1.28 Introduction to research methods

Note: The 2013 reaction paper to Berlin (Major Pedagogical Theories) was posted Saturday 2.2 at noon.  If you downloaded an earlier version => update.  The 2013 is very much the same as the 2012 version but there are some changes. 

Purpose of the course

• For developing + understanding research
• Learning uniform way of conducting + presenting research
• Helping students figure out what “paradigm” they are going to use = what your belief system is with respect to doing research
• Who you are as a researcher
• Learning to learn how to find information => distinguishing between academic and not OK sources
• Researching different methods of research
• To personalize what works best for you
• Research information about composition=> learn some more about composition as a discipline
• Understand how to do “appropriate research”
• Lay the groundwork for the thesis

 This list is, in fact, a pretty good match for the course objectives - and for the readings/writing assignments on the calendar.  And that is good.

We then had a perhaps more important discussion, which was about what you want/need out of this course to move successfully through your graduate studies.  That list looked like this:


What you want

Figure out what you want to do your thesis on

Generate ideas for thesisF

Explore the range of possible projects

Do some more exploration of composition studies/writing studies as a discipline

Try out some ideas for a thesis

Learn how to read and write research essays

 

This list indicates that we, as a class, are going to want to spend some time exploring the field and looking for a place that feels interesting enough to write a thesis about in that field, and that we will want to work together to make sure you are "getting" the readings.

The reaction papers should help with that.  I also suggested that you form reading groups (to go over reading assignments in Mertens and Villanueva - together).  This is probably the most painless way to get comfortable in the discipline.  We will do group work and have whole class discussions in class - but reading groups will give you a low stakes place to develop your voice and discover your authority as a compositionist.

Syllabus
You told me what you saw as most important in the syllabus - and from the points you picked out => I was feeling a lot of performance anxiety.   T
The NIH training should be self explanatory. 
You were also interested in the exams. Rafael asked for sample questions - but I am simply going to tell you the focus for each exam, up front so you can think about it all term.  Here is what is important for the exams.  

For the midterm
1. Make sure you understand the axiological, epistemological, ontological and methodological assumptions for the research paradigms outlined by Mertens. 
2.  Think about what pardigm each of the readings from Villanueva fall into . As Mertens points out, they are messy and studies don't always fall clearly into one categorye or another.
3. Think about your own assumptions - and be prepared to explain where you fit as a researcher - and why.

For the final
Think about how & which parts of the theory/practices we have read about you find most relevant to a future as a writing teacher.  Be prepared to outline how you would apply them in your teaching and research - and why. 

Research Paradigms
We spent the rest of class looking at three hypothetical (made up) studies that correspond(roughly) the the assumptions from 3 of Mertens' research models.  We talked about them in terms of what they assumed about what counted as knowledge, what they assumed was "ethical" in terms of relationships to participants and to they ways they produced knowledge, and we discussed what the methods implied about what the researchers assumed about "the way the world is/works".  This discussion was meant to give you some experience connecting your assumptions/beliefs/values to the paradigms described by Mertens - before all the big language was introduced.  The discussion on this raised all the right questions - and indicated how many different perspectives there are on the "right" way to do research.  I though this worked pretty well - though we needed about another 30 minutes (as usual).

For next week:
Read: Ch 1 (what we did in class) and  Ch 3: Literature Review in Mertens;  Berlin (1982), 235 (in CT).
Write:  NIH training

Those of you who are new students, please complete the survey.

Because we didn't get it finished in class - please spend some time on the writing to explore your writing interests. If you write to the first set of prompts (freewriting, drafty, off the top of your head/unedited) we will start class with a discussion of some of what you noticed , followed by some directed writing for the second part. I know it is going to be easy to read through this and think I know what I would put here - but it is important to write it. And use all your self control to keep from editing out the ridiculous suggestions. They are important.

After we do some talking about what you might want to do for your research project, we will talk a little more about research paradigms in light of Chapter 1, and we will go over what she has to say about literature revues.
I will then present a sample reaction paper for the Berlin essay (which is a kind of literature review essay). We will then go over the assignment for reaction paper (posted to the right) and you will sign up for a paper to react to.

We will close class with some focused discussion on literature reviews for your thesis.