Learning and Teaching about Scholarly Communication: Findings from Graduate Students and Mentors

abstract:Graduate students are increasingly expected to publish peer-reviewed scholarship during the course of their studies, yet predictable mentoring and education on academic publishing is not available to all graduate students. Although academic librarians are well positioned to offer such instruction, their efforts are not always informed by comprehensive investigations of what, and how, graduate students need to learn. This study used focus groups with graduate students and faculty mentors to explore strengths and gaps in current mentoring and learning practices, while also discovering and uncovering suggestions and opportunities for further development in education about scholarly publishing. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that current training and mentorship meet some, but not all, of students' needs and preferences. Future library instruction should employ a blended and compassionate approach to teaching about this complex topic, and this study offers a way forward as librarians-as-partners in scholarly communication.