Research in English: Training in Educational Research

10-second review: How well are doctoral students in education trained in research?

Title: “From the Editor.” Sandra Stotsky. Research in the Teaching of English (December 1992), 349-350.

Quote: “Many readers of George Hillock’s Research in Written Composition were struck by the fact that he had to discard 80% of the experimental studies he examined after deciding to use for his meta-analysis only those that met ‘minimal’ criteria.”

Quote: “For example, what are the components of the courses in graduate programs at research-oriented universities that help graduate students learn how to do research? Are these components consciously thought out as part of a planned program for training researchers? Are students exposed to a comprehensive range of theoretical orientations and research methodologies? How extensive is a graduate student’s experience in supervised research projects before undertaking dissertation research?”

Comment: I can only report on my own experience in my doctoral program. I was expected to do research, not trained for it. I was not trained in how to do effective research. Yes, I was exposed to research, but not trained in how to analyze research methodology. Maybe my instructors assumed more from me than I was able to give. So far as I could tell, my only training in doing research was my dissertation. RayS.