Supporting Research Students

Citation

Osorio, N.L. (2010), "Supporting Research Students", Collection Building, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 162-162. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604951011088907

Barbara Allan is Director of Learning and Teaching in the Business School and Director of the Centre for Innovations in Learning and Teaching at the University of Hull, UK. Dr Allan is also a prolific writer, having published ten books and several journal articles in professional publications, and she is recognised for her innovative work in e‐learning and e‐mentoring.

The main message of Supporting Research Students is centered on the concept that if information specialists better understand the basic foundations of how academic research is constructed, then they will be able to reach and better serve the increased population of postgraduate students coming from diverse spectrum backgrounds. These students are currently, or will soon be, working on the final research postgraduate requirement – usually a written dissertation.

As the author points out, an academic research dissertation is a complex and intensive piece of work and an intense project. The type of doctoral degree and the educational and cultural background of each student influences how they work and complete their research requirement. This book provides the information specialist with a window into this process. It is divided into nine chapters, each one focusing on a particular phase of the research process. This book also represents the personal experience of the author who, as a part‐time research student, had to manage the many steps of completing a dissertation. Its practical focus presents a realistic view of expectations.

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the material covered in the book, including a description of the different kinds of doctoral programmes. In Chapter 2 the author presents a general introduction to the research process, including the different research methodologies, data collection, and data analysis. The next chapter is about the experience of being a research student: getting started, selecting a topic and designing the research. Chapter 4 covers topics such as literature review, fieldwork or lab experiments, the writing of results, and preparing for the oral examination. Chapter 5 identifies selected skills and training successful students must acquire. It includes a section on the use of information sources. Chapter 6 discusses programmes academic libraries can create to support these type of users. The next chapter presents a case study about virtual postgraduate studies and its implications for the academic library. Chapter 8 provides insight about research communities, including professional organisations, the role of conferences, and online research networks. Finally, Chapter 9 provides information about professional development for librarians working with research students.

The author makes reference to specific books and software packages that are useful for data collection, data analysis, finding funding for research projects, etc. This book is recommended for academic libraries, as well as for large public libraries and for the information professional working with postgraduate students.