ARTICLE

A SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST ANALYSIS OF THE CHALLENGES RESEARCHERS FACE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPERVISORS DURING ACADEMIC RESEARCH

  1. HOME
  2. ARTICLE

48 Pages : 508-523

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gesr.2022(VII-II).48      10.31703/gesr.2022(VII-II).48      Published : Jun 2022

A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research

Abstract

    This study explores the problems and obstacles researchers face while maintaining a successful relationship with their supervisors during academic research. Symbolic interaction believes that relationships depend on interaction and can be interpreted symbolically. A constructivist paradigm was used for this qualitative study using focused group discussions with postgraduate students from public universities in Punjab, Pakistan. A purposive sampling strategy was used and 10 focused group discussions were conducted with 4-7 participants in each group. After the coding, the data were thematically analyzed. The themes revealed that researchers' own lack of motivation and aptitude are the most prevalent problems. Also, supervisors' lack of expertise, unavailability, lack of commitment and even abandonment, their professional engagements and their attitude cause trouble in the development of a successful relationship. However, positive reinforcements, the role of expectations in shaping the relationship and accountability are some of the suggested ways that can improve the relationship.

    Symbolic Interaction, Researchers, Supervisors, Academic Research

    (1) Ayesha Shahzad
    Assistant Professor, Department of STEM Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Uzma Quraishi
    Department of STEM Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (3) Afifa Khanam
    Assistant Professor, Department of STEM Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Fulltext PDF

References

  • Adam, D., Yeboah, A., & Ankrah, A. K. (2016). Constructivism Philosophical Paradigm: Implication for Research, Teaching and Learning. Global Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(10), 1- 9.
  • Ali, J., Ullah, H., & Sanauddin, N. (2019). Postgraduate Research Supervision: Exploring the Lived Experience of Pakistani Postgraduate Students. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, 13(1), 14-25.
  • Ali, M. S. B., Shah, A. A., & Sarwar, M. (2021). Analysis of MPhil/PhD Supervisors Relationship Development and Communication Competence. Global Social Sciences Review (GSSR), 6(1), 429- 438. http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).43
  • Azure, J. A. (2016). Students Perspective of Effective Supervision of Graduate Programmes in Ghana. American Journal of Educational Research 169, 4(2), 163- 169. http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/4/2/4
  • Bastalich, W. (2017). Content and context in knowledge production: a critical review of doctoral supervision literature' Studies in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(7), 1145-1157. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1079702
  • Blumer, H. (1986). Symbolic Interactionism. University of California Press.
  • Cekiso, M., Tshotsho, B., Masha, R., & Saziwa, T. (2019). Supervision Experiences of Postgraduate Research Students at One South African Higher Education Institution. South African Journal of Higher Education, 33(3), 8-25. https://doi.org/10.20853/33-3-2913
  • Denny, E., & Wekesser, A. (2022). How to do qualitative research? Qualitative research methods. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology BJOG, 1161-1162. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17150
  • Haq, I. U., & Faridi, R. A. (2021). Evaluating the Research Productivity of Pakistan in the 21st Century. In Handbook of Research on Records and Information Management Strategies for Enhanced Knowledge Coordination 407-423. IGI Global https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/4853
  • Huber, G., & Knights, D. (2021). Identity Work and Pedagogy: Revisiting George Herbert Mead as a Vehicle for Critical Management Education and Learning. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 21(2), 1-35 https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2020.0212
  • Husin, S. S., Ab Rahman, A. A., & Mukhtar, D. (2021, September 15). The Symbolic Interactionism Theory: A Systematic Literature Review of Current Research. International Journal of Modern Trends in Social Sciences, 4(17), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijmtss.417010
  • Linh, N. P. (2019). Symbolic Interactionism from Theoretical Origin to the Role of Social Interaction and International Integration. British Journal of English Linguistics, 7(7), 18-24.
  • Masek, A. (2017). Establishing Supervisor- Students Relationships through Mutual Expectation: A Study from Supervisors Point of View. International Research and Innovation Summit (IRIS2017), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/226/1/012200
  • Masek, A., & Alias, M. (2020). A Review of Effective Doctoral Supervision: What Is It and How Can We Achieve It? Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(6), 2493-2500
  • Mathur, A. (2019). An Empirical Study of Problems Faced by Researchers of Delhi NCR during their Ph.D. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 28(16), 499-506. http://sersc.org/journals/index.php/IJAST/article/view/1819
  • Mohajan, H. (2018). Qualitative Research Methodology in Social Sciences andRelated Subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), 23-48. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/85654/
  • Nugraheni, A. A., & Nurhaeni, I. D. A. (2021). Symbolic interaction of internal auditor in the implementation of consultation activities. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1(1), 724- 736 https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/724/1/012098
  • Qazi, T. F., Niazi, A. A. K., & Inam, S. (2019). Evaluating Research Performance of Leading Pakistani Universities: A Grey Relational Analysis. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, 13(2), 155- 169. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020902085
  • Rugut, C. K. (2019). Expectations of the Student-Supervisor Relationship in Doctoral Studies. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 3(11), 344-350.
  • Schmidt, M., & Hansson, E. (2021). “I didnt want to be a troublemaker” – Doctoral Students Experiences of Change in Supervisory Arrangements. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-02-2021-0011
  • Shinta, M. N., & Darmawati, B. (2021). Nonverbal Communication of Supervisors in the Mentoring Thesis Process: Perceptions of English Students. Al-Lisan: Jurnal Bahasa (e-Journal), 6(1), 1-11. https://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/a
  • Siljanovska, L., & Stojcevska, S. (2019). A Critical Analysis of Interpersonal Communication in Modern Times of the Concept "Looking Glass Self (1902) by Charles Horton Cooley. SEEU Review, 13(1), 62- 74. https://doi.org/10.2478/seeur-2018-0007

Cite this article

APA

    APA : Shahzad, A., Quraishi, U., & Khanam, A. (2022). A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research. Global Educational Studies Review, VII(II), 508-523 . https://doi.org/10.31703/gesr.2022(VII-II).48

CHICAGO

    CHICAGO : Shahzad, Ayesha, Uzma Quraishi, and Afifa Khanam. 2022. "A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research." Global Educational Studies Review, VII (II): 508-523 doi: 10.31703/gesr.2022(VII-II).48

HARVARD

    HARVARD : SHAHZAD, A., QURAISHI, U. & KHANAM, A. 2022. A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research. Global Educational Studies Review, VII, 508-523 .

MHRA

    MHRA : Shahzad, Ayesha, Uzma Quraishi, and Afifa Khanam. 2022. "A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research." Global Educational Studies Review, VII: 508-523

MLA

    MLA : Shahzad, Ayesha, Uzma Quraishi, and Afifa Khanam. "A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research." Global Educational Studies Review, VII.II (2022): 508-523 Print.

OXFORD

    OXFORD : Shahzad, Ayesha, Quraishi, Uzma, and Khanam, Afifa (2022), "A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research", Global Educational Studies Review, VII (II), 508-523

TURABIAN

    TURABIAN : Shahzad, Ayesha, Uzma Quraishi, and Afifa Khanam. "A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of the Challenges Researchers Face in their Relationship with the Supervisors during Academic Research." Global Educational Studies Review VII, no. II (2022): 508-523 . https://doi.org/10.31703/gesr.2022(VII-II).48