RUNNING HEAD: Annotated Bibliography Annotated Bibliography LaFreda Lockridge Grand Canyon University Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology Program Page 1 RUNNING HEAD: Annotated Bibliography Page 2 Baker, V., & Pifer, M. (2011). The role of relationships in the transition from doctoral student to independent scholar. Studies in Continuing Education, 33(1), 5–17. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/0158037X.2010.515569 This article aims to provide more details about the second stage of the doctoral experience for students. According to Baker & Pifer (2011), there is not much research about this stage, so they attempt to provide greater insight about this stage by conducting interviews with current doctoral students in the two fields of higher education and business. They interviewed students that were in the stage 2 and some that have already finished stage 2. These students were from different ethnicities and about an equal number of female to male ratio. Questions for the interviews were centered around the following six areas: key experiences, challenges, goals for performance and/or advancement, key relationships, types of support present/absent, and personal/professional identity. After carefully compiling information, the interviewers brought information collected together through a strategic process. They found that the students had different experiences. However, the key points concluded were that doctoral students’ relationships with advisors and other strong doctoral students are vital to the success of the student’s transition to this independent stage. These relationships help students form their identities as a student’s and a scholar’s role. There were also a few students who had a negative experience with relationships. However, more research should be completed in order to draw conclusions about the effects of negative relationships on the development of identity for doctoral students moving to stage 2 of the doctoral process. The strength of the article is that interviewers used a set of questions that focused on six themes which provided information needed to make conclusions RUNNING HEAD: Annotated Bibliography Page 3 about a few main topics. As a result, there wasn’t a lot of unnecessary information that needed to be sorted. As a doctoral student, currently in stage 1 of the process, I think this is vital information for me. I will remember that it is important that I build relationships with advisors and other students so that as I enter the second stage of the process, I will have people in my circle to support, motivate and help me along the way. Gardner, S. K. (2009). Conceptualizing success in doctoral education: Perspectives of faculty in seven disciplines. The Review of Higher Education, 32(3), 383-406. doi: 10.1353/rhe.0.0075 Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/docview/220855890/BF07F7F6D7ED4938 PQ/4?accountid=7374 This article reports on a research topic that aims to understand what success looks like for a doctoral student. There was a selection of 38 faculty members in seven different disciplines at the same institution. These faculty members were interviewed with questions about what they have notice as key characteristics of a successful doctoral student and the focus questions referring to how the field and culture impacts how one defines success in doctoral education. It is noted that the experience of doctoral students are different based on the discipline of the students. One of the strengths of this research is the purpose of choosing the seven disciplines. According to Gardner (2009), she chose these disciplines because based on previous research, these were the areas that had the highest and the lowest percentage of completion in the last 20 years. It was concluded that the culture of the discipline area, as well as, the culture had a huge impact on how the faculty members understand success for a doctoral student. As a summary, the range of conceptions of success of a doctoral student among the disciplines were as follows: RUNNING HEAD: Annotated Bibliography Page 4 intelligent, self- directed, self-motivated, takes opportunity to help others, and more. One weakness of the research is that it was done at one institution that is one of the elite United States institutions. Things may be different at other institutions. A strength of this research is that, although it was done at one institution, different disciplines were included, as well as the inclusion disciplines with the highest and lowest completion rates. Of all the information provided, I will remember the importance of being selfmotivated, self-directed, and open to help and receive help from others as the opportunities present themselves. 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. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/15236803.2014.12001807 According to Hatmaker and Smith (2014), researchers have, for a long time, shown interest in how doctoral students are prepared to complete research for their dissertations. The purpose of this study was to provide insight on how to help doctoral students to become effective researchers and scholars, as well as, create their identity in their specific areas of study. Researchers chose 59 students within 2 years, from two separate cohorts. The students chosen where those who had an interest in having an academic career. There were 27 students interviewed in this process, across 25 universities, and 6 different countries. Some students were participating in programs such as public administration, management, political science, etc. The participants were mostly men, with eighteen being women. During the study seven students had just graduated and the other students had reached the stage of completing their proposals and/or dissertations. After RUNNING HEAD: Annotated Bibliography Page 5 interviewing the candidates and going through a process to gather and collect data to analyze, the authors received plenty of information on what is a researcher, their gains from having mentors and building relationships, and their strive to create their professional identities. To sum up what they found, the authors provided a model that illustrates how the different programs that students were in use strategies that allowed advisors and assistantships to help greatly in the student’s journey. Of the information provided, I plan to keep at a forefront, the importance of having relationships with several faculty members and not settle for a relationship with one advisor or one mentor. It is noted that a limitation or weakness of this article is that the students that were used wanted to participate in the study, so more than likely these students, all are high performing and self-directed and motivated. With a study using a mixed group, results may be a little different.
