The paper explored the idea of examining different pedagogical approaches through research. It provided evidence from her research into using student mentoring to support undergraduate first year students in their transition into higher education and development as autonomous learners. She showed how peer mentoring had increased not only the retention rate but undergraduate student satisfaction. She described how students reported that it was easier to 'ask your mentor as they know what it is like and will tell you whatever you need to know, however, small the question'