Working with Research Assistants: Guidelines for Mutually Beneficial Relationships

Faculty members can face a multitude of demands as they strive to advance through the ranks in academia. The need to demonstrate proficiency in research, teaching, and service can be overwhelming and leave faculty feeling conflicted about where to direct their efforts. By utilizing research assistantships, faculty can receive support to advance their programs of research while simultaneously positioning themselves as effective teachers and agents of the university. In this paper we discuss the role faculty play in research assistants’ development and offer guidelines to facilitate successful research assistantships.