Since joining the MSP faculty in 2012, I鈥檝e had the privilege of working with and mentoring students through inviting them to collaborate on my research. 听But, with so many chapters and articles to read, and with so many papers to write, what value is there in doing even more reading and writing?! 听
Recently, students from my research team were asked to speak about their experiences of engaging in research as part of my team. 听This opportunity allowed for a unique opportunity to eavesdrop on their thoughts about how being involved in research has added to their professional development. 听
While discussing their experiences, students shared that they felt their critical thinking skills had been sharpened by assisting in study design, analyzing literature and preparing IRB applications. 听While one student shared that the way she thinks about things has shifted and she now has 鈥渕ore questions鈥� she鈥檇 like to explore. 听Another noted that being involved in research helped demystify the publication process and he found that 鈥渋t鈥檚 not as hard as I thought it was.鈥� 听Students shared that their involvement helped them better understand statistics or improved their writing skills. 听Most noted that they felt more confident about conducting their own dissertation studies than before they joined the research team. 听Some students also felt that presenting at conferences improved their ability to speak in front of others and felt that having presentations at a professional conference or publications on their curriculum vitae would give them an edge and something to talk about while completing interviews for internships or jobs.
While the benefits of engaging in research appear clear, they do come at a cost. 听In addition to the many noted benefits, students shared that participating on the team required them to practice good time management skills and be planful about when they would complete team-related versus class-related responsibilities.
As the new school year begins and as we welcome new faces to the MSP campus, I鈥檇 like to encourage our incoming and current students to consider what scholarship/research-related goals they have for the next year. 听For those interested in becoming engaged in research, I鈥檇 suggest the following:
- Consider what skill(s) you hope to improve through engaging in scholarship
- Identify faculty and advanced students that share your interest in a topic
- Be open to learning about topics outside of your interest area
- Read and become familiar with current theories and findings that can help you shape your research question
- Settle on a specific, clear research question so that the project stays manageable in terms of design complexity and time requirements
- Build a relationship with a faculty mentor who can provide critical feedback and guidance on how to improve and complete your study
听By: Dustin K. Shepler, PhD, Core Faculty at MSP