Patrick R. Walden, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor and chair of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Monmouth University, and Brittany Khan, M.S., CCC-SLP, director of the Center for Speech and Language Disorders at Monmouth University, have co-authored a peer-reviewed study exploring how graduate students engage with assigned academic readings — a topic with growing relevance as educators seek to improve learning outcomes and course design in advanced programs.
Their article, “Graduate Student Completion and Comprehension of Assigned Readings: A SoTL Project,” appears in the spring 2025 issue of Teaching & Learning Inquiry, the journal of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
The study investigates whether graduate students complete assigned readings, how well they comprehend them, and what factors influence both behaviors. Drawing on student surveys and classroom observations, Walden and Khan found that while many graduate students report reading regularly, comprehension levels vary significantly depending on the structure of assignments, relevance to career goals and competing workload demands.
“This study gave us the opportunity to move beyond assumptions and understand what supports or hinders students’ ability to meaningfully engage with texts,” Walden and Khan said. “These insights can inform teaching strategies that help students succeed academically and professionally.”
The research, supported through a transformative learning grant in the School of Education, offers practical value for faculty seeking to strengthen reading engagement in graduate coursework. The authors emphasize the impact of integrating reading material into class discussions, using guiding questions, and making explicit connections between assigned texts and graded work. These strategies, they argue, can reinforce accountability and improve comprehension without adding instructional burden.
The article is available online at:
https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/79419/58245