Synthesis Worksheet involving Development of Doctoral Identity

Introduction
Capture interest:
The importance of doctoral identity cannot be overemphasized. By the end of doctoral education, students must have skills, knowledge, habits, and values that are consistent with their professional role.
Context:
Doctoral identity, also referred to a professional identity, denotes “the relatively stable and enduring constellation of attributes, beliefs, values, motives, and experiences in terms of which people define themselves in a professional role” (Smith & Hatmaker, 2015, p. 547). This identity indicates to others that an individual possesses a unique set of skills and abilities. The development of professional identity is facilitated by a number of factors, including individual, interpersonal, and institutional factors (Gardner, 2009; Baker & Pifer, 2011). Gardner (2009), Baker & Pifer (2011), and Smith & Hatmaker (2015) provide valuable information on doctoral identity formation.
Statement of common themes:
Three common themes that emerge from the three articles include: academic success, relationships, and individual efforts
Thesis statement:
Academic success, relationships, and individual efforts are vital for the development of doctoral identity.
Theme One:
Academic Success
Baker and Pifer (2011):
An important aspect of doctoral identity formation is academic success. What does academic success in the context of doctoral education mean? According to Baker & Pifer (2011), success in doctoral education can be described as successful transition from dependency on faculty to independence. A successful doctoral student is one who has passed candidacy exams, completed coursework, and finished the dissertation process. The student possesses comprehensive knowledge of academic language and research skills.
Gardner (2009):
For Gardner (2009), academic success in doctoral education remains an elusive concept. The concept may mean several things. It may mean high grade point averages, achievement in coursework, year-to-year persistence, dissertation completion, retention, degree conclusion, and entering the academic community upon graduation. These aspects are critical for doctoral identity formation.
Smith and Hatmaker (2015):
Whereas Smith & Hatmaker’s (2015) research focuses on the influence of individual, relational, and institutional factors on doctoral identity development, it offers valuable insights on academic success in the context of doctoral education. Participants in the study identified research skills as a crucial hallmark of doctoral success. Doctoral students must be able to produce research that adds to the body of knowledge, immerse themselves in their field, and to disseminate knowledge to the academic community. Such abilities demonstrate an individual’s doctoral identity.
Theme Two:
Relationships
Baker and Pifer (2011):
The central theme of Baker & Pifer’s (2011) research is relationships. The research demonstrates the importance of relationships in the transition from doctoral student to independent scholar. Students’ relationships with faculty help students to hone their research and writing skills, an important hallmark of doctoral identity. Students should establish relationships with not only faculty members, but also peers and professionals in their field.
Gardner (2009):
Gardner (2009) also supports the connection between relationships and doctoral identity development. Members of faculty serve as not only teachers, but also advisors, mentors, and role models to students. As such as, healthy student-faculty relationships contribute to doctoral identity development. Such relationships may be formed through activities such as mentoring as well as formal and informal discussions between students and faculty.
Smith and Hatmaker (2015):
According to Smith & Hatmaker (2015), mentoring relationships between students and faculty play a crucial role in professional identity construction. Mentoring relationships contribute to doctoral identity development by offering not only career support, but also psychosocial support. Through faculty-student relationships, students gain access to information, networks, and resources necessary for doctoral identity construction. Mentoring relationships may be formal (institutionalized) or informal. Formal relationships are encouraged and organized by the institution, while informal relationships are formed outside the support of the institution.
Theme Three:
Individual Efforts
Baker and Pifer (2011):
Whereas institutional factors and relationships are vital for doctoral identity development, initiatives must also be taken at the individual level. As demonstrated by Baker & Pifer (2011), the transition from doctoral student to independent scholar requires a great deal of self-direction. In other words, an individual must take responsibility for their own learning and development.
Gardner (2009):
Gardner (2009) also acknowledges that student characteristics are important ingredients of academic success. This basically means that individuals with certain characteristics are more likely to succeed in doctoral education compared to the rest. For instance, a student who has the ability to take initiative is more likely to succeed compared to one without such ability. Equally, self-directed or self-motivated students are likely to be more successful than others. The resultant success contributes to doctoral identity development. Essentially, the possession of certain habits and values at the individual level is essential for the construction of doctoral identity.
Smith and Hatmaker (2015):
For Smith & Hatmaker (2015), professional socialization is driven by not only by student-faculty relationships and other institutionalized tactics, but also individual efforts. In other words, individuals must be proactive in obtaining the skills and knowledge pertinent to their profession. For instance, individuals can enhance doctoral identity development by joining a professional organization and reaching out to experienced professionals in their relevant field. Individual efforts may also involve emulating faculty, initiating research projects, and building reputation.




Statement of Conclusion
Overall, the development of professional identity within the context of doctoral education is crucial. Developing this identity requires a proper understanding of what academic success means. Professional identity development is also driven by individual and relational factors. In essence, doctoral identity formation is not just about achieving high grades or completing a dissertation: students must also focus on developing certain habits as well as building networks with peers, faculty, administrators, and professionals.




References
Baker, V. L., & Pifer, M. J. (2011). The role of relationships in the transition from doctor to independent scholar. Studies in Continuing Education, 33(1), 5-17.
doi: 10.1080/0158037X.2010.515569
doi: 10.1353/rhe.0.0075
Gardner, S. K. (2009). Conceptualizing success in doctoral education: Perspectives of faculty in seven disciplines. The Review of Higher Education, 32(3), 383-406.
Smith, A. E., & Hatmaker, D. M. (2014). Knowing, doing, and becoming: Professional identity construction among public affairs doctoral students. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 20(4), 545-564.