Comparing Three Scholarly Articles

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Title / Author(s)

Weidman, J. C., & Stein, E. L. (2003). Socialization of doctoral students to academic norms. Research in Higher Education, 44(6), 641-656.

Baker, V., & Lattuca, L. R. (2010). Developmental networks and learning: toward an interdisciplinary perspective on identity development during doctoral study. Studies in Higher Education, 35(7), 807-827.

Visser, L., Visser, Y. L., & Schlosser, C. (2003). Critical thinking distance education and traditional education. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 4(4), 401-407.

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Purpose of the study

What is the author’s rationale for selecting this topic? Does he build a strong case?

The authors are trying to explore the process by which the academic department of a major research university socializes doctoral students to the scholarly role as well as the influence that the department has on the students. 

The authors selected this topic since there have been efforts to socialize people as they start professional roles. It is worth noting that the authors wanted to explain more regarding 50 years of efforts to socialize people. 
  

The authors have put effort to highlight the importance of building networks by doctorial scholars. The authors are aimed at bringing out the importance of having useful strong networks in development of doctoral scholars. This is being presented in a way that shows the process of building networks for a period of several decades.

The authors came to settle for critical thinking approach since they found it to be filled with discipline. This is because critical thinking is usually beneficial through its deep analysis of topics. The authors of this article build a very strong case regarding distance education and traditional education.

Research Questions

What question(s) does the author present?

Five questions can be drawn from the authors’ inquires:

1. What is the responsibility of a scholar?
2. What is the expected behavior of a scholar?
3. Is socialization of students into cognitive perspectives concerned with learned activities?
4. Do doctoral projects have impact on teachers?
5. What impact do doctoral projects have on student affairs?

The researchers make many assumptions. One of the assumptions is that “It is expected that the perception among graduate students that faculty are engaged in and encourage scholarly activities will result in participation in such activities by doctoral students.”(p. 645).

The authors have been able to raise research questions that include:

1. Do doctoral projects have impact on teachers?
2. What influence do doctoral projects have on student affairs?
3. Has enrollment for doctoral classes been improving notable?

The assumption of the researchers is that doctoral enrollment is improving.

The research questions in this article include:

1. Do instructors use critical thinking in lecture halls?
2. How is the learning environment in distance learning compared to tradition learning?
3. Are students and instructors helping other learners to become critical thinkers?
4. Why should we foster strategies for collaborative problem solving in distant learning?

Assumption for this study is that all learners do not gain the same under traditional and distance learning.

Literature Review

How is this organized? What are the main themes found in the review? Who are the main authors used?

The review is organized by presenting a definition of the scholarly role for establishing a theoretical relationship to post baccalaureate educational experience.

The authors of this research are seen to be very keen on work that has been done by other researcher. In this sense, the authors are using both a quantitative and qualitative approach to expound various aspects of socialization.

For example, the authors of this article are seen to have featured the work of Braxton and Toombs done in the year 1982 about doctorial training and socialization. The other work that the authors have relied on is that of Bowen and Schuster published in 1986. These two authors have written about faculty in higher education and its responsibility in socialization.

The review moved on to identify the authors' own use of their theoretical framework developed in 1989 which, guides the individuals through stages of socialization ( Weidman & Stein, 2003, p.643). Repeated attention is also given to Merton et al. who gave a description of the distinctive environment, and how the novices acquire such things as values, skills, attitudes, and knowledge (Weidman & Stein, 2003, p. 642). 
 

The review gives meaning to what constitutes developmental networks and sociocultural perspective. It also gives meaning to the significance of mentoring relationships, and defines learning in wholly cognitive terms.

The literature review for this article is arranged in a way that gives systematic delivery of arguments by various authors, Some of the works cited by the authors of this article include those of Austin published in 2002, Wulff 2003, Boud and Lee 2005, Golde 2000 and Green 1991.

These authors work that has been considered by the authors of this article, create arguments giving an insight into the role of networks in the development of doctoral scholars.

The review moves to sociocultural perspective on learning which points to the fact that doctoral students must be competent in the role of student, researcher and teacher (Baker and Lettuce, 2010, p. 812).

The authors discussed different contexts such as the institution, the department and interpersonal networks and their effects on student relationships.

Key words were identified and discussed in the literature to give clarity to certain significant words.

The researchers began the review by assessing current teaching practices and then making an investigation of the knowledge of critical thinkers among faculty.  In addition, it identified practices that are utilized in teaching critical thinking.  The review moves on to reference other researchers’ evaluations of critical thinking.  It also attempts to define the concept of critical thinking described by Scriven and Paul 2000,  Facione 1998, and Fisher 2001.The authors build on the concepts of other authors, and attempts to compare critical thinking in distant learning and the higher educational environment.

The review further discusses critical thinking in higher education and factors affecting the integration in the educational system.

Sample Population

What group(s) is/are being studied?

Pool:

Questionnaire was sent to 83 active Ph.D. students enrolled in two departments in a major research university.

40 in the Department of Sociology.

43 in the Educational Foundation Department of Educational Policy Administration.

Median length starting for Sociology students was 3 academic years compared to 2 academic years for student in education.

AGE: Median age for Ph.D. students was 34 years and 39 years in educational foundation.

EDUCATION:

19% had doctoral degree;

50% had plans to graduate within two academic years.

66.7% had earned a master’s degree; and 35% working on their dissertation.

INITIAL RESPONDENTS: 70% male and 58% foreign nationals

Doctoral students are the sample

This article’s research study sample is taken from instructors and students in institutions.

Limitations

What are the limitations of the study? Why can it only encompass so much?

One of the limitations related to this study is lack of adequate information. This research ouches more than 50 years as mentioned before. It has been very hard to find all necessary information related to socialization efforts for fifty years. The other limitations of this research are evident criticism from various quarters. From the research, it is evident that the points being highlighted have been subjected to too much criticism from concerned researchers in the same field. The sample used by the author happened to be another challenge. This is because it was hard to acquire a convincing sample for the research. Another point is that most of the available people for the research are only conversant with contemporary issues, while this researcher was looking for ancient information to be complete.

The article shows that there are limitations regarding the sample used for the study. The other limitation is poor precedent regarding research on issues of the need for doctoral scholars to build networks. Additionally, this article shows that there was limitation concerning the available information for use in research on the topic given.

In addition, the study did not have a sample size, a research design, and methodology which limit the study material. The authors are merely discussing the research views on other work done, giving examples, and making suggestions.

One of the limitations that the researchers faced touched on sample availability. It was hard to get individuals for interviews regarding critical thinking. Another limitation is the discrepancies that discourage critical thinking, and the inconsistencies present in the educational environment.

Results/ Conclusions

What did the author find through the study? Was the original question answered?

The authors reached to a conclusion that socialization is usually widely accepted by the people going through the process. Additionally, the research found that people who go through cognitive socialization find the process related to roles in the occupations attained after going through learning process.

From the conclusion made, it is clear that the research questions were well answered. Answering the research questions is done through explanation that highlights various aspect of the research.

The results of the study have been able to give conclusions. One of the conclusions is that there is a need to push for more learning and training on doctorates. Secondly, it is evident that there has been notable improvement on the number of people who are enrolling for doctoral studies. The article has shown that this improvement is likely to be witnessed in future.

The results of research in this article brought out a conclusion that instructors do not use critical thinking when guiding their learners. Interestingly, research showed that very few instructors know the meaning of critical thinking. Secondly, research in this article showed that traditional learning gives students more time than in distance learning.  Through this, the original question was answered properly.

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