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Writing research articles in English is a common requirement in doctoral studies in the natural sciences; however, learning to write the research article genre is challenging, particularly in a foreign language (L2). A potential resource for learning the RA genre is giving and receiving peer review. L2 writers at the undergraduate level have been found to benefit from PR, but less  is known about the learning of L2 writers at the graduate level who are writing for specialized discourse communities. The aim of this dissertation is to describe how a group of L2 doctoral students in the natural sciences used online peer review in a research writing course. Inductive analysis was used to categorize the kinds of review comments that 11 course participants gave and received. In another study, three students’ revised texts were analyzed in detail to see how they used peer comments. To explore  students’ perceptions of using the PR activity, pre and post course interviews were inductively analyzed.  Findings were interpreted using Vygotskian constructs of learning in order to see where mediation likely occurs.  The combined studies suggest that reviewers adopted roles that influenced what they noticed, analyzed and languaged. As a group, they focused on the lexical and syntactic precision of peers’ texts, as well as the organization, cohesion, voice, stance and research knowledge. Writers used the intent of the review comments approximately 40 percent of the time, but this usage reflected only a small portion of the writers’ revision activities that occurred in response to review.  Other activities included composing, re-writing, investigating, interviewing outsiders, and re-ordering the texts.  Writers found precision and organizational comments most useful. Findings from these combined studies indicate that peer review can be a potentially powerful tool for doctoral students to familiarize themselves with discipline-specific research articles.

The new world of academic discourse is complex and necessitates that L1 and L2 graduate students learn a multiplicity of texts, master intertextuality, and actively participate in emerging literacies or genres of their disciplines (Molle & Prior, 2008; Swales, 2004; Warren, 2013). Challenges arise about how doctoral students produce, interpret, and learn texts and genres, and how they act and react around text production in particular multicultural institutional contexts (Hyland, 2000; Prior, 2004). Little is known about how students, particularly those in higher education, establish intertextual connections among different modes of texts (e.g., written, oral, visual) for actively engaging in literacy (Belcher & Hirvela, 2008; Seloni, 2012). The purpose of this study is to examine how L1 and L2 doctoral students use intertextual practices to create meaning and develop their academic literacies during the literacy events of Global Conversations and Literacy Research (GCLR) web seminars. Drawing upon microethnographic discourse analysis, more particularly the constructs of intertextuality (Bloome, & Carter, 2013), I investigate the following questions a) How are the L1 and L2 students engaged in intertextual practices in the literacy events of GCLR web seminars? b) How does the use of intertextuality contribute to L1 and L2 students’ academic literacies? The participants are two L1 and two L2 doctoral students, who are also multilinguals, had different first languages (i.e., Korean, English, Chinese), and actively engaged in the GCLR web seminars. Data drew upon interviews, chat transcriptions, video recordings of the web seminars, and visuals. Data collection and analyses began in September 2014, and continued through November 2015. Microethnographic discourse analysis showed how participants constructed intertextual connections during the literacy events of the GCLR web seminars. The findings show how L1 and L2 doctoral students used intertextuality to socialize into academic discourse, mediate discoursal identities, and develop cultural models. The study has implications for L1 and L2 pedagogy, multilingual’s learning, and research: Future research should investigate academic literacies with intertextual connections to oral, written, and online discourses. Educators and graduate students are encouraged to exploit the full potential of intertextuality through metacognition in emerging academic literacies and mediated discoursal identities.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze the mechanisms of social support for international students in Ph.D. programs during an academic transition. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants, two each from the People's Republic of China, India, and Africa. This study employed a phenomenological research method to explore the social support networks that these six students established, the nature of their interactions with the host culture and the effect of social support on academic success. Data collection methods included individual interviews with international students and two staff members from the Office of International Education, one focus group with students and observations in classroom or cultural setting.Three theoretical underpinnings guided this study: cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede, 2001), social capital theory (McClean, Schultz, & Steger, 2002) and the transition theory of Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman (1995). Participant narratives revealed that international students in Ph.D. programs gravitated toward co-nationals because of their common language and culture. Other international students served as an important mechanism of social support because they provided information on how to navigate the university system. Faculty advisors were supportive because they understood the needs of international students while providing opportunities for socialization away from the university setting. Relationships were not occurring with the host culture because cultural differences contributed to the nature of the interactions and there was a perceived lack of empathy from the host culture, both in and out of the classroom. Programs offered through the Office of International Education, including the English Language Program, conversation and friendship partner programs and academic success seminars helped contribute to academic success. This study raises questions such as to what universities can do to promote global awareness and how universities can foster relationships with the host culture.

This mixed-method study explored how students in a doctoral educational leadership cohort at one university used the cohort structure as a learning community or as a method of social support. Survey data were collected from 45 past and present cohort students and qualitative data were collected from three focus groups of 15 participants total. The survey measured four factors: General Cohort Experience, Trust Within the Cohort, Network, and Community of Learners. Quantitatively, one cohort was found to be significantly different from the others in terms of Trust Within the Cohort; and the 60 hour cohorts were found to be more satisfied with the cohort experience than the 48 hour doctoral cohorts at the university studied. The theme of trust and support from and to fellow members both during and after the cohort had dissolved was a strong recurrent theme in this study. Cohort members felt that they developed and strengthened their skills professionally as a result of participating in the cohort; however, they first had to develop a sense of community and trust with their fellow members in order to learn from them.

It seems reasonable to assume that the realization of the doctoral degree denotes that one is proficient in college teaching. However, the literature indicates that doctoral programs are failing to adequately prepare doctoral students for teaching in collegiate settings. The seminal work on doctoral student experiences suggests that doctoral programs are adequately preparing doctoral students for their research function, but concerns emerge around teacher preparation. Four bodies of literature inform this study: (a) the literature on the teaching role in higher education (b) the literature on doctoral students’ experiences as it relates to their teaching preparation (c) the literature on new faculty socialization (d) and the literature on the nature of academic disciplines and their differences as it relates to faculty work. The study fills a gap in the literature by examining junior faculty perceptions of their doctoral level teaching-related preparation by taking a cross disciplinary approach of eight disciplines (four high consensus and four low consensus). The omnibus question this study seeks to address is whether or not there are discipline differences in junior faculty perceptions of their doctoral level preparation for college teaching. The study employed a quantitative approach in collecting data using a survey design. The sample for the study was delimited to junior faculty in political science, sociology, psychology, economics, physics, chemistry, biology and geology from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Four-Year 1 institutions. An instrument developed by Hall (2007) which measures counselor educators’ perception of their doctoral level teaching preparation was modified for the purpose of data collection. Contact information for junior faculty in selected disciplines was collected from SREB Four-Year 1 institutions. Findings reveal an anti-teaching culture embedded within research institutions and also significant discipline differences in overall perceptions of doctoral level teaching preparation. The findings of this study provide higher education leaders and faculty with empirical results which could inform the training of doctoral students for their college teaching role.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of counselor education doctoral students who participated in multiple roles and relationships. Random purposeful sampling was used to conduct in-depth interviews with current doctoral students in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs who had completed at least one year of full-time enrollment as a doctoral student, participated in a minimum of two multiple roles that were provided in an a priori list, and had access to videoconferencing software in order to participate in the study. The participants in this study reported and described perceptions of their lived experiences as counselor education doctoral students. The primary research question for the study was “How do counselor education doctoral students experience the phenomenon of multiple roles and relationships?” A review of the literature that examined types of multiple roles and relationships between counselor educators and students, ethical standards, and models for ethical management provided the foundation for the study. Semi-structured phenomenological interviews comprised of open-ended questions were used to collect data via videoconferencing software. Audio taped interviews were transcribed and analyzed for key words and descriptive terms. The data were coded into categories, categories were clustered into themes and themes were cross-analyzed to create super-ordinate themes. Super-ordinate themes were used to address the primary and secondary research questions. Three super-ordinate themes emerged: awareness and education, multiple roles and relationships as transformative, and experiential learning. Implications for counselor education doctoral students and programs are presented along with recommendations for further research. Personal reflections of the researcher were provided.

Thesis advisor: Karen Arnold / Student affairs models exist on every United States college and university campus and serve as an integral part of the undergraduate student experience. However, very little research has been conducted on students in Higher Education Administration doctoral programs and the preparation of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) for leadership in student affairs. This study investigated the perceptions of mentoring relationships between faculty mentors and doctoral student protégés and the socialization of these students into becoming senior leaders in student affairs. Kram's (1985) theory, which identifies the psychosocial and career aspects of mentoring in organizational development, serves as the lens to examine these relationships. The participants in this study consisted of five faculty mentors and eight of their former students who are now current Senior Student Affairs Officers. Results included four major themes, identified by both the mentors and the SSAOs, comprising the major aspects of the mentoring relationships. In addition, the faculty mentors felt that they did not particularly prepare students for these senior level positions, as there were no specific or intentional discussions about the role itself. However, the former students believed their doctoral mentoring was good preparation for the SSAO role, as they learned about university structures, governance, political climates and other aspects of senior leadership. Given these findings, it is recommended that there be a stronger emphasis be placed upon the SSAO socialization component of the doctoral program. Recommendations such as the addition of "mentors of practice," a student apprenticeship component similar to Arts & Sciences doctoral programs, and an increased faculty awareness of their impact upon students as mentors are suggested to enhance the doctoral student experience. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

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