Becoming Researchers: Doctoral Students’ Initial Journeys into Qualitative Research

Using archival data from 39 former doctoral students’ research journals, I sought to understand their experiences related to becoming researchers and learning how to do qualitative research. Each semester, I asked students to use their journals to reflect on their research processes including data collection and analysis, their researcher identities, and their lessons learned. Data were analyzed using NVivo to explore students’ experiences. Numerous entries in their journals centered on their fears regarding research in general and qualitative research in particular. Many students’ entries also focused on their growth as researchers over the course of the semester. In this presentation, I will discuss my findings related to students’ evolving perceptions of qualitative research, their shifts in perceptions of themselves as researchers, and recommendations for how we can assist doctoral students in becoming qualitative researchers