Development and Validation of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research Survey

Abstract

Here we present the development and initial validation of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research 20 Survey (MURS) as a measure of a range of mentoring experienced by undergraduate science researchers. 21 We drafted items based on qualitative research and refined the items through cognitive interviews and 22 expert sorting. We used national dataset to evaluate the internal structure of the measure and a second 23 national dataset to examine how responses on the MURS related to theoretically-relevant constructs and 24 student characteristics. Our factor analytic results indicate seven lower order forms of mentoring 25 experiences: abusive supervision, accessibility, career and technical support, psychosocial support, 26 interpersonal mismatch, sexual harassment, and unfair treatment. These forms of mentoring mapped onto 27 two higher-order factors: supportive and destructive mentoring experiences. Although most 28 undergraduates reported experiencing supportive mentoring, some reported experiencing absence of 29 supportive as well as destructive experiences. Undergraduates who experienced less supportive and more 30 destructive mentoring also experienced lower scientific integration and a dampening of their beliefs about 31 the value of research. The MURS should be useful for investigating the effects of mentoring experienced 32 by undergraduate researchers and for testing interventions aimed at fostering supportive experiences and 33 reducing or preventing destructive experiences and their impacts.