Antecedents of undergraduate research skills and the mediating role of grit

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study offers a structural model that explores constructs such as mentoring, affinity for technology, need for cognition, and self-efficacy for promoting students’ research skills, emphasizing the mediating role of grit. The proposed model is guided by Bandura’s social learning theory, which helps explain how students acquire research skills through social interaction, observation, and imitation. An empirical self-perception survey of 568 undergraduate students with completed research projects was carried out using partial least squares – structural equation modelling. Four significant findings advance the domain literature. First, the findings reveal that mentoring alone is not associated with research skills but is mediated by grit. Second, students’ affinity for technology is positively associated with research skills but is not mediated by grit. Such a finding agrees with the notion that using digital tools helps students facilitate essential resources to improve their ability to collect, analyze, and communicate research findings. Third, while students’ inclination towards critical thinking and problem-solving are undoubtedly relevant to research, these cognitive aspects alone are not directly linked to research skills without those traits associated with grit, effectively highlighting the significant mediating role of grit. Finally, self-efficacy is significantly associated with developing research skills and is partially mediated by grit, as students may be more confident and motivated to implement research tasks. The presence of grit supports self-efficacy by advancing the resilience of students when faced with challenges. Insights from these findings contain theoretical and practical takeaways that could guide university practitioners in enhancing students’ research skills.