Choosing the Thesis by Publication approach: motivations and influencers for doctoral candidates
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Choosing the Thesis by Publication approach: motivations and influencers for doctoral candidates Shannon Mason1,2 · Margaret K. Merga3 · Julia E. Morris4 Received: 18 July 2019 / Accepted: 27 November 2019 © The Australian Association for Research in Education, Inc. 2019
Abstract The primary research output of a contemporary doctoral journey is no longer lim‑ ited to a traditional thesis. Amongst other possibilities, current doctoral candidates may choose to produce a Thesis by Publication (TBP). However, very little is known about the factors shaping doctoral candidates’ decisions to adopt a TBP approach during their doctoral journey. This paper reports on quantitative and qualitative data collected in 2018 and 2019 from 246 recent doctoral graduates from Australian uni‑ versities who completed a TBP. It reports on data exploring when candidates made the decision to select this option, who influenced their decision, and their reasons for choosing the TBP approach. We found that candidates typically adopted a TBP approach early, strongly influenced by their supervisors, to meet vocational, pro‑ motional and process goals. The study has implications for administrators, supervi‑ sors and candidates in selecting the thesis mode that suits the unique needs of each candidate. Keywords Doctoral education · Thesis by Publication · Student motivation
Introduction As is the case in many nations, Australian doctoral students may produce a tradi‑ tional thesis as the primary research output resulting from their doctoral journey. However, there are additional options available to contemporary doctoral students, with changes in doctoral education allowing for diversity in approaches (Poyatos * Shannon Mason shan@nagasaki‑u.ac.jp 1
Faculty of Education, Nagasaki University, 1‑14 Bunkyo‑machi, Nagasaki 852‑8131, Japan
2
School of Education, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
3
School of Education, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
4
School of Education, Edith Cowan University, 2 Bradford St, Mt Lawley, WA 6050, Australia
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Matas 2012), in a context of increasing focus on the employability of Australian higher education graduates (Molla and Cuthbert 2015). In the current doctoral edu‑ cation context with more diversity and flexibility in options, doctoral candidates must make the choice as to the mode of delivery that best suits their skills and attributes (Merga et al. 2019a) and current vocational goals. One such option is the Thesis by Publication (TBP). While known by various names, for the purposes of our research, we conceptualise the TBP as a thesis that strategically incorporates research outputs (such as journal articles and conference papers), with these out‑ puts published (or at least prepared for publication) during candidature (Mason and Merga 2018; Robins and Kanowski 2008). Where students successfully complete a TBP, this may also have benefits for their host institution, as these research outputs can make a valuable
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