Writing@CSU Resources on conducting qualitative and quantitative research:
Conducting ethnographic studies, observational research, and narrative inquiries
Understanding reliability and transferability
Chapters from books on conducting Writing Center research:
"Introduction" by Jackie Grutsch McKinney in Strategies for Writing Center Research.
The author describes her personal story in beginning writing center research and argues for the importance of conducting such research.
"Getting Situated" and "Getting Started" by Jackie Grutsch McKinney's in Strategies for Writing Center Research.
This excerpt includes the first two chapters of Strategies for Writing Center Research. In Chapter 1, "Getting Situated," the author describes three methods of inquiry in writing center research: theoretical inquiry, practitioner inquiry, and empirical inquiry. This book focuses specifically on empirical research, so this chapter introduces four main types of empirical research. In Chapter 2, "Getting Started," acts as a guidebook for identifying a research problem and drafting a research proposal.
"Examining Practice: Designing a Research Study" by Rebecca Day Babcock in Tutoring Second Language Writers edited by Shanti Bruce and Ben Rafoth.
This chapter focuses on guiding tutors and consultants towards formulating a research question based on their interests, curiosities, and discomforts in writing center work. Babcock outlines a "grounded theory approach" and action research based on lived experience in writing centers that leads to a discussion of methods for analysis, ethics, and conducting surveys.
"Around the Text of Writing Center Research: An Inquiry-Based Approach to Tutor Education" by R. Mark Hall.
In this book introduction, Hall proposes examing the theory and praxis surrounding new writing center tutors, how to create a "robust community" within writing centers with high tutor turnover rates, and methods for tutor and administrator engagement. Hall centers his chapter discussions on a specific text - such as course syllabi, policy statements, and assesment plans - and thereby constructs a theoretical framework for tutor education. Also included in this excerpt is Chapter 4 "Commonplace Rhetorical Moves of Session Notes," that discusses the genre of post-session notes, questions fo audience and acces, and offers an analysis of various rhetorical moves associated with the post-session note.
"Studying Populations" by Jackie Grutsch McKinney in Strategies for Writing Center Research.
Through an examination of surveys, methods for surveying locally or more broadly, and guidance on conducting different forms of surveys, the author argues that surveys are useful for writing center research when tracking generalizable trends. The author notes the limitations of surveying as primarily issues of ethical representation and and "fairness in response" to survey answers.
"Doing Autoethnography: An Overview" by Carolyn Ellis, Tony Adams, and Arthur Bochner.
The authors define the terms ethnography and biography to elucidate the use of autoethnographic research in writing center studies. The genre of autoethnographic writing emphasizes subjective involvement in observation or empirical reasearch through storytelling.
"Studying Texts and Talk" by Jackie Grutsch McKinney in Strategies for Writing Center Research.
In this chapter, discourse analysis is defined as "the study of language in use," particuarly in writing centers and writer-consultant settings. The difference between conversational and document discourse analysis is discussed, followed by methods for conducting such research. Because iscourse analysis is typically limited in scope, the author acknowledges the possible need for IRB approval in discourse analysis-based research and presents ethical concerns of representation, approval, and generalization.
"Analyzing and Interpreting Your Data" by Jackie Grutsch McKinney in Strategies for Writing Center Research.
This chapter explores methods for qualitative data analysis and interpretation. These methods include distinguishing between emergent codes and latent codes to distinguish larger trends; once a coding scheme has been constructed, the author advises arranging these codes into categories that can then be explored through interpretive narrative. The end of the chapter presents alternative methods for conducting qualitative data analysis.
"Studying Possibilities: Action Research" by Jackie Grutsch McKinney in Strategies for Writing Center Research.
Action research is defined as "an approach for systemically addressing broad social problems" that bridges social action and social theory. The author uses action research to mean qualitative, site-based, and collaborative research that is meant to enact change in the researcher's personal context. This chapter includes a process and methodology section.
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This portfolio last updated: 30-Aug-2023 12:29 PM