The role of scientific communication in predicting science identity and research career intention

Abstract

The number of biomedical sciences PhDs persisting in academic faculty careers has been declining. As one potential influence on trainees' intention to persist, we investigate the development of scientific communication (SC) skills, hypothesizing that attitudes and behaviors regarding scientific writing, speaking, and presenting predict academic research career intention, through science identity. After adapting a social-cognitive career theoretical model of SC to include science identity and mentor practices, we conducted a longitudinal survey of 185 doctoral and postdoctoral fellows. Structural equation modeling was used to examine relationships among SC productivity, SC self-efficacy, SC outcome expectations, mentor practices in SC, science identity, and research career intention. Results confirmed the overall model and revealed additional specific pathways: SC productivity and SC outcome expectations directly predicted career intention; SC productivity and mentor practices predicted science identity through SC self-efficacy. Demographic factors did not predict intention when controlling for SC variables. Findings support a model of SC skill development as a predictor of research career intention (R 2 = .32). The finding that SC language use predicts science identity has important sociolinguistic implications. The key factors in this process are actionable at the trainee, mentor, and institutional levels, suggesting potential for SC interventions to increase career persistence.

Translating mentoring interventions research into practice: Evaluation of an evidence-based workshop for research mentors on developing trainees’ scientific communication skills

“…Finally, science identity and mentoring in SC predict “Outcome Expectations for SC,” or trainees’ anticipated consequences of engaging in SC, which then predicts career intention. See Cameron, Lee [ 10 ] for further detail.…”

“…Interventions to enhance mentoring quality have been shown to influence factors related to trainee research career intention and persistence such as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and science identity [ 2 – 7 ]. One important facet of mentoring that has been shown to have a measurable impact on these factors and on intention to remain in a research career overall is scientific communication (SC) skill development [ 8 – 10 ]. STEM faculty rarely have training in the dynamics of communication skill development, however, and most persevere in their mentoring unaware of the wealth of methods developed in communication-related fields.…”

“…We define SC as writing, speaking, and presenting, with speaking defined as non-scripted communication (asking questions, speaking up) and presenting as scripted (formal research talk). It has previously been shown that not only are SC skills foundational, practical skills that trainees will use throughout their future careers, they are also psychologically linked to science identity [ 10 ]. Two previous studies, which used cross-sectional surveys and longitudinal surveys of research trainees, indicated that mentoring trainees specifically in the development of SC skills, as well as active engagement of trainees in all modes of SC, increase trainees’ intention to remain in research careers [ 8 , 9 ].…”

“…Two previous studies, which used cross-sectional surveys and longitudinal surveys of research trainees, indicated that mentoring trainees specifically in the development of SC skills, as well as active engagement of trainees in all modes of SC, increase trainees’ intention to remain in research careers [ 8 , 9 ]. The social-cognitive constructs of self-efficacy in and outcome expectations for acquiring SC skills, together with science identity, predicted this increase in research career intention [ 10 ].…”

Identifying Effective Mentors in Scientific Communication: A Latent Profile Analysis of Mentor Beliefs

“…Trainees' SciComm productivity, self-efficacy, and interest in SciComm activities, as well as outcome expectations relative to the impact of SciComm skills on career success, have been predictive of intention to pursue a research career (Cameron et al, 2015). In the latent variable structural models reported in these studies, both the previous SciComm products that trainees had produced (e.g., preparing a draft of a manuscript, presenting a poster or oral talk at a scientific meeting) and the mentoring in SciComm that trainees perceived they had received from their mentors were significant predictors of trainees' appraisals of their abilities or self-efficacy in SciComm tasks, which served as a crucial mediator in predicting their career choice (Cameron et al, 2020). These results support three of the four hypothesized sources of self-efficacy in trainees, as conceived by Bandura (1986Bandura ( , 1997, within the task domain of SciComm: personal mastery experiences, represented by SciComm productivity; and verbal persuasion and vicarious learning, as reflected in the mentoring practices construct.…”