Academy of Research Education

Working with Edward Tufte’s theory of data graphics, this class will cover best practices in graphical communication for creating effective data visualizations. Topics to be addressed include the data-ink ratio, accessibility, pre-attentive processing, cognitive load, visual emphasis, and misleading visualizations. 

Cohort Description: The purpose of the ARED Research Mentoring Certificate is to increase high-quality research mentoring.  The certificate involves six classes presented in Canvas course format, accompanied by (5) five live meetings held via Zoom.

Spring 2025

Research mentors play crucial roles in the development of emerging scholars. Elements of Effective Mentoring/Developing a Mentoring Philosophy is the first class in the Research Mentoring Certificate and provides a foundation for the remainder of the certificate classes.

Establishing expectations and maintaining effective communication are the cornerstones of the mentoring relationship. In this class we will cover strategies for successful communication between mentors and mentees, with a focus on the necessity for a mutual understanding of expectations, the use of various modes of communication, the ways in which power differentials affect communication, and the importance of mutual feedback between mentors and mentees. During the live class meeting, we will use case studies to explore potential communication issues and ways of addressing them.

It is important to understand when a mentee requires help, as well as when they are ready to independently carry out a task or project. The class covers frameworks for understanding research mentee development, the effective use of mentee onboarding processes, and the role of mistakes in a mentee’s development. During the live class meeting, we will use case studies to explore issues in understanding and fostering independence.

While academic reading and writing can be challenging even for the most experienced researchers, the highly specialized discourses of our disciplines can be particularly mystifying and intimidating for emerging researchers. This class covers principles and strategies for supporting mentees’ academic literacies, and encourages mentors to recognize and value language diversity. During the live class meeting, we will use case studies to explore issues in the development of mentees’ academic literacies.