Mentoring

Background
PSU Policies
PowerPoint Presentations
Case Studies
Online Learning Tools
Articles

According to the American Psychological Association, "Mentoring responsibilities include sharing knowledge and skills, overseeing the trainee's work, helping the trainee to make contact with other researchers, and assisting with career counseling. The trainee reciprocates by providing work hours and a fresh perspective for the mentor, and taking a proactive role in learning, developing, and landing a job." (1)

Whether the term used is advisor, supervisor, trainer, mentor, or something else, relationships between graduate students and those with greater experience are extremely important in both education and professional development. In addition to assisting students with meeting graduate degree requirements, mentors introduce students to the standards of conduct within their profession, and model the responsible conduct of research and scholarship. Often students will interact with more than one mentor over the course of their graduate education, which can be beneficial to the student, but also challenging as each relationship may differ in style and purpose.

The relationship between a mentor and a trainee is complex, and may vary depending on the amount of time spent together, the nature of the research or scholarship, the amount of independence typically afforded to (or expected of) students in the field, and the personalities of the individuals involved. Mentors may assume that they do not need to be explicit about expectations, or that trainees will take the initiative in presenting research results or asking questions. Trainees may assume that a busy mentor doesn't want to be disturbed, or that a lack of feedback implies satisfactory (or perhaps unsatisfactory) performance. In addition, the pressures faced by both mentor and trainee, especially if working in a competitive field, can strain a relationship.

Avoiding ambiguity in expectations and roles can help maintain a professional working relationship that is beneficial to both parties. Many institutions now advocate that mentors and trainees agree on a set of written expectations, in the form of a "compact" or "development plan". Some guidelines that can be set at the beginning of the relationship include:

• How much time the trainee is expected to spend on research
• How much interaction the trainee can expect from the mentor, and what form that interaction will take
• How responsibilities are shared or divided
• How credit is assigned (for ideas, work, or publications)
• Who owns data or results
• When does the trainee become independent

Like any relationship, an ongoing collaboration between mentor and trainee requires attention and care. Free & open communication, trust, mutual respect, and honesty are key components. Both trainee and mentor have a responsibility to communicate concerns and questions before issues arise that cannot be resolved; likewise, both parties need to be receptive and respond promptly to situations that need attention or clarification.

References

1. APA online, Mentoring (2008) American Psychological Association,
   http://www.apa.org/science/rcr/mentoring.html

Resources