The objectives of this session are: (1) Identify the characteristics of an effective research mentor, (2) Identify issues and problems in thesis/research mentoring. (3) Make a flowchart of the mentoring process

1. The Process of Research
Mentoring
Dr. Carlo Magno
crlmgn@yahoo.com

2. Objectives
• Identify the characteristics of an effective
research mentor
• Identify issues and problems in
thesis/research mentoring
• Make a flowchart of the mentoring process

3. Questions from Stakeholders
• 1. Qualifications of an adviser
• 2. Roles and Responsibilities of advisers
• 3. Characteristics of an ideal adviser
• 4. Millenial strategies in effective mentoring or advising
• 5. Various dilemmas in adviser advisee relationships
and how to deal with such
• 6. Process of advising/mentoring
• 7. Skills needed to be an effective adviser
• 8. Benchmark of advisers fees across Philippine HEIs

4. Research mentoring/advising?
Advising
• Directive: Provides what the
researcher will do
• Specific objectives in the
research process
• Provides specific directions
what the researcher will do
• Focuses to solve a particular
problem
Mentoring
• Non-directive: Allows the
researcher identify their
own research direction
• Allows the researcher to
identify their own research
objectives
• Motivates the researcher to
set their own direction in
their research
• Helping researchers with
their problems as they arise

5. Context of research
mentoring/advising
Relationship
among
professionals
Teacher and
student
relationship

6. Qualifications of research mentor/adviser
Level 7: Published research has gained citations
with impact factor of more than 1.0
Level 6: Published their research in an abstracted
and index journal (ISI/scopus)
Level 5: Published in a national journal/non
abstracted
Level 4: Their research is funded by external
grants
Level 3: Presented their research in conferences
Level 2: Conducted research independently (self-
funded or university funded)
Level 1: Conducted research for
masters/doctoral degree
What is your research
level?

7. Qualifications of research
mentor/adviser
• Has conducted and experienced doing research.
• Has read published researches in journal articles.
• Uses journal articles as standards for the research
content.
• Specialized in a particular research area (not jack of all
trades)
– Has a clear research agenda or research program
• Has time to read students work and provide feedback
to it
• Familiar with methodologies and techniques for data
analysis

8. Roles and Responsibilities
• 1. Ensure that the research work merits
novelty and originality
– Research gaps identified by students addresses
issues in previous published studies
– Students have read and understand the journals
included in the literature review
– Students are expanding and using the right
theoretical/conceptual framework

9. Roles and Responsibilities
• 2. Check the research work of the students
– Provides specific feedback
– Recommends journal articles
– Recommends a particular theoretical framework
– Ensures that the students are not plagiarizing
– Informs students to paraphrase and cite others ideas
– Inform students if the ideas are feasible or not
– Inform students if the process engaged are acceptable
– Provide specific comments on the paper
– Feedback on the grammar and format

10. Roles and Responsibilities
• 3. Engages students in the conceptualization
of the research
– Needs to be familiar with the literature review
– Needs to ask for the journal if not sure about the
research findings
– Corrects the students misconception
– Motivates students to read reviews
– Active conversation with students about recent
research findings and what is next in theorizing

11. Roles and Responsibilities
• 4. Regular meeting with students
– Meet students after checking each draft of the
paper
– Explains the corrections and revisions needed
– Point out the ideas that are not clear
– Sets the schedule for the next meeting

12. Roles and Responsibilities
• 5. Ensures that the students complete their paper
in the allotted time.
– Track the progress of the students
– Ensures that the students edit their work as
recommended by you and the panel
– Check students accomplishment based on the agreed
Gantt chart
– Ensures that students submitted the complete and
acceptable parts
– Message and call students if you feel they are not
progressing

13. Roles and Responsibilities
• 6. Prepare students for the defense
– Conducts a mock defense
– Prepare possible questions
– Provides feedback on the presentation skill
– Provides feedback on the ability to answer
questions
– Directs the students where to find answers

14. Roles and Responsibilities
• 7. Support students during the defense
– Take note of the comments from the panel
– Clarifies ideas form the panel
– Works out the comments into strategies to revise
the paper

15. Characteristics of the mentor/adviser
• Interested in research
• Patient in checking students work
• Able to probe students thinking
• Helpful to students to express their ideas into words
• Always available and approachable
• Professional: shows up on agreed appointments,
checks the paper on time
• Keen on details especially on the written output
• Translates negative comment into questions for
students to answer
• Motivating to students

16. Strategies in mentoring
• 1. Idea generation strategies
– Give time for students to read literature reviews
– Let students synthesize the reviews before stating
the research question
– Brainstorm on the ideas as indicated in the
reviews

17. Strategies in mentoring
• 2. Writing strategies
– Let students organize their ideas into writing
– Brainstorm on the outline and flow of ideas in the
paper
– Help students how to say their ideas into words
– Model the writing style in journal articles
– Feedback on the writing
– Check the grammar
– Check the clarity and accuracy of the ideas in the
paper

18. Strategies in mentoring
• 3. Feedback strategies
– Feedback and revision cycle
– Check the written research report regularly
– Be specific with the comments
– Recommend the organization of the paper
– Ask questions
– Check if the students have done the revision well
and the revised work is acceptable
– Check online or check the hardcopy

19. Strategies in mentoring
• 4. Students work within your research agenda
or research program
– Clarify the department or college research agenda
and align your own research agenda
– Plan the sequence of studies that you want to
make
– Students work on the same research agenda that
you have
– Co-authoring with students when the work is
complete

20. Strategies in mentoring
• 5. Work out with a group that you can handle
– Some advisers/mentors would prefer independent
students
– Some advisers/mentors can handle the difficult
students
– Some advisers/mentors would prefer students
who has the same line of research interest
– Some advisers/mentors would prefer obedient
learners

21. Workshop
• List down problems encountered in the
research mentoring/advising process
• Explain the context of the problem
• Another group is assigned to “ask questions”
about the nature of the problem

22. Flowcharting

23. Example

24. Day 2: Process of advising
• Worshop 1
• Groupwork
• Create a flowchart on the advising process
• Start from the selection of the adviser until
the submission of the bound copies
• Put the process using a flowchart diagram
• Presentation after

25. Day 2: Process of advising
• Workshop 2:
• Group presentation
• What are the things that I realized to be an
effective research adviser or mentor?