Demystifying Research in Academic Advising

Advisors are in a unique and strategic position to view all aspects of education, including student transitions, course planning, career readiness, as well as important developmental stages of maturity. Observance of these complex processes informs the practice of advising continually, and with a little structure, can be studied systematically to add to the growing body of knowledge related to advising. In this 60-minute videocast presentation, Sarah Champlin-Scharff (Incoming NACADA Research Committee Chair), Wendy Troxel (Research Committee Past Chair), and Shannon Lynn Burton (NACADA Board of Directors and Research Committee member) help advising practitioners gain confidence in conducting research that is integrated into the everyday work of advising. Three critical areas of scholarly inquiry are covered: the identification of a focused study through articulation of purpose and research questions, the relationship between ethical standards for professional practice with those of institutional research boards (IRB) and research integrity, and the ways in which advisors and academic administrators can use existing and original scholarly inquiry to inform practice. The presenters represent these three areas from the lens of the faculty, ethics officers, and advising practitioners, and they discuss ways to identify and connect with colleagues (and students!) to form collaborative research teams.