Experiences Of Doctoral Students Research Articles

Retaining Respect as a Scholar While Pregnant: Experiences of Pregnant Doctoral Students

Using Acker’s theory of gendered organizations, this study explored the experiences of pregnant doctoral students, the organizational processes that influenced their experiences, and the ways students perceived pregnancy impacting career development and trajectory, if at all. Using a mixed methods survey of women who were pregnant during their doctoral program (n = 733), the study found that 52% of participants reported that being pregnant as a doctoral student impacted their academic career. Participants identified the following themes as challenges with being a pregnant doctoral student: negative interpersonal interactions; decreased productivity; organizational policies, procedures, and supports; fewer professional development opportunities; and the emotional impact of being pregnant as a doctoral student. These findings illustrate the ways that organizational processes sustain gender inequities in doctoral programs by decreasing professional development opportunities, negatively impacting mentoring relationships, and causing emotional distress. Policy and practice implications for programs and universities are discussed.

Constructing Academic Identity Through Critical Argumentation: A Narrative Inquiry of Chinese EFL Doctoral Students’ Experiences

This study aimed to explore the experiences of Chinese EFL doctoral students in constructing their academic identities through critical argumentation in their thesis writing in an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) context. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Narrative analysis was used to examine participants’ thesis writing to gain insights into their experiences of academic identity construction. The results revealed that Chinese EFL doctoral students face challenges in developing a critical voice and authorial position, synthesizing multiple sources, and positioning themselves rhetorically in their writing. Furthermore, the results open possibilities for a broader understanding of academic writing that values international graduate student’s educational background and cultural diversity in target English language discourse communities. While the narrative inquiry study on Chinese EFL doctoral students’ academic identity construction through critical argumentation is insightful, there are several limitations to consider, mainly due to the small sample size of only two female Chinese respondents.

Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Learning experiences of an online Sino-Nordic doctoral summer school on aging

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of Higher Education, necessitating a rapid shift from in-person to remote teaching and learning. This study investigates the experiences of doctoral students in an online Sino-Nordic summer school on aging, implemented during the pandemic. A survey was conducted to collect and analyze data on participants’ experiences and perspectives. Findings reveal three thematic areas: doctoral students’ learning needs and preferences, contextual factors affecting their learning experiences, and their adaptations to online summer school. Student participants gained diverse insights and expanded their networks, but also faced challenges such as limited social interaction and scheduling conflicts. While some students embraced the online format, most preferred in-person participation as a supplementary or alternative approach in future summer schools. Recommendations for future improvements are creating an empowering learning environment, improving strategic planning and communication among organizing institutions, involving students and stakeholders in training design and implementation, maximizing the use of online features and tools, and optimizing time management.

“A Constant Juggling Act”—The Daily Life Experiences and Well-Being of Doctoral Students

(1) Background: There are increasing numbers of doctoral students globally. Poor mental health and well-being among university students, including doctoral students, is a growing concern globally, not least in this post-pandemic era. Engaging in a range of activities every day and maintaining balance between necessary and desired activities is believed to improve health and increase well-being. However, little is currently known about the daily life, activity balance and well-being of doctoral students. This study explored and described the daily life experiences of doctoral students and how pursuing their degree impacted their activity balance and well-being. (2) Method: Purposive sampling methods were used in this qualitative interpretive descriptive study to recruit 10 doctoral students in an Irish university. The data were generated through individual semi-structured interviews and thematically analysed. (3) Findings: Doctoral students have a range of roles, responsibilities and activities that they need to and want to engage in daily. For many, balancing their daily activities and roles alongside their doctoral degree is challenging. Undertaking a doctoral degree can have both a positive and negative impact on well-being. (4) Conclusions: Obtaining an insight into the perspectives and daily life experiences of doctoral students allows for a better understanding of the students’ journey. Supporting the well-being of doctoral students is essential to enhance their doctoral education and assist them in successfully completing their degree.

Academic literacy socialization through reading transformations across similar but distinctly different contexts: A longitudinal case study of a Chinese multilingual scholar

In the existing research on academic literacy socialization (ALS), few studies have focused on the cross-contextual experiences of doctoral students in Asian academia, particularly academic communities that may seem similar but actually could be quite different culturally and historically. Addressing the issue how reading trajectory interacts and how the sojourner manages to transform in different academic contexts, this longitudinal case study zoomed in on the experience of Meili, a Chinese multilingual scholar who traveled from Chinese Mainland (CM) to Taiwan to pursue a Ph.D. and then returned to CM trying to establish an academic career. Data were collected over 35 months via multiple sources for triangulation. Analyzing her reading trajectory as interconnected activity systems, Meili transformed her reading practices by (1) reading to pass exams in CM, (2) reading to be socialized into the Taiwanese academic community, (3) reading to situate her doctoral dissertation and academic work, and finally (4) reading to face the challenges of international and domestic scholarly publications. Notably, contextualized reading practice was found critical as the first conscious encounter of a new stage, marking the beginning of a new ALS process. Implications and suggestions are provided.

Schizo-Poetic Inquiry of a First-Year Doctoral Experience

Undertaking a doctoral program is a significant commitment involving sustained effort as an individual engages in academic work and scholarly identity formation. As a graduate student with a psychiatric disability, I face an added layer of challenge: dealing with symptoms as I navigate an academic system that is not designed for bodyminds like mine. This poetry and visual art collection offers a glimpse into my experience as a first-year doctoral student with schizoaffective disorder1 as I navigated Zoom classrooms, considered academic timelines and campus mental health awareness week, and wrestled with symptoms during the summer session. Through a schizo-poetic and visual inquiry informed by disability poetry and schizo-poetics, I present an embodied, multi-sensory exploration to highlight similarities and differences in the experiences of doctoral students with mental illness and their neurotypical peers, as well as to expand the conversation around disability and academia.

Experiences of Black Male Doctoral Students in Psychology: A Focus on Protective Factors

Black male doctoral students in psychology face unique challenges that impact their learning environment and experience, especially with issues like race-related stress. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand their lived experience as well as the specific sociocultural factors that helped to foster their resiliency. It suggests a strengths-focused approach to understanding proactive measures that can positively impact Black male students’ success in doctoral psychology programs and their subsequent positive consequences for the profession. A phenomenological study was conducted, interviewing five Black men in clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs. A thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was utilized to analyze the interview responses. The findings suggest a community of support (family, mentors, peers, faculty, and relationships at professional conferences) helps, to foster awareness (educational, self-awareness, and contextual awareness) which, in turn, leads to the students engaging in meaningful action (representation, giving back, and self-care), returning to serve as members who make up the community of support for others within their community.

Perspectives of Black Students in Music Education Doctoral Programs: Motivations, Experiences, and Information Literacy

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black doctoral students in music education in terms of their motivations to pursue doctoral studies, educational and social experiences while enrolled, and emerging information literacy. Qualitative techniques based on phenomenology were employed to document and better understand the experience of a small, purposive sample of Black doctoral students ( n = 14) enrolled at universities throughout the United States. A variety of techniques ensured trustworthiness, including data triangulation, member checking, and use of an external interviewer. After data analysis, four core essences emerged: (a) Familial support and formative experiences during childhood, (b) Overload of information and frustration in conducting research, (c) Prejudice and lack of Black representation in the academy, and (d) Change-oriented motivations beset by barriers to access. Findings revealed commonalities in participants’ lived experiences that could inform efforts to recruit and retain Black doctoral students, develop curricula that takes into account their experiences and goals, stem systemic racism, and promote equity and inclusion in the academy.

I lost my mentor, now what? The experiences of counseling psychology women doctoral students who lost their mentor: Training and program implications.

I lost my mentor, now what? The experiences of counseling psychology women doctoral students who lost their mentor: Training and program implications.

What goes around comes around: Shedding light on today's doctoral student's research socialization and who will be the future faculty.

Higher education around the globe is striving to develop rigor and productive doctoral studies that mainly evolve in fostering doctoral students' research skills by furnishing the necessary socialization process which predicts their future professional and academic decisions. Although scholars investigated the socialization experiences of doctoral students from different perspectives and stages, a large body of evidence is concentrated in western countries that do not define or imply non-western countries like Pakistan. Therefore, the present qualitative study sought to be an icebreaker and stimulant investigation to unfold doctoral students' socialization experience in research-intensive universities through the lens of Weidman's socialization framework. After interviewing 24 doctoral students, the findings revealed that doctoral students have high expectations from research universities to enhance their research capabilities. Moreover, most students knew the research's significance for personal and professional development. The study concluded the progressive and adverse research socialization experiences of doctoral students.

The doctorate unbound: relationality in doctoral literacy research

AbstractWhat do literacy events look and feel like for doctoral students, and how do these events overlap intertextually, materially and relationally? The last three decades have seen a rapid diversification in doctoral education where new opportunities for study, combined with an increasingly competitive landscape, have disrupted what it means to undertake a doctorate, as well as reshaping the literacy practices that comprise doctoral experiences in new ways that have not been fully explored. To understand literacies in new ways, we put to work the construct of literacy‐as‐event, and engage ideas from assemblage theory, to theorise the relationality of literacy practices. Crucially, our study seeks to examine how literacies are emergent and entangled within a wider network of relations. This article draws on data from interviews involving critical incidents with 12 doctoral students, in order to unpack the literacy moments, beyond the thesis, that comprise students' experiences. Our data suggest that we can understand doctoral literacies, not as bounded occurrences, but as assemblages of practices. We contend that thinking with concepts of assemblage and of event offers new insights into the evolving experiences of doctoral students, as well as offering an enriched understanding of literacies and literacy research.

Student Perceptions of Learning Clinical Masking in Audiology: An Exploratory Survey Study

The audiology literature is rich with work in the area of clinical masking, yet there is a perception that learning how to mask is difficult. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of audiology doctoral students and recent graduates in learning clinical masking. This exploratory study used a cross-sectional survey design, sampling doctor of audiology (AuD) students and recent graduates to probe the perceived effort required and challenges experienced in learning clinical masking. A total of 424 survey responses were included in the analysis. A large majority of respondents rated learning clinical masking as being challenging and effortful. Responses suggested that it took more than 6 months for confidence to develop. Qualitative analysis of the open-ended question uncovered four themes: "negative experience in the classroom"; "lack of consensus or variation in teaching"; "focus on content/rules"; and "positives, internal and external." Survey responses shed light on the perception that clinical masking is difficult to learn and highlight teaching and learning strategies that affect the development of this skill. Students reported a negative experience when significant emphasis was placed on formulas and theories and when encountering multiple masking methods in the clinic. On the other hand, students found clinic, simulations, lab-based classes, and some classroom instruction beneficial to learning. Students reported that their learning process included use of cheat sheets, practicing independently, and conceptualizing the process of masking to support their learning.

“Tone It Down”: The Whitewashing of Black Women Doctoral Students’ Research and Scholarship at Predominately White Institutions—Implications for Social Work Doctoral Education

ABSTRACT While there is growing research on the structural and institutional barriers experienced by Black women faculty at predominantly White institutions (PWIs), little is known about the systemic marginalization faced by Black women doctoral students at these institutions, particularly those in doctoral social work programs. Given the increasing number of Black women doctoral students in social work programs at PWIs, there is a need to understand how social work doctoral education upholds institutional whiteness through attempts to whitewash Black women’s research and scholarship. This article contextualizes the experiences of Black women social work doctoral students using Black feminist thought perspective. The authors provide implications for social work doctoral education to dismantle structures that facilitate whitewashing experiences for Black women doctoral students.

Returning home to conduct research: reflections of research work in Kenya

ABSTRACT African students studying abroad and returning home to conduct research face several challenges. The purpose of this article is to describe the dilemma of a Kenyan student conducting research in Kenya, for her Australian-based doctoral studies in inclusive education. The research explored instructional strategies and Indigenous knowleges used by teachers to support students with disabilities in classrooms. The student had to negotiate positionality as an insider and outsider. This paper contributes to the literature on the experiences of African doctoral students returning home from Western universities to conduct research. It also contributes to knowledge of the positionalities of a researcher and also to the growing literature on methods of conducting research in education. This article also adds to the literature on the use of Indigenous methodologies in research in education. I explain how I transitioned from insider to outsider and vice versa during conversations.

Doctoral advisor selection processes in science, math, and engineering programs in the United States

Although advising relationships are key for doctoral student success, little research has addressed how they form. Understanding the formation of advising relationships can help contextualize their later development and ultimately support a student’s decision to persist in the doctorate. To understand relationship formation, the purpose of this qualitative study is to identify and describe the types of advisor–advisee selection processes that exist in engineering, science, and math doctoral programs and examine patterns across disciplines within those fields. We conducted interviews with doctoral program directors and engaged in document analysis of graduate student handbooks from 55 doctoral programs in the aforementioned fields in high research institutions across the United States. Using principal–agent theory as a theoretical lens, our findings showed that engineering programs tend to decentralize the advisor selection process by funding students across different funding sources upon enrollment. Contrariwise, science and math programs tended to fund all students in a cohort from a common funding source, which allowed students to have more time to gather information, meet, and select an advisor. These findings also show important nuances when comparing graduate education in these programs that directly impact the doctoral student experience and reiterates the necessity to study these fields separately.

A latent class analysis approach to the identification of doctoral students at risk of attrition.

To advance understanding of doctoral student experiences and the high attrition rates among Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) doctoral students, we developed and examined the psychological profiles of different types of doctoral students. We used latent class analysis on self-reported psychological data relevant to psychological threat from 1,081 incoming doctoral students across three universities and found that the best-fitting model delineated four threat classes: Lowest Threat, Nonchalant, Engaged/Worried, and Highest Threat. These classes were associated with characteristics measured at the beginning of students' first semester of graduate school that may influence attrition risk, including differences in academic preparation (e.g., amount of research experience), self-evaluations and perceived fit (e.g., sense of belonging), attitudes towards graduate school and academia (e.g., strength of motivation), and interpersonal relations (e.g., perceived social support). Lowest Threat students tended to report the most positive characteristics and Highest Threat students the most negative characteristics, whereas the results for Nonchalant and Engaged/Worried students were more mixed. Ultimately, we suggest that Engaged/Worried and Highest Threat students are at relatively high risk of attrition. Moreover, the demographic distributions of profiles differed, with members of groups more likely to face social identity threat (e.g., women) being overrepresented in a higher threat profile (i.e., Engaged/Worried students) and underrepresented in lower threat profiles (i.e., Lowest Threat and Nonchalant students). We conclude that doctoral students meaningfully vary in their psychological threat at the beginning of graduate study and suggest that these differences may portend divergent outcomes.

Mitigating Ceiling Effects in a Longitudinal Study of Doctoral Engineering Student Stress and Persistence

Aim/Purpose: The research reported here aims to demonstrate a method by which novel applications of qualitative data in quantitative research can resolve ceiling effect tensions for educational and psychological research. Background: Self-report surveys and scales are essential to graduate education and social science research. Ceiling effects reflect the clustering of responses at the highest response categories resulting in non-linearity, a lack of variability which inhibits and distorts statistical analyses. Ceiling effects in stress reported by students can negatively impact the accuracy and utility of the resulting data. Methodology: A longitudinal sample example from graduate engineering students’ stress, open-ended critical events, and their early departure from doctoral study considerations demonstrate the utility and improved accuracy of adjusted stress measures to include open-ended critical event responses. Descriptive statistics are used to describe the ceiling effects in stress data and adjusted stress data. The longitudinal stress ratings were used to predict departure considerations in multilevel modeling ANCOVA analyses and demonstrate improved model predictiveness. Contribution: Combining qualitative data from open-ended responses with quantitative survey responses provides an opportunity to reduce ceiling effects and improve model performance in predicting graduate student persistence. Here, we present a method for adjusting stress scale responses by incorporating coded critical events based on the Taxonomy of Life Events, the application of this method in the analysis of stress responses in a longitudinal data set, and potential applications. Findings: The resulting process more effectively represents the doctoral student experience within statistical analyses. Stress and major life events significantly impact engineering doctoral students’ departure considerations. Recommendations for Practitioners: Graduate educators should be aware of students’ life events and assist students in managing graduate school expectations while maintaining progress toward their degree. Recommendation for Researchers: Integrating coded open-ended qualitative data into statistical models can increase the accuracy and representation of the lived student experience. The new approach improves the accuracy and presentation of students’ lived experiences by incorporating qualitative data into longitudinal analyses. The improvement assists researchers in correcting data with ceiling effects for use in longitudinal analyses. Impact on Society: The method described here provides a framework to systematically include open-ended qualitative data in which ceiling effects are present. Future Research: Future research should validate the coding process in similar samples and in samples of doctoral students in different fields and master’s students.

Taking the Bull by the Horns: A Mauritian Qualitative Study of the Doctoral Training in French Studies

Extant literature reveals that reports of the experiences of humanities doctoral students are relatively rare. In view of examining whether there is a need to review the traditional French studies doctoral training into the New-route PhD to reboot and reinvigorate the field, an inventory of how doctorates were and are still trained was conducted in 2019. An informal interview with five PhD holders, who have completed their PhD in the same field at different universities in France and Mauritius, was done. Two main themes were manually coded during data collection: research community, and doctoral training and career guidance. Despite major amendments over the centuries, the doctoral training for candidates enrolled in this PhD in both France and Mauritius still lags behind and is often accused of being completely irrelevant in solving social issues. In this empirical study, the focus group has enabled us to investigate the support doctoral students have received in order to make learning leaps and develop research and technical skills which can benefit them in or outside academia. Despite the resilience of all respondents to complete their PhD (French studies), it seems that some changes are needed in the field. The role of the university and Education 4.0 is not to simply produce and disseminate knowledge but must also prepare the student to face the labour market and to enable the doctoral candidate achieve what is called “doctorateness”, participate in (inter)-national research community and use advanced technology such as programming languages/artificial intelligence/metaverse/virtual reality among others.

Dissertation Writing During COVID-19: Student Anxiety and Productivity

Many students across all levels of education experienced disruptions due to stay-at-home orders as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of our qualitative study was to specifically explore the doctoral student experience managing the writing of a dissertation amid stay-at-home orders during COVID-19. The majority of participants reported experiencing anxiety more frequently during stay-at-home orders and more productivity before stay-at-home orders. Reasons for decreased productivity during stay-at-home orders included reduced motivation, distractions, and lack of access to outside services and support.

The social integration experiences of international doctoral students at Russian universities

Social integration (SI) plays a critical role in doctoral students’ success. However, SI experiences could differ depending on the characteristics of students and their programmes. The study investigates differences in the SI of doctoral students at Russian universities and identifies the main groups at risk who have more difficulties with SI. To achieve this, the study utilized data from a cross-institutional online survey of doctoral students conducted in 2021 on behalf of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. A total of 4,454 doctoral students from 249 universities responded to the survey. Findings from the study indicate international students were less socially integrated in terms of having more friends and having problems interacting with others, either in person or remotely. Generally, no clear and significant difference was observed between their experiences and all aspects of social integration analysed in the study. Secondly, international doctoral students (IDS) are divided into groups (groups with low SI scores and groups with high SI scores) and compared them in terms of their subjective assessment of their chances for defence during the normative period of their studies and their overall satisfaction with the doctoral programme. The results for both variables revealed significant differences between IDS and varying degrees of SI. Significantly, the IDS group with a higher SI score reported high chances of defending their dissertation within the normative period of five years. The study concludes by suggesting that that activities that foster informal communication should be implemented and standardized within all departments in Russian universities to properly absorb all doctoral students into the social and academic cultures of their universities.