Running head: ARTICLE ANALYSIS 1 1
Article Analysis 1
Monica Tucker
Liberty University
ARTICLE ANAYLYSIS 2
Article Analysis 1
Purpose
The overall purpose of the study is to examine ways that part-time doctoral students can
cultivate a community within an academic program and how it contributes to persistence toward
degree completion (Zahl, 2015, p. 301) by seeing how they develop relationships with their peers
and mentors in the academic world, if so how does it affect them? According to Zahl (2015),
there is a definite gap in the research that distinguishes part-time doctoral students from full-time
cohorts.
Tinto’s Study
Tinto’s study focused on how the community affected the persistence of a doctoral
student. However, his study did not focus on the development of the community, it only enabled
a focal point of academics and social ability. Tinto also looked at the extent of quality
interactions between peers and program faculty in the model of student persistence (as cited in
Zahl, 2015, p. 302). This particular part of Tinto’s book draws a parallel into the research by
Zahl (2015) on the impact of community for part-time doctoral students. Additionally, Tinto’s
study did not address the part-time doctoral student as a separate population. Those who stayed
lost their ability to persevere to the end of the doctoral journey. Tinto’s model was a one size fits
all which left his model flawed as no student will operate at the same level.
ARTICLE ANAYLYSIS 3
Research Design, Data Analysis, Collection and Procedures
The article by Zahl (2015) uses a case study design with ten, part-time doctoral students
participating at an urban research institution. Students were chosen from the departments of
nursing and education. Zahl (2015) proposed three levels of data which include the institution,
each of the two chosen departments and each student within each department (p. 304). The study
chose a total of ten part-time students, four were pursuing a nursing doctorate and six were
pursuing an education doctorate. They all attended the same university, one which considered
any student enrolled in less than eight credit hours to be part-time. Each of these students were
taking less than eight credit hours per semester. In order to be considered for the study they had
to be near their qualifying examination with no more than two courses remaining. They were
selected anonymously by the department chairs, unless they contacted the researcher. This data
was a collective on a sixty to ninety-minute semi structured interview. There were three levels of
data “the institution is the bounded system; each department is an embedded case; and each
student is an embedded case within each department” (Zahl, 2015, p. 304). Acknowledgement of
how difficult it was to maintain steady relationships with faculty because of less time spent on
campus or distance education. Some students even noticed that faculty seemed more engaged
with full-time students and even though participants made significant efforts to connect with
faculty, they still felt somewhat removed from them (Zahl, 2015, p. 311).
Major Empirical Findings
From the data there were finding of three themes. 1) “the ways that part-time doctoral
students define a sense of community within academic departments, (2) the impact of
relationships with peers, and (3) the impact of relationships with faculty” (Zahl, 2015, p. 305).
The ten students had stated they in fact had formed relationships with their faculty and peers.
ARTICLE ANAYLYSIS 4
Some through connection and others stated they were supported in nature. In other words, the
students felt like they were a part and belonged. However, there was some push back, they felt
that full time students were able to develop better relationships than part time students. Simply
because of the availability the faculty were to the part time students. The second push back was
the available research and this finding was noted.
Implications of Theoretical Findings
Theoretical Implications of this study proves that if an academic community is present
than majority of the scholars will continue to persist and not fail to complete their doctoral
studies; however, without it they will fail.
Implications of Practical Findings
The practical findings indicate a strong need for community support through peer
collaboration and faculty engagement. Rockinson-Szapkiw (2014) state, “supports such as peer
collaboration may help to alleviate the stressors of challenges and maintain a level of motivation
toward accomplishing academic goals” (p. 37). Zahl (2015) also suggested a strong connection
of socialization to include interactive stages of “anticipation, formal, informal and personal”
integration where emotional, social and academic support is fostered throughout the program of
study (p. 303).
Implications of Empirical findings
The empirical findings are students exposed that part-time scholars found it hard to create
long lasting relationships that were based off of academics with peers and faculty. Because of
this student were uncertain and felt the lack of support made them inadequate because it brought
stress upon them.
ARTICLE ANAYLYSIS 5
Personal Reflection
As I reflect on my life and dwell on the fact that both my bachelors and master’s degree
has been via distance learning/online I found the study interesting. I know the importance of
building relationships with my peers as well as staff as they are able to give support and advice
along the way. I can recall having to take intensives in my master’s program and they were life
changing. Being able to interact with people in the classroom was very encouraging and allowed
me to press on even more. Based off the study I am not urged to make any changes because of
the findings, as I feel that being able to communicate through discussion boards can suffice for
now. Although I do wish that I am able to have that face to face, faculty to staff relationship
sometimes as I know the importance of being able to put a face with a name. I have heard several
people talk about the bond they have created with their peers in a local doctoral program and
sometimes I wish I was able to dive into that; however, I know that my life will not allow me to
sit in a classroom at this time.
ARTICLE ANAYLYSIS 6
References
Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J. (2014). Navigating the Doctoral Journey. Lanham: Rowman &
Littlefield.
Zahl, S. B. (2015). The impact of community for part-time doctoral students: How relationships
in the academic department affect student persistence. International Journal of Doctoral
Studies, 55, 301-321. Retrieved from http://ijds.org/Volume10/IJDSv10p301-
321Zahl0672.pd
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