Doctoral students’ research motivation and outcomes in China: training environment moderation

Abstract

The exploration of factors influencing the output of doctoral research results is meaningful for higher education management. This study’s purpose lay in investigating the influence of motivation and training environment on doctoral students’ research outcomes in the Chinese province of Sichuan. The study aimed to explore whether environment moderates the relation of motivation to research outcome. Through convenience sampling, we selected six universities in Sichuan Province, China, obtaining 646 valid responses. We used hierarchical regression analysis in this research. Results indicated that research motivation significantly and positively influences research outcomes among Sichuan’s doctoral students. Furthermore, environment significantly, positively moderates the relation of motivation to outcome. This study unveils novel variable relationships, notably identifying a significant positive moderating effect of the research training environment on the relationship between research motivation and outcomes. Additionally, we have developed locally contextualized scales for research training environment and research outcomes in China. This study holds certain significance for guiding the research output of doctoral students.

Keywords

• Doctoral students
• research motivation
• research outcomes
• research training environments
• Stephen Darwin, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile
• Chinese Studies