Expanding Research in Academic Advising: Methodological Strategies to Engage Advisors in Research

Abstract

Research in academic advising has traditionally been conducted and disseminated by faculty researchers, graduate students, and higher education administrators (including advising directors). While significant in developing a body of literature to guide academic advising, the sources of the contribution also suggest that the frontline advisor does not actively participate in the inquiry process. The advising practitioner is an underutilized source of understanding that would offer breadth and depth to advising research. We offer a rationale for expanding the scholarship of advising and provide three research strategies (action inquiry, grounded theory, and program evaluation) that are each suited for addressing the various numbers and types of inquiry in higher education.