edit Synthesis Paper: Doctoral Identity
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Running head: SYNTHESIS WORKSHEET 1
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SYNTHESIS WORKSHEET
Synthesis Worksheet
Denise Raliff
Grand Canyon University
Synthesis Worksheet
Introduction
Capture interest
The significance of doctoral identity cannot get overstressed. After the doctoral program, graduates need to have habits, abilities, and values that conform to their field, practice, or profession.
Context
Doctoral identity (professional identity) is quite enduring and stable constellations of motives, beliefs, experiences, and values as standards in which a person examines himself while performing professional duties or roles (Smith & Hatmaker, 2015). As a result, the identity serves as a confirmation to other people that a doctoral student has or possesses a special skills and abilities set. So, professional identity results from various factors that include interpersonal, institutional, and individual characteristics (Baker & Pifer, 201; Gardner, 2009). Baker & Pifer (2011), Smith & Hatmaker (2015), and Gardner (2009) provide insight into the doctoral identitys formation. Further, in reality, the course of emerging as a successful, self-made scholar does not happen in an isolated, automatic, or simple approach.
Statement of common themes
Individual effort, academic success, and relationships are the main three shared, common themes by the three articles which depict how the transition includes developmental awareness.
Thesis statement
Academic success, individual effort, and relationships are critical in forming a doctoral identity that helps doctoral students ascend the stairway to academic excellence.
Theme one
Academic success
Baker and Pifer (2011)
Academic success is a critical aspect when forming a doctoral identity. Baker & Pifer (2011) view success as a smooth and successful shift or change from dependency to independence. All triumphant doctoral students have certain features, such as completing the dissertation process, completing coursework, and excelling in candidacy exams. When a student completes the named tasks acquires in-depth knowledge of research and language skills.
Gardener (2009)
Gardner (2009) explains academic success as an obscure concept. This concept signifies several things. It may imply dissertation completion, degree conclusion, excellence in coursework, high-grade point average (GPA), year-to-year experience, and academic community members after graduation. In general, pursuing a doctoral degree program, specifically, studying success, is essential. Only fifty percent of those students enrolled in the program; doctoral education sees the end; others drop on the way (Gardener, 2009). All these facets are crucial when forming a doctoral identity.
Smith & Hatmaker (2015)
Smith & Hatmaker (2015) evaluate how doctoral candidates build their professional research identities and make specifications on a crucial role in student-faculty interactions to enhance clarity, get hands-on research experience, and improve their research identity. These students focus on how professional socialization is a vital part of developing a doctoral identity because it includes learning about and developing a students identity within the profession and doing so in the framework that a person should accomplish.
Theme two
Relationships
Baker & Pifer (2011)
Baker & Pifer (2011) identify doctoral identity to involve a significant transition from dependence to independence. Doctoral students should move from course schedule-based structure to self-directed isolation. As students start developing their professional voices, academic identities, and independence as scholars, they face a hard time effectively managing this phase without stated structure and guidance. When looking at relationships, the aspect is inherent because networks of doctoral students of relationships inside and outside a community are vital professional prosperity and persistence. Besides, a relationship that goes beyond student-professor is essential when pursuing a doctoral degree. For instance, relationships with former students, friends, and family members can help a doctoral candidate remain resilient and succeed in his education (Baker & Pifer, 2011). The article revealed how doctoral students lacking support fail to have a smooth transition, as evidenced by struggled with the basic tasks of how to So, when there is isolation, a student cannot build and establish a relationship with others, thus becomes unable to persist in academic challenges. Furthermore, professional relationships can play the role of being a good source of friendship and personal support, mainly when students get engaged in challenging parallel processes of establishing their identities as scholars and students.
Gardener (2009)
The article depicts how faculty relationships are essential in helping doctoral students better understand their professional field and its histories and trajectories, their habits and practices and distinct faculty views of doctoral student success. It is critical to have a comprehensive understanding of the structure and procedures of establishing relationships that help students to achieve success in the doctoral program.
Smith & Hatmaker (2015)
Smith and Hatmaker (2015) explore the extent to which socialization and relationships are very vital in transition. Among doctoral candidates, socialization into the profession involves the process of learning to be an independent scholar. Consistent relationships among doctoral students improve professional identity, development, and socialization (Smith & Hatmaker, 2011). So, mentoring relationships are crucial when building a professional identity.
Theme three
Social identities
Baker & Pifer (2011)
Baker & Pifer (2011) emphasizes that social identities in any working environment result from the individuals within that environment. The networking processes are crucial in forming these social identities. However, there should be comprehensive knowledge of the relationships’ roles and interactions to go beyond the definition of social identities because networking among professionals is not the only aspect at play in doctoral socialization.
Smith & Hatmaker (2015)
Smith and Hatmaker (2015) revealed that combining various networks of developmental relationships can help provide different forms of support, information, and resources in establishing professional and social identity. Practically, the results obtained from interviewing doctoral students upheld that the relationships they have developed and that exist among them, attributed to their interactions with the department, gave them instrumental and social support for strengthening their social identities.
Gardner (2009)
Gardner (2009) restated that the attributes that students of the doctoral school stressed as the primary contributor to their success considered ranking and reputation. As a result, they reflected part of their success to their potential of getting employment, which is part of the objectives achieved from the presentations and publishing. Further, the interview revealed that any success involves getting their articles published during their first seminar paper among doctoral candidates. Similarly, building social identity among these students is being the representative on various panels and making presentations.
Statement of conclusion
The three articles clearly show a myriad of behavioral, academic, and social aspects that influence and shape professional development and identity. In general, it is not enough to take an autonomous, isolated personal perspective when transitioning from doctoral learners to independent scholars. Still, there is a need to precisely appreciate and acknowledge and emphasize the significance of interpersonal relationships, social identities, and academic success when enhancing doctoral candidates’ general success. All three articles portray the way students and other professionals should interpret and negotiate their identity-building within an interdisciplinary framework or lens. As a result, this combined and integrated approach will facilitate a better understanding of different social and cultural determinants of forming and developing doctoral identity.
References
Baker, V. L., & Pifer, M. J. (2011). The role of relationships in the transition from doctoral student to independent scholar. Studies in Continuing Education, 33(1), 5-17.
Smith, A. E., & Hatmaker, D. M. (2014). Knowing, doing, and becoming: Professional identity construction among public affairs doctoral students. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 20(4), 545-564.
Gardner, S. K. (2009). Conceptualizing success in doctoral education: Perspectives of faculty in seven disciplines. The Review of Higher Education, 32(3), 383-406.
