Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs
Undergraduate and master’s programs—thesis- or non-thesis-based—provide students with opportunities to develop research skills that vary depending on their degree requirements. However, there is a lack of clarity and consistency regarding the definition of a research skill and the components that ar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/642 |
| _version_ | 1797473655370809344 |
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| author | Kayla Vieno Kem A. Rogers Nicole Campbell |
| author_facet | Kayla Vieno Kem A. Rogers Nicole Campbell |
| author_sort | Kayla Vieno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Undergraduate and master’s programs—thesis- or non-thesis-based—provide students with opportunities to develop research skills that vary depending on their degree requirements. However, there is a lack of clarity and consistency regarding the definition of a research skill and the components that are taught, practiced, and assessed. In response to this ambiguity, an environmental scan and a literature search were conducted to inform the creation of a comprehensive list of research skills that can be applied across programs and disciplines. Although published studies directly comparing research skills in thesis and non-thesis programs were limited, the specific skills reported in each program type were similar. This viewpoint article identifies the following seven research skills that were most frequently reported across <i>both</i> thesis and non-thesis programs: critical appraisal, information synthesis, decision making, problem solving, data collection, data analysis, and communication. When contextualized appropriately, these skills can be useful for a student during their academic program and are transferable across a range of future career pathways. Broadening the definition of “research skills” can inform curricular updates and program development, independent of their program type, to ensure that students are presented with explicit opportunities to develop the skills needed to succeed in their educational and occupational endeavours. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c1ec3f41b6c4acb9b5249032c5f1359 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:20:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c1ec3f41b6c4acb9b5249032c5f13592023-11-23T23:50:51ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-09-01121064210.3390/educsci12100642Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s ProgramsKayla Vieno0Kem A. Rogers1Nicole Campbell2Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, CanadaDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, CanadaDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, CanadaUndergraduate and master’s programs—thesis- or non-thesis-based—provide students with opportunities to develop research skills that vary depending on their degree requirements. However, there is a lack of clarity and consistency regarding the definition of a research skill and the components that are taught, practiced, and assessed. In response to this ambiguity, an environmental scan and a literature search were conducted to inform the creation of a comprehensive list of research skills that can be applied across programs and disciplines. Although published studies directly comparing research skills in thesis and non-thesis programs were limited, the specific skills reported in each program type were similar. This viewpoint article identifies the following seven research skills that were most frequently reported across <i>both</i> thesis and non-thesis programs: critical appraisal, information synthesis, decision making, problem solving, data collection, data analysis, and communication. When contextualized appropriately, these skills can be useful for a student during their academic program and are transferable across a range of future career pathways. Broadening the definition of “research skills” can inform curricular updates and program development, independent of their program type, to ensure that students are presented with explicit opportunities to develop the skills needed to succeed in their educational and occupational endeavours.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/642research skillsmaster’s educationundergraduate educationthesis-based degreesnon-thesis-based degreescurriculum design |
| spellingShingle | Kayla Vieno Kem A. Rogers Nicole Campbell Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs Education Sciences research skills master’s education undergraduate education thesis-based degrees non-thesis-based degrees curriculum design |
| title | Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs |
| title_full | Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs |
| title_fullStr | Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs |
| title_short | Broadening the Definition of ‘Research Skills’ to Enhance Students’ Competence across Undergraduate and Master’s Programs |
| title_sort | broadening the definition of research skills to enhance students competence across undergraduate and master s programs |
| topic | research skills master’s education undergraduate education thesis-based degrees non-thesis-based degrees curriculum design |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/642 |
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