Abstract

The importance of supporting the needs of research students has recently risen higher up the academic agenda around the world. Numbers of postgraduate students have expanded, and the traditional PhD has now been joined by a new range of doctoral qualifications including professional doctorates such as the Doctor in Business Administration (DBA). These developments have led to a more diverse student body which now includes senior professional practitioners. This shift has seen an acknowledgement that support services within universities must cater more for the needs of research students. While the library and information profession is a graduate one, a relatively small number of LIS professionals have a research degree. This means that, though they are likely to have experience of carrying out smaller scale research projects, they will not have experienced and internalized the distinct learning processes involved in gaining a doctorate. This timely book offers guidance to enable them to support the specialist needs of research students effectively. Individual chapters are designed to be read and worked through in any order. The key areas covered are: research and the research process; the research student's experience; research skills training; supporting research students in academic libraries and information services; virtual graduate schools; introduction to research communities; and, professional development. This is an essential text for all library and information professionals in higher education institutions globally that cater for the needs of research students. It will also be valuable reading for LIS students.
Professor Barbara Allan is Dean of Westminster Business School. Her background includes managing workplace and academic libraries. She has spent many years working in business schools where her focus is on enhancing learning, teaching and the student experience, and the internationalization agenda. She was awarded a National teaching Fellowship in 2008 from the Higher Education Academy. Barbara is the author of several Facet Publishing titles including: Project Management (2004), Blended Learning (2007) and The No-nonsense Guide to Training in Libraries (2013).
"This book is recommended for academic libraries, as well as for large public libraries and for the information professional working with postgraduate students." - Collection Building
"Barbara Allan's book does live up to the last paragraph of the book by contributing to LIS workers, 'juggling with heavy workloads and competing demands' who certainly will be able to use it to support research students." - Ariadne
"Easily readable, the book is well structured, and has clear objectives and summaries of each chapter...Supporting Research Students provides a much needed lifeline for new academic contact librarians, and will help to refresh the skills and perspective of more experienced librarians." - Australian Academic and Research Libraries