authored by Amy E. Smith and Deneen M. Hatmaker, who are prominent leaders in public universities. They examine the process of training and preparing doctoral scholars to become researchers in public domains. The article highlights the construction processes of professional identity and socialization as the primary elements in this public domain doctoral process. It asserts that professional socialization enhances the development of knowledge and the skills which brace the doctoral students for a better understanding of the expectations, behavior, and cultural norms. As a result, the students become fit for carrying out research.

Professional identity brought out as the motives, beliefs, experiences, values, and attributes in which scholars in a particular profession are identified (Smith & Hatmaker, 2014), is also brought out as an essential aspect for understanding a doctoral student’s own identity when becoming a researcher. The authors primarily contend that learners ought to institutionalize personal attributes like proactiveness alongside socialization tactics, serendipity, and mentoring for them to develop a professional identity. The article finalizes by proposing the employment of incentives as motivators for attending seminars and development programs related to professional development. Nevertheless, the authors use a holistic approach which has made them remain relevant to the subject and suggest strategies suitable for doctoral scholars wishing to transit to researchers.

This article, which appears in the journal of the Studies in Higher Education, is authored by two doctoral students who are part-timers, Phil Teeuwsen and Snežana Ratkovic, alongside their supervisor Susan A. Tilley. The authors bring out that a critical aspect of the doctoral education journey is identifying with the academic community, which is a challenge that part-time doctoral scholars face. The authors use a sociocultural perspective to explore the experiences of shifting from part-time to fuller involvement and identification with the academic community by the theory of legitimate peripheral participation (LPP).

The three authors are the participants in this study, serving as an opportunity for evaluating their involvement in authentic research practices as doctoral scholars who have completed the requirements of their coursework and readied themselves for an academic career. They deduce that the aspect of sociocultural informs legitimate peripheral participation, which serves as the grounds for planning and designing graduate education for part-time doctoral students who wish to engage in permanent academic residence. However, the article brings out that conducting research is hard and calls for more time and commitment for both supervisors and students.

References

Pifer, M. J., & Baker, V. L. (2016). Stage-based challenges and strategies for support in doctoral education: A practical guide for students, faculty members, and program administrators. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 11(1), 15-34.

Smith, A. E., & Hatmaker, D. M. (2014). Knowing, doing, and becoming: professional identity construction among public affairs doctoral students. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 20(4), 545-564.

Teeuwsen, P., Ratković, S., & Tilley, S. A. (2014). Becoming academics: Experiencing legitimate peripheral participation in part-time doctoral studies. Studies in Higher Education, 39(4), 680-694.