Novice Researchers Research Articles

On Pipelines and Precarity: Competing Narratives on the Roles and Functions of Postdocs in South African Higher Education

It is broadly understood that postdoctoral research fellows (hereafter postdocs) play a significant role in higher education’s research outputs, teaching and learning, and the rating and ranking of an institution. Largely shaped by the neoliberal turn(s) in higher education from the late 1970s and 1980s, postdocs have become an indispensable yet precarious labour force that higher education institutions have come to rely on. In the South African context, research on postdoc fellowships is relatively new, with limited scholarship focusing on the narratives and voices of these marginalised scholars. In this article, I purposively recruited and interviewed 23 former and current postdocs in three research-intensive universities in South Africa as well as a university vice dean of research, and a former senior official of the Department of Higher Education and Training. I also consulted and analysed various South African higher education policy documents and ministerial articulations regarding postdocs in the country. Through the use of in-depth semi-structured interviews, two competing narratives emerged from the data—that is, the deeply rooted and entrenched idea of the postdoc system as a pipeline for novice researchers to transition into established scholars, and the idea of the postdocs as precarious scholars whose academic labour is insecure, unstable, and exploited in the university. I conclude the article with some broad systemic implications on the role and function of postdocs in South African higher education, and the need for more research to understand these marginalised scholars.

“Doing reviews is an unpaid service”: Why female Chinese novice applied linguistics researchers choose to participate in the peer review process

AbstractThis article reports on an exploratory inquiry conducted with female Chinese novice researchers in the field of applied linguistics in relation to their experiences of serving as peer reviewers. Drawing on self‐determination theory, I analyzed and interpreted the accounts of reviewing that the participants shared through semi‐structured interviews. The analysis revealed that these female Chinese novice researchers were extrinsically motivated to review peers’ work for journals. They associated doing peer reviews with beneficial outcomes, such as career advancement, public recognition, and the approval of supervisors. Their accounts are also indicative of intrinsic motivation to review peers’ work, mediated by their interactions with colleagues and supervisors. In response to these findings, the study concludes that further research should be done to identify how novice researchers can be motivated to become more involved in the peer review process and knowledge construction.

A Worked Example of Qualitative Descriptive Design: A Step-by-Step Guide for Novice and Early Career Researchers.

To provide a worked example informed by relevant literature and related studies that novice and early career researchers may use to reflect on, prepare and conduct a thoughtful and rigorous qualitative descriptive study. Methodological discussion of qualitative descriptive design. Seminal work and recent related literature were reviewed to situate the discussion and identify the concepts and steps to conduct a qualitative descriptive study. Qualitative descriptive design is widely used in nursing and health science research. This design offers flexible use of qualitative methods, which presents a double-edged sword, posing challenges in preparing a well-developed study and achieving methodological rigour. The design often borrows methods from other qualitative traditions, which may need to be clarified for novice and early career researchers, wherein studies may be conducted using a mix and match of methods without giving justice to the heart of qualitative descriptive design. In this paper, we present a step-by-step guide, using a worked example, to demonstrate how to conduct a qualitative descriptive study. Qualitative descriptive design may be confusing due to its flexibility, which may limit the scope of research and subsequently, the quality and impact of the findings. With the appropriate application of research methods producing high-quality and relevant findings, qualitative descriptive design is a valuable qualitative method in its own right. Novice and early career researchers may increase the impact of their findings through rigorously conducting their studies. Clarifying steps for thoughtful execution may inform novice and early career researchers, allowing for a rigorous application of the method, which, in turn, may contribute to impactful findings. A clear presentation of steps, supported by a worked example and related studies, may support novice and early career researchers in conducting a qualitative descriptive study with methodological rigour. Not applicable. No patient or public contribution.

Adapting the World Café Method to an Online Format: Insights From Novice Qualitative Researchers

The original World Café (WC), by Brown and Isaac, is a widely used data collection method in qualitative research across various settings and is typically conducted in person. However, during the spring 2020 semester, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted us to adapt our planned WC research project from an in-person to an online format using Zoom. Two online cafés were hosted with branch campus students of a large Midwest university during October, one in the morning (n=11) and one in the evening (n=7). This methods paper offers a concise overview of the WC method as an innovative approach to qualitative data collection in a branch campus college setting. We outline the original research plan, detail the adjustments made for online cafes, and summarize the outcomes of these virtual sessions. As novice qualitative researchers working with branch campus college students, we draw vital lessons from our experience with the WC. These lessons emphasize the importance of selecting a method suitable for the target audience and researchers’ expertise level. Active participation in one or more WCs before conducting a study proves invaluable, and we highlight the facilitative role of a graphic recorder in ensuring optimal engagement and effective member-checking.

Navigating HIV research among criminalized gender minority populations in Uganda: qualitative insights and lessons learned from novice researchers

BackgroundTransgender individuals often face stigma, discrimination, and various forms of abuse, which negatively impact their mental and physical health. They face a significantly greater risk of HIV, with a higher prevalence than the general population. Despite these challenges, transgender people have limited access to healthcare due to violence, legal barriers, and societal stigma, further exacerbated in countries like Uganda, where transgender identities are criminalized. Therefore, this study explored the lived experiences of HIV researchers working with gender minority populations in criminalizing contexts.MethodsThis was an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) qualitative study. Twelve (12) research team members at all levels were involved in the study. Participants had less than five years of involvement in HIV research among gender minority populations. Data were collected using field notes, reflective journals, documentation from daily team debriefing sessions, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis used NVivo software.ResultsPositive experiences, barriers, and challenges were captured. The positive experiences were ‘respecting cultural diversity’, ‘expanding networks’, ‘addressing misconceptions’ and ‘finding allies’. The barriers included ‘experiencing stigma’, ‘lengthy research processes’, ‘feeling isolated’, ‘fearing for personal safety’, ‘unexpected logistical costs’, and ‘criminalization of sexual and gender minorities’. The key themes that emerged from the lessons learned were: ‘dealing with gatekeepers’, ‘diversity and sensitivity training’, ‘leveraging networks’, ’meaningful community engagement’, ‘reflexivity’, ‘ensuring safety’, ‘equal partnership’, ‘giving feedback’ and ‘awareness of legal implications’.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity, community engagement, and reflexivity in research design and implementation. The findings emphasize the need for innovative strategies to navigate legal, social, and logistical barriers that researchers and participants face. Despite these challenges, the study demonstrates that meaningful collaboration with community members and building trust can significantly enhance the research process and outcomes. Future research should continue to explore these strategies while addressing ethical and safety concerns.

A taxonomic guide to diffusion MRI tractography visualization tools.

Visualizing neuroimaging data is a key step in evaluating data quality, interpreting results, and communicating findings. This survey focuses on diffusion MRI tractography, which has been widely used in both research and clinical domains within the neuroimaging community. With an increasing number of tractography tools and software, navigating this landscape poses a challenge, especially for newcomers. A systematic exploration of a diverse range of features is proposed across 27 research tools, delving into their main purpose and examining the presence or absence of prevalent visualization and interactive techniques. The findings are structured within a proposed taxonomy, providing a comprehensive overview. Insights derived from this analysis will help (novice) researchers, clinicians, and developers in identifying knowledge gaps and navigating the landscape of tractography visualization tools.

Language teacher expertise research: A theoretical case and research agenda

Abstract Expertise exists among all communities of educational practitioners at all levels and in all national contexts. By identifying expert practitioners, learning from them and valuing their professional competence, researchers can support, promote and build upon sustainable, embodied, holistic models of quality in ways that have direct relevance for the classroom, the curriculum and wider educational goals. Yet, despite its potential as a field of research, there have been relatively few studies involving expert language teachers to date. After a brief historical background, this article makes the case for language teacher expertise research, noting its high ecological validity, its great practical utility, its ability to bridge the research–practice divide and its potentially positive impact on teaching communities. Key methodological considerations are also discussed, including defining expertise, identifying expert teachers and looking beyond the limits of subject-specific pedagogy to understand the whole practitioner in their sociocultural context. The article then proposes a framework for future teacher expertise research that spans diverse methodologies. Six example research tasks from within this framework are proposed, each justified and exemplified, incorporating suggestions for research design that are intended to encourage both experienced and novice researchers to engage with teacher expertise as a promising domain for future investigation.

Developing advanced citation skills: A mixed-methods approach to corpus technology training for novice researchers

In contrast with most existing corpus technology (CT) studies which focus primarily on general vocabulary and grammar learning, this study investigates the effectiveness of CT in addressing challenges encountered by novice researchers in improving an advanced linguistic skill in EAP writing: using reporting verbs to express rhetorical functions in citations in literature reviews. An eight-week CT training programme featuring a practical framework of the rhetorical functions of citations and utilising the Parallel EAP Corpora was implemented for 50 Chinese postgraduate students who were L2 English users. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Paired-samples t-tests demonstrated statistically significant improvement with medium effect sizes in the frequency and diversity of reporting verb usage in citations, as well as in the complexity of expressing rhetorical functions of citations. These findings were further corroborated by corpus-aided descriptive statistical and textual analyses. Questionnaire data and interviews further revealed students' positive evaluations towards the training informed by the Parallel EAP Corpora, which facilitated participants' learning in various ways. These findings hold substantial value for EAP pedagogy, indicating that the incorporation of pedagogically sound CT training can significantly improve novice researchers’ development of academic discourse through nuanced citation practices and advanced rhetorical strategies for composing literature reviews.

Этос и хронос Владимира Сергеевича Соловьева

The paper presents the theses of reflections of a member of the editorial board of the journal “Solovyov Studies”, which complement the discussion of the topic “Vladimir Solovyov and the Future of Russian Philosophy” held within the framework of the international “round table”. The special role and significance of the journal “Solovyov Studies” in the scientific study of the work of the outstanding Russian religious thinker is pointed out. Over the decades of its existence, the journal has published hundreds of scientific articles by highly qualified domestic and foreign authors, outstanding scientists and novice researchers who have made a significant contribution to the study of the work of Vladimir Sergeevich Solovyov. These works are in demand today in a variety of areas of humanities – in cultural studies and philosophy, history of literature, literary criticism, religious studies and theology. This work also presents a thesis statement of the conceptual ideas of V.S. Solovyov, which have not lost their relevance in our days, but on the contrary, have acquired special acuteness and significance. In particular, it is shown that the “theocratic project” of the thinker, despite its seeming utopianism, attracts the attention of not only intellectuals, but also public and political figures in the West and in Russia. In modern Russian society, the topic of the ethos and chronos of the “Russian idea” is again being discussed with particular acuteness. One of its sources was precisely the philosophy of V.S. Solovyov. Russia, in the understanding of V.S. Solovyov, realizes God's plan for it, this is its providential ethos. Its historical mission is simultaneously moral (ethos) and providential (chronos) – it is the mission of uniting Christian civilization.

Measuring insect osmoregulation in vitro: A reference guide

Osmoregulation is influenced by a wide variety of biotic and abiotic variables, and maintenance of systemic osmoregulatory homeostasis is critical to insect fitness. Because insects are so small, accurately quantifying renal organ function is technically challenging, and often requires specialized equipment. On top of this, nearly a century of toiling in the laboratory has led to a wide and still growing variety of methods that can be difficult for novice researchers to disentangle. Here, we provide a reference guide for the most used in vitro approaches in the study of insect osmoregulation, including the Ramsay assay, Ussing chamber, epithelial potential measurement, scanning ion-selective electrode technique, and hindgut assays. Along the way, we highlight the history of each methodological innovation.

The h-Index Explained: Tools, Limitations and Strategies for Academic Success

The h-index, introduced by J.E Hursh in 2005, is a prevalent metric for assessing academic research productivity and impact. It evaluates a researcher’s cumulative impact by comparing the number of their publications to the number of citations they have received. Despite its straightforward computation, the h-index can be confusing for novice researchers. Various databases like Scopus, Google Scholar, ResearchGate and Web of Science offer h-index computations, each with unique features and access requirements. For example, Google Scholar provides h-index information based on citations indexed by its service, while Web of Sciences offers a comprehensive profile including total citations and indexed articles. The h-index is widely used in academia for evaluating candidates for hiring and promotion. Studies reveal varying benchmarks for different career stages and disciplines, with higher h-indices typically associated with senior researchers. However, the h-index has limitations, such as favouring established researchers and not accounting for citation practices across different fields. Further, some fields tend to have more literature available than others and there it appears imperative that those fields with less literature will mostly likely attract less readership resulting in less citations and hence lower h-Index for researcher and academicians in such fields. It also does not reflect publication quality or contributions beyond citations. Researchers can improve their h-index by publishing in high-impact journals, making research open access, collaborating, staying active in their field, and promoting their work. Despite its utility, the h-index should be used alongside other metrics to provide a more holistic view of a researcher’s impact.

Science Studies as an educational discipline: experience of reconstruction

Introduction. The paper presents a reconsideration of the foundations of the discipline of Science Studies, taking into account post-non-classical ideas about science. This approach positions Science Studies not only as a scientific field but also as an educational discipline aimed at novice researchers. Aim. The present research aimed to assess the current state of science as a scientific and educational discipline in the Russian and Euro-American scientific traditions. It also aimed to present the project of teaching the discipline of Science Studies as a rigorous science, encompassing both its fundamental and applied aspects, and utilising quantitative and qualitative research methods. Methodology and research methods. The synthesis of universal evolutionism approaches (including deterministic chaos concepts) and the methods of quantitative and qualitative content analysis were employed. Results. A quantitative analysis of the state of science in Russia was conducted. The analysis revealed an increase in the interest of Russian researchers in scientific issues. However, it also highlighted a lack of clear understanding of its disciplinary parameters. Scientific novelty and practical significance. It is proved that Science Studies can be a significant incentive for the growth of scientific knowledge in Russia. The work has led to an understanding of the role of epistemological (cognitive) and social mechanisms in the development of science.

The impact of AI on the post‐pandemic generation of early career researchers: What we know or can predict from the published literature

AbstractThis extensive literature review is not a stand‐alone paper, as it was conducted to help set the scene for the third and current stage of the Harbinger of Change project (H‐3), which is focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on early career researchers (ECRs). Its purpose is to inform the design, scope and question‐forming of the ongoing interview project (2024–). The overarching aim of the review is to establish what we know of the already extant and/or predicted opportunities and challenges that AI‐driven technologies present to researchers, in general, and the cohort of junior researchers among them, in particular. It was found that very little empirical evidence exists of what is happening to ECRs on the ground, and that tends to be drowned in a sea of forecasts and prognostications. However, down the road there are clear benefits accruing to ECRs and, arguably, the most appealing for novice researchers must be the benefits of enhancing their productivity, the key to all scholarly rewards, inclusive of career advancement.

Exploring the Use of Subtitling in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language: Theories and Applications

Technology occupies a significant resource that can be exploited empirically to contribute to translation learning and research, as it can give enormous opportunities for language learners and educators to exploit in their teaching and provide students with practical learning activities. Many researchers highly recommend the extensive use of IT in enhancing the competence of translation students and L2 learners' language skills. Since there has been an abundance of empirical research studies carried out over the last two decades, many novice researchers cannot review and handle them within their limited time. For this reason, this paper introduces the key researchers who carried out studies on the employment of audiovisual translation (AVT) in language learning and teaching; it explores and reviews the main previous research studies conducted on the impact of audiovisual translation, namely subtitling and subtitles on enhancing language learning. It first considers briefly how audiovisual translation emerged as an independent branch of Translation Studies (ST), then discusses its development as well as its continuity within Translation Studies. It also explores its classifications and highlights future research avenues.

Conducting mixed methods research with women in a forensic mental health setting: A reflexive account from a nurse as researcher.

To describe a reflexive account of a mental health nurse as researcher undertaking a mixed methods study as part of a doctoral degree, with women in a secure forensic hospital. A discursive paper that draws upon the primary author's experience of dual roles as a mental health nurse and a novice researcher, and relevant literature pertaining to positionality and reflexivity in the context of conducting mixed methods research. A mixed methods study was conducted within a secure forensic hospital in Australia, to identify factors associated with the frequency and duration of seclusion for women and, to explore their experiences of seclusion. Notes and a reflective diary were used to demonstrate the reflexive approach and strategies used throughout the study design and data collection stages of the research. Women in the secure forensic hospital setting often have complex histories and experiences and are considered a vulnerable group, which can add additional challenges when undertaking research with this population. As a doctoral student with clinical experience in mental health undertaking research in the forensic hospital setting with women, positionality and the connection with reflexivity requires exploration to understand self and the influence on research. This understanding along with identified strategies to enhance reflexivity, supports the management of the dual nurse as researcher roles to enhance all stages of the research process. Doctoral nursing candidates undertaking clinical research in their area of clinical practice and at the location of previous employment, may experience challenges in relation to identity and the dichotomy of roles. Further challenges can be posed when research involves complex populations and/or controversial practices. Support to balance role conflict and maintain reflexivity is critical to understanding the role of self in research and to enhance credibility. Women are a complex, yet minority population in forensic mental health settings, however the numbers of women being admitted to services is increasing. Future research may consider the use of the strategies explored here to enhance the reflexive process, and support future researchers in this field to conduct research that aims to support an often-misheard population to better support health outcomes. There was no patient or public contribution to this paper, however the study in which this paper is based on, is grounded in the experience of patients (women).

S3PaR: Section-based Sequential Scientific Paper Recommendation for paper writing assistance

A scientific paper recommender system (RS) is very helpful for literature searching in that it (1) helps novice researchers explore their own field and (2) helps experienced researchers explore new fields outside their area of expertise. However, existing RSs usually recommend relevant papers based on users’ static interests, i.e., papers they cited in their past publication(s) or reading histories. In this paper, we propose a novel recommendation task based on users’ dynamic interests during their paper-writing activity. This dynamism is revealed in (for example) the topic shift while writing the Introduction vs. Related Works section. In solving this task, we developed a new pipeline called “Section-based Sequential Scientific Paper Recommendation (S3PaR)”, which recommends papers based on the context of the given user’s currently written paper section. Our experiments demonstrate that this unique task and our proposed pipeline outperform existing standard RS baselines.

A worked example of contextualising and using reflexive thematic analysis in nursing research.

A researcher must consider their research question within their world view before selecting a technique appropriate for analysing their data. This will affect their choices of methodology and methods for collecting and analysing data. Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) has become a go-to technique for qualitative nurse researchers. However, the justifications for using it and its application in the context of a wider approach are under-discussed. To rationalise the use of RTA within a wider philosophical-methodological-methods-analysis approach and provide nurse researchers with practical guidance about how to apply it to qualitative data. This article conceptually grounds the seminal work of Braun and Clarke (2006 ) and provides a process for rigorously and systematically analysing qualitative data. Researchers undertaking qualitative research must use a rigorous philosophical-methodological-method-analysis approach. Before selecting a technique appropriate for analysing their data, they must consider their research question within their own world view. This has implications for their choice of methodology and consequently the data collection methods and analysis techniques they use. Researchers should be mindful of RTA's conceptual roots when applying it. Transparent and rigorous data analysis leads to credible findings, supports evidence-based practice and contributes to the growing body of nursing research. Within the context of the wider philosophical-methodological-methods-analysis approach, RTA produces high-quality, credible findings when applied well. for practice This article can guide nursing students and novice researchers in choosing and applying RTA to their research.

Development of a team-specific research strategy using a modified Delphi method in a regional public hospital dietetics department.

Evaluate research capacity and culture among regional hospital dietitians, develop a team specific research strategy, and build research skills of novice researchers. The Research Capacity in Context Tool was used to assess current research capacity and culture at organisational, team and individual levels. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis of free text responses. A modified Delphi method gained consensus regarding research capacity building. Mixed method study. Dietetics department of a regional tertiary hospital (Modified Monash Category 2). All clinical dietitians currently employed within the hospital (n = 20) regardless of employment duration. Self-rated response to research capacity and culture to produce a dietetics-specific research strategy. Fifteen dietitians (75%) completed the Research Capacity in Context Tool. The overall mean score was highest at an organisational level at 7.9 (IQR 2), and lowest at team and individual levels at 4.3 (IQR 2.7) and 4.9 (IQR 3.3) respectively. Common barriers to research included time, lack of skills, knowledge and support. Using the modified Delphi method 39 statements relating to research capacity building met consensus and informed the creation of a research strategy. The results of the Research Capacity in Context Tool from this regional study reflect those reported in the literature at metropolitan sites. A dietetic-specific research strategy was developed to assist with increasing research capacity at a team and individual level in a regional setting. Evaluation of long-term outcomes post implementation will be the subject of further research.

Control Variables: A Review and Proposed Guidelines

Although considerable research on control variables offers best practice recommendations, there are still shortcomings in their application. A significant proportion of quantitative studies lack rigor in how they apply control variables. Additionally, existing literature on control variables is primarily technical, with a noticeable lack of accessible guidance that could benefit both seasoned and novice researchers. In fact, there is a need for more elaboration in non-technical terms to enhance our understanding of using control variables effectively. The objectives of this editorial are twofold: First, we elaborate on five key issues related to control variables, including a clear, easy-to-understand explanation of what a control variable is, their advantages and complications, and the issues associated with under- or over-controlling variables. Second, we provide guidelines that are easy to follow for any researcher, whether experienced or novice. In doing so, we clarify several ambiguities and offer straightforward explanations of issues related to control variables. We hope that this effort will assist researchers—whether lecturers or students—by providing clear directions on the appropriate use of control variables.

Symposium 4: Malta Networked Learning Forum 2021: Experiences and Reflections

This symposium presents 3 papers relating to the Malta-based Networked Learning (NL) Forum 2021. The first two papers review the expectations and experiences of early researchers participating in the forum. The third paper presents reflections on the hybrid modality in which the forum convened. The purpose of this symposium and its component papers looking back on a NL community initiative is to look back, inform and look ahead to future similar events which potentially serve novice researchers develop connectedness to the broader networked learning community of scholars and peer researchers. In this symposium, we use the term ‘early researchers’ (ERs) rather than the prevalent early-career researchers (ECRs) to distinguish between the graduate and doctoral level researchers grouping which arose for the case of the NL Forum 2021 event from the overlapping doctoral and postdoctoral category to which the term ECRs more commonly refers to (McAlpine, Pyhältö, & Castelló, 2018).