RESEARCH MENTORING & SUPERVISION

Ador R. Torneo, Ph.D.

Full Professor & Research Fellow – Political Science and Development Studies
Editor-in-Chief, Asia-Pacific Social Science Review (Scopus)
Director – De La Salle University, Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance
De La Salle University
How do we learn research? How did we learn research?
Research is difficult to learn alone
 Charles Le Brun - Entry of Alexander into Babylon (1665)
Source: Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Le_Brun_-_Entry_of_Alexander_into_Babylon.JPG
Source: Wikimedia Commons
 One very good
way to learn is by
doing research
under the
supervision and
mentorship of a
more experienced
researcher
Source: Business Agility
https://www.business-agility.com/design-development/
 65% of Nobel Prize
winners had at least one
mentor who was also a
Nobel Prize winner
WHAT DO RESEARCH MENTORS &
SUPERVISORS DO?
RESEARCH SUPERVISION

Guiding students through their graduate degree, esp. in research

• Offering advice in the field of study
• Providing direction for research
• Setting milestones
• Monitoring progress
• Providing feedback, encouragement, support
• Selection of examiners

The University of Sydney. (n.d.) Research supervision. Retrieved from: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/research-

supervision.html

Leder, G. C. (1995). Higher degree research supervision: a question of balance. Australian Universities' Review, The, 38(2), 5-8.
RESEARCH MENTORING
Differentiated by some from the task-oriented nature of research
supervision
• Acting as a soundboard for ideas
• Coaching
• Sharing knowledge, skills, network
• Facilitating, encouraging, and supporting growth
• Offering advice
• Providing feedback
 Mentors refer to people/s with expertise
who can help mentees develop and
accomplish their goals in either a
Research personal or professional capacity

Mentors and
Supervisors Supervisors refer to people/s who are
tasked to guide and direct others
(learners) perform and accomplish
specific tasks, projects, or objectives
 WHAT DO RESEARCH MENTORS &
SUPERVISORS NEED TO KNOW/HAVE?
Source: Question Pro, https://www.questionpro.com/blog/what-is-research/
 What research is. (Elements, Process,
Objectives)
What the research is for. (Expected
outcomes)
What is being researched.* (Subject matter
Basic Knowledge for familiarity)
Research Mentor/
How research is done. (Philosophy,
Supervisors Methodology, Skills)
How research is learned. (Pedagogy,
Coaching/Mentoring)
Who are the learners are. (Learner-Centered)
 THE RESEARCH CYCLE
Identify research
problem & state
research question

Review related
Conclude and make
literature
recommendations

Formulate framework
Analyze data and (if applicable)
hypothesis

Choose data
Collect data collection method &
analysis
SOME RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

Source: (Creswell, 2013)

Source: (Creswell, 2013)
Inductive Research Design Deductive Research Design
DIFFERENT RESEARCH DESIGNS BY METHOD

Compatible with Deductive Compatible with Inductive

Research Designs Research Designs

Source: (Creswell, 2013)

 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS:
NONEXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS

Descriptive Correlational Causal-Comparative

Research Research Research
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS:
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS

Pre-experimental Quasi-Experimental Experimental

Research Research Research
COMMON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS:
INTEGRATED

Ethnographic Research

Case Study* Narrative Research

Qualitative
Methods

Phenomenological Research Action Research*

Grounded Theory Research

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

Qualitative Data Quantitative Data

Key Informant Interviews Surveys
Focus Group Discussion Experiments
Observation Pre-experiments/ Quasi-
Participant-Observation experiments
Archival Research Secondary data
Document analysis Data mining/ Analytics
Artifacts* Text analysis
METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS

Qualitative Data Quantitative Data

Narrative analysis Descriptive statistics
Discourse analysis Comparison
Content analysis Tests of Association
Thematic analysis Correlational analysis
Text analysis Regression analysis
Hermeneutics
Comparative methods
 Source: Anatomy Labeled
https://humananatomylibrary.co/photos/978256/abstract-
word-cloud-for-natural-science-with-related-tags-and-
abstract-word-cloud-for-natural-science-with-related-tags-
and-terms-stock-photo-16529645.asp

Source: Institute of Entrepreneurship Development

https://ied.eu/social-sciences-and-humanities-ssh/

Familiarity with subject

matter is important
What if I do not have expertise on my
student’s topic?

What if I am not familiar with the

methodology?
KNOW YOUR STUDENTS, KNOW YOURSELF

Source: Deviant Art, https://www.deviantart.com/ri-m/art/MBTI-Chart-chibis-305288969

Source: Center for Teaching, Vanderbilt University
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/
 Categories of Science Process Skills
Acquisitive Organizational Creative Manipulative Communicative
Listening Recording Planning ahead Using instruments Questioning
Observing Comparing Designing Demonstrating Discussing
Searching Contrasting Inventing Experimenting Explaining
Inquiring Classifying Synthesizing Constructing Reporting
Investigating Organizing Calibrating Writing
Gathering data Outlining Criticizing
Researching Reviewing Graphing
Evaluating Teaching
Analyzing

Source: Trowbridge, Bybee, and Powell (2000)

Source: Digital Learning Strategy, University of South Australia
https://lo.unisa.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=610988&chapterid=102030

Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison

https://courses.dcs.wisc.edu/design-teaching/PlanDesign_Fall2016/2-Online-Course-
Design/3_Learning-Assessments/7_assessments-CATs.html
 Assignment stage *

Leveling of expectations

Stages in Planning stage

Supervising Implementation stage

Research Review stage

Revisions stage

Finalization and communication stage

REVIEWING OUR MENTEE/ADVISEE’S WORK
• Form
• Formatting
• Organization
• Grammar and Syntax
• Plagiarism
• Substance
• Adequacy
• Clarity and Coherence
• Alignment
Typical Challenges in
Supervising Research
• Communication
• Scheduling
• Execution
• Ethics
• Writing
 EXPECTATIONS ARE FOCUS AND EMPHASIS ON FORM

Pitfalls to Avoid
NOT CLEAR OBJECTIVES ARE NOT WHILE MISSING OUT
CLEAR TO BEGIN ON SUBSTANCE
WITH

in Supervising
Research
INSTRUCTIONS ARE REVIEWS ARE TOO SUPERVISOR TURNS
NOT WELL INFREQUENT OR TOO INTO A CRITIC
UNDERSTOOD LATE INSTEAD OF AN
ADVOCATE
CAN RESEARCH SUPERVISORS BE A CO-AUTHOR?
• As a general principle, the students are the primary authors and
owners of their own research work (e.g., thesis, dissertations)
• Research Supervisors who do their job will have some intellectual
contribution to the research of students they supervised
• Research Supervisors, however, are not automatically entitled to co-
authorship of derivative studies arising from these research work
• Institutions have their own rules regarding eligibility for authorship, it
is best to consult this and communicate it to all stakeholders early
CAN RESEARCH SUPERVISORS BE A CO-AUTHOR?
• International systems like CRediT – Contributor Roles Taxonomy, link:
CRediT - Contributor Roles Taxonomy (casrai.org) can facilitate
recognition of contributions and assignment of co-authorship
• The Vancouver Convention, link: ICMJE | Recommendations |
Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors also has
recommendations on authorship
• Rules on authorship and co-authorship should be clearly
communicated to and discussed with students at the onset to avoid
any potential disagreements later; it is best when institutionalized
 • Read as many research papers as you can
• Familiarize yourself with different ways of
doing research
Tips for • Gain as much research experience as you
Improving can; we cannot give what we do not have
• Pay very close attention to the needs of
Research your research mentees
• Whenever possible, show, don’t tell
Supervision • Set a regular schedule for consultation,
submission, review
• Read research textbooks; find a good,
practical research textbook you can use
Another excellent
way to gain more
research experience
and hone skills is by
collaborating with
other researchers
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
SOME REFERENCES ON RESEARCH DESIGN AND
RESEARCH METHODS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

• Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
Sage publications.
• Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage.
• Neuman, W. L. (2011). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. 7th
Edition. International Edition: Pearson Education.
• Schutt, R. K. (2018). Investigating the social world: The process and practice of research. Sage
publications.
• Babbie, E. R. (2014). The basics of social research. CA: Wadsworth.
Maraming Salamat!

Practical Research 1 & 2, Phoenix/SIBS Publishing House