From researching professional to professional researcher: Learning the rules of the game

Clark, Tim

Abstract

Professional doctorates have been characterised as distinct from traditional PhD routes due to their intended focus on developing ‘researching professionals’ as opposed to ‘professional researchers’ (Butcher & Sieminski, 2006). This chapter provides a reflection on my personal transition from a professional doctoral student in education and a professional role as a leader in early education, to an early career researcher role in a UK university. Highlighting the potential limitations of professional doctorates in terms of academic socialisation, I conceptualise the transition to the role of professional researcher as a process of learning to play a new game, involving hidden rules and navigating a series of hurdles, relating to identity, productivity and performance. In response to these, I reflect that prioritising the development of collegial relationships, focussing on honesty and seeking to directly influence research culture all have a key role in terms of self-care and wellbeing as collective considerations.

• Online Publication Date: Sep 30, 2024
• Publication Date: Sep 30, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jan 16, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 31, 2026
• Publisher: Routledge
• Series Title: Wellbeing and Self-care in Higher Education
• Book Title: Navigating Tensions and Transitions in Higher Education: Effective Skills for Maintaining Wellbeing and Self-care
• Chapter Number: 9
• ISBN: 9781032698588
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11616580
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/Navigating-Tensions-and-Transitions-in-Higher-Education-Effective-Skills-for-Maintaining-Wellbeing-and-Self-care/Hammond-Lemon/p/book/9781032701363
• Contract Date: Dec 8, 2023