Ch1
Summary on pg 16
3
research should inform practical decisions
avoid abstraction wars--free for alls-by requiring specific supporting proof
4
action science: building a ladder of inference
research: linking actions, decision, or advocacy to observable data
research: systematic collection and analysis of observations fo rthe purpose of creating new knowledge that can inform actions and decision
traits of research: systematic; collection & analysis of data; creates new knowledge; informs actions & decisions
5
concept of research carries assumption that knowledge created is applicable at generalized level and repeatable multiple times
"research must ultimately articulate generalized truths from specific instrances"
Scientific Method: observation; hypothesis; prediction; experiment
6
research goals filter design & interpretation of research & data
6-7
kinds of research goals: theoretical; empirical; intepretivist; PoMO; developmental; evaluative
10-11
Research Methods: quant, qual, critical theory; lit review; mixed methods
14
sources of research: industry; academy; prof. societies; gov't
15
hierarchies of publications: open -> editor -> refereed
Ch 2
(no summary at end)
20-24
Structure of Research Report
statement of research problem: gives background, goals for this spec. research, research ?
25-30
Phases of Research Project
ID R goal; form research ?; review lit; design study; get approvals; collect data; analyze data; report results
review of lit: established scope of prior research; educate reader; ground researcher's premises in data
description of methodology:
name method: quant, qual, crit theory, lit review, mixed metho
describe data collection
describe sample & sample selection process
describe data analysis tech
analysis of data
conclusion
Defining Goal & Research Questions 31-34
Ideas from Lit: can research be updated/ narrowed/ broadened; challenged
Ideas from Real-life problems
Ch 3
Summary on 54
Reviewing the Lit
38
primary research: formulating & testing hypothesis
secondary: draw on previous reports/research
39-40
Purpose of lit review: discover what's been done; ID gaps in research; educate readers; establish credibility
40-50
conducting the lit review
Gather sources
describe & evaluate sources--both should be in the LR
descrip has all essential info about book & be 100-250 words
evaluative 50-100 words
50-51
AB is a list of sources on topic
LR prepared for an audience; often part of research section of paper
51-2
preparing LR: define purpose & audience; organize effectively; determine appropriate detail level
Showing posts with label 5363. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5363. Show all posts
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Rickly MacNealy Ch 1 & 3 notes
Chapter 1
1-2
WW II impact on writing
manuals needed for proper operation of gear
influx of GIs into higher ed
4
Rsrch improves communication, builds image of a discipline
6
library based research:
efforts in personal/institutional libraries
empirical:
describes/measures observable pheonomena in a systematic way
planned in advance
8
Empirical often reports method; library doesn't
empirical conducts own research; library compares other people's research
Lore: knowledge that works
11
theory: a belief that is basis for actions
foundational
provides connections/explanations
links mental constructs & observable phenomena
stimulates research
an effective foundation for solving problems
12
research stimluated by 4 kinds of dissonance
clash between beliefs
expectations violated
gap in knowledge
unnotice connections between 2 phenomena
Chapter 3
35
empirical research: "recorded observations of events"
36
ER's biggest advantage: power to persuade
Biggest Disadvantages to ER
36-37
Distrust of numbers/ "numbers can lie"
counter: reduce amount of numbers used
counter: reproducible studies
37
Distrust of researchers/ "find what they're looking for"
38 counter: describe methodology
counter: display awareness of potential bias
38-9
Distrust of Empirical Methods/ "not real world"
counter: use caveats & hedges
39
High costs: time & money
counter: plan carefully
counter: if results counter-intuitive, reexamine them
40-41
Essential characteristics of Empirical Research
planned in advance
data are collected systematically
collected data produces a boddy of evidence that others can examine
41
Purposes & Design principles
Empirical Research oft focuses on these questions:
what details best describe some thing, person, group
qualitative usually used
to what degree are 2 phenomena related
quantitative usually used & qual may be useful
is there a causal relationship
41-42
when collecting/measuring data, remember 2 things
all instruments of measurement are imprecise
control confounding variables
Empirical Research's common categories
42
qualitative: interviews, ethnographeis
43
quantitative
Classification by Data source:
44 Historical studies: work with archives
44 Descriptive studies: preserve natural setting
45-46 Experimental studies: control variables; compare control w/tested group
46-47 meta analysis: integrate data from multiple researchers
Classification by Research Purpose
47-48 Basic research: curiosity; long range goals
48 Applied research: question of immediate concern in a specific area
48 Evaluative: evaluate a procedure or product
49 developmental/instrumental research: build/develop new product
49 action research: find answers while influencing subjects @ same time
1-2
WW II impact on writing
manuals needed for proper operation of gear
influx of GIs into higher ed
4
Rsrch improves communication, builds image of a discipline
6
library based research:
efforts in personal/institutional libraries
empirical:
describes/measures observable pheonomena in a systematic way
planned in advance
8
Empirical often reports method; library doesn't
empirical conducts own research; library compares other people's research
Lore: knowledge that works
11
theory: a belief that is basis for actions
foundational
provides connections/explanations
links mental constructs & observable phenomena
stimulates research
an effective foundation for solving problems
12
research stimluated by 4 kinds of dissonance
clash between beliefs
expectations violated
gap in knowledge
unnotice connections between 2 phenomena
Chapter 3
35
empirical research: "recorded observations of events"
36
ER's biggest advantage: power to persuade
Biggest Disadvantages to ER
36-37
Distrust of numbers/ "numbers can lie"
counter: reduce amount of numbers used
counter: reproducible studies
37
Distrust of researchers/ "find what they're looking for"
38 counter: describe methodology
counter: display awareness of potential bias
38-9
Distrust of Empirical Methods/ "not real world"
counter: use caveats & hedges
39
High costs: time & money
counter: plan carefully
counter: if results counter-intuitive, reexamine them
40-41
Essential characteristics of Empirical Research
planned in advance
data are collected systematically
collected data produces a boddy of evidence that others can examine
41
Purposes & Design principles
Empirical Research oft focuses on these questions:
what details best describe some thing, person, group
qualitative usually used
to what degree are 2 phenomena related
quantitative usually used & qual may be useful
is there a causal relationship
41-42
when collecting/measuring data, remember 2 things
all instruments of measurement are imprecise
control confounding variables
Empirical Research's common categories
42
qualitative: interviews, ethnographeis
43
quantitative
Classification by Data source:
44 Historical studies: work with archives
44 Descriptive studies: preserve natural setting
45-46 Experimental studies: control variables; compare control w/tested group
46-47 meta analysis: integrate data from multiple researchers
Classification by Research Purpose
47-48 Basic research: curiosity; long range goals
48 Applied research: question of immediate concern in a specific area
48 Evaluative: evaluate a procedure or product
49 developmental/instrumental research: build/develop new product
49 action research: find answers while influencing subjects @ same time
Rickly Wk 2 notes STC grant/ Hayhoe Ed/ Wollman Res
STC research grant
51-2 "promote
awareness of the latest trends and technology in the field, and provide
innovative services for the education and professional development of
its members"
$10 k/ 1 year/ produce a paper/ 1 time projects/ members & non-members
research defined: "a controlled activity through which you can learn and
communicate new information to the STC membership."
51-3 process/deadlines
51-4 required sections
funding approval process: concise overview
2 page narrative
prob stmt
lit gap
relate work to ongoing research
expectations from study
summarized expenses
51-5 2 pg CV
51-5 full grant proposal sections
cover
TOC
Abstract
Prob stmt
51-6 lit review
expectations/hypotheses/assumptions
stmt of benefits
objective/research methods
51-7 facilities
deliverables & progress reports
51-8 milestone schedule
cost breakdown
51-9 qualifications/ bibliography
Criteria for evaluating proposals
background/ strength of design/ proposal
51-10 budget/ personal
51-10 Recommendation Process
Researcher's Responsibilities
Attachments: suggested research topics & forms
Hayhoe: Needed Research
141
"we need to investigate how such factors as audience, purpose, rhetorical patterns, and
document design in the rest of the world differ from what we are accustomed
to."
global audience/cultural awareness
what needs do Asian consumers/customers have/need
don't take purpose of documents for granted
need to know how cultures respond to help/ documents differently
142
in different cultures, reports do more than just prove facts
build relationships
establish authority
rhetorical patterns
structures of arguments/reasoning/explanation should adapt to the cultureal expectations
need to learn more about what these patterns are & how to meet them
document design
past focus of research on western readers & creators
not non-Roman alph readers or right-to-left readers
asdf
Wollman: Does Anybody Really Care?
311
"literacy is a process that simultaneously
draws upon and (re)creates social resources
for thinking and communication.
Writing entails revoicing by
appropriating and recontextualizing
social forms and functions for text"
312
"I think we researchers may be far more adept at
posing research questions than we are at
asking ourselves this more fundamental
question about our work and its impact
on others personally and on educational
practice in general."
frame research as a service
313
text as a snapshot
epistimologies of research & practice are very different
philosophy as means of study or means to action
is it really a binary?
314
"Research
even takes on a voice with which
teachers must contend."
Research is often foisted upon teachers.
315
contextualized topics growing out of the classroom vs. decontextualized topics pulled from a book/manual
how can you be of service when your research interest does not meet immediate demands/goals of standards based education (or other similar conundrums)
316
research articles can be applied/leveraged in a variety of way s
"we must free ourselves from the
grip of writing process orthodoxies."
"I suggest that elementary educators should guide children to
write as writing is used to think, solve problems, and get things done in our
world—to write as social practice. This is the only way to empower all children,
regardless of sociocultural and linguistic background, to use writing to participate
in society and to assure they have the linguistic-cultural capital to generate
new genres and, more broadly, to fashion less oppressive social structures.
To put this another way, we must get past the primacy of the personal, so
privileged in writing process approaches, and connect the personal to the public,
to what is socially meaningful and purposeful, if we are to give children
genuine voice and agency as writers."
317
when you do research, there is not a guarantee that the results won't be twisted
Delpit's research
318
educators centering on values/issues which are often not the goal of the project
family literacy vs. grammar errors
assumptions that all kids should seek middle class jobs
319
"Not only is research opportunistically embraced and facilely reinterpreted
when it is useful to policy makers or politicians who may not trust teachers
and children, or who approach them with patronizing good intentions; even
when educators care about research and its classroom application, they may
distort research findings as they attempt to enact them, resulting in what Dewey
would call miseducative experiences (1938)."
320
must ask who will be affected by our research and how
try and let research sprout from interests
321
often researchers can miss practical issues
322
use research as a way to see what is possible or desirable
323
research as social action by witnessing and documenting what is going on
324
research as service: enacting caring
don't do work that will hurt kids
"Research as praxis means that theory and practice, action
and deliberate reflection, meet in a dialogical relationship in the process of
carrying out any inquiry, not just in the research report. Such research is not
only grounded in, but is also intricately intertwined with practice, with teachers’
work and thinking."
"It will not be imposed on school people but engaged in
with and for participants. It will not use classrooms, teachers, children, and families
as spaces to do research but, I believe, it will reflect researchers’ caring
for and openness to all connected to and impacted by their work. It may,
therefore, represent research as service."
51-2 "promote
awareness of the latest trends and technology in the field, and provide
innovative services for the education and professional development of
its members"
$10 k/ 1 year/ produce a paper/ 1 time projects/ members & non-members
research defined: "a controlled activity through which you can learn and
communicate new information to the STC membership."
51-3 process/deadlines
51-4 required sections
funding approval process: concise overview
2 page narrative
prob stmt
lit gap
relate work to ongoing research
expectations from study
summarized expenses
51-5 2 pg CV
51-5 full grant proposal sections
cover
TOC
Abstract
Prob stmt
51-6 lit review
expectations/hypotheses/assumptions
stmt of benefits
objective/research methods
51-7 facilities
deliverables & progress reports
51-8 milestone schedule
cost breakdown
51-9 qualifications/ bibliography
Criteria for evaluating proposals
background/ strength of design/ proposal
51-10 budget/ personal
51-10 Recommendation Process
Researcher's Responsibilities
Attachments: suggested research topics & forms
Hayhoe: Needed Research
141
"we need to investigate how such factors as audience, purpose, rhetorical patterns, and
document design in the rest of the world differ from what we are accustomed
to."
global audience/cultural awareness
what needs do Asian consumers/customers have/need
don't take purpose of documents for granted
need to know how cultures respond to help/ documents differently
142
in different cultures, reports do more than just prove facts
build relationships
establish authority
rhetorical patterns
structures of arguments/reasoning/explanation should adapt to the cultureal expectations
need to learn more about what these patterns are & how to meet them
document design
past focus of research on western readers & creators
not non-Roman alph readers or right-to-left readers
asdf
Wollman: Does Anybody Really Care?
311
"literacy is a process that simultaneously
draws upon and (re)creates social resources
for thinking and communication.
Writing entails revoicing by
appropriating and recontextualizing
social forms and functions for text"
312
"I think we researchers may be far more adept at
posing research questions than we are at
asking ourselves this more fundamental
question about our work and its impact
on others personally and on educational
practice in general."
frame research as a service
313
text as a snapshot
epistimologies of research & practice are very different
philosophy as means of study or means to action
is it really a binary?
314
"Research
even takes on a voice with which
teachers must contend."
Research is often foisted upon teachers.
315
contextualized topics growing out of the classroom vs. decontextualized topics pulled from a book/manual
how can you be of service when your research interest does not meet immediate demands/goals of standards based education (or other similar conundrums)
316
research articles can be applied/leveraged in a variety of way s
"we must free ourselves from the
grip of writing process orthodoxies."
"I suggest that elementary educators should guide children to
write as writing is used to think, solve problems, and get things done in our
world—to write as social practice. This is the only way to empower all children,
regardless of sociocultural and linguistic background, to use writing to participate
in society and to assure they have the linguistic-cultural capital to generate
new genres and, more broadly, to fashion less oppressive social structures.
To put this another way, we must get past the primacy of the personal, so
privileged in writing process approaches, and connect the personal to the public,
to what is socially meaningful and purposeful, if we are to give children
genuine voice and agency as writers."
317
when you do research, there is not a guarantee that the results won't be twisted
Delpit's research
318
educators centering on values/issues which are often not the goal of the project
family literacy vs. grammar errors
assumptions that all kids should seek middle class jobs
319
"Not only is research opportunistically embraced and facilely reinterpreted
when it is useful to policy makers or politicians who may not trust teachers
and children, or who approach them with patronizing good intentions; even
when educators care about research and its classroom application, they may
distort research findings as they attempt to enact them, resulting in what Dewey
would call miseducative experiences (1938)."
320
must ask who will be affected by our research and how
try and let research sprout from interests
321
often researchers can miss practical issues
322
use research as a way to see what is possible or desirable
323
research as social action by witnessing and documenting what is going on
324
research as service: enacting caring
don't do work that will hurt kids
"Research as praxis means that theory and practice, action
and deliberate reflection, meet in a dialogical relationship in the process of
carrying out any inquiry, not just in the research report. Such research is not
only grounded in, but is also intricately intertwined with practice, with teachers’
work and thinking."
"It will not be imposed on school people but engaged in
with and for participants. It will not use classrooms, teachers, children, and families
as spaces to do research but, I believe, it will reflect researchers’ caring
for and openness to all connected to and impacted by their work. It may,
therefore, represent research as service."
Rickly IRB forms notes
Claim for Exemption
can't start collecting data until claim is approved
Kids are way too hard
box 2: survey
aa: subject cann't be identified directly or through identifiers
box 3 b: they are recorded by investigator so that subjects can't be id
Consent form Example 1
Intro study/ name/ contact
Purpose of study
How it's constructed
question/warning
compensation for study
what happens to data
free will--no obligation
any questions
Consent form Ex 2
invitation/ who's running it/ contact info
purpose
explanation
summary
risks
benefits
confidentiality
rights & consent
contact information
if injury caused
Consent Form Instructions
2 steps: consent process & consent form
must have WHAT they'll be informed of
7th grade reading level
not to protect researcher
written in2nd person
no standard form; whatever format works best for participant's understanding
1 copy must be given to subject & 1 copy kept by researcher for 3 years past end of IRB approval
Cover Sheet
checklist
get PI contact info
Dr. Rickly
Expedited Review Form
minimal risk
1. drugs NOT
2. blood samples NOT
3. bio specimens NOT
4. data via non invasive (sensors, ekg, etc) NOT
5. involving materials (data, docs, records) for non-research purposes like treatment NOT
6. collection of data from voice, dig, vid, image--THINK SO--for res. purposes
7. group behavior using interview, oral, focus group quality assumrance WHAT ABOUT SURVEY?
OHRPR regs
pg 2 how regs apply & to whom
pg 3 46.102 def of research & other terms
pg 4 have IRBs so people follow rules
pg 5 IRB membership, functions, & review of RSRCH
pg 5 process for expedited review & criteria for approval of RSRCH
This IS important
pg 6 cooperative research/ IRB records/ gen req for informed consent
important in terms of structure
looks/reads much like a rules/pattern for writing the doc
pg 7 Doc of informed consent/ apps lacking plans to involve humans
pg 8 Rsrch supported by a Fed Dept/ Agnecy/ Fed Funds
pg 8-10 pregnant women, fetuses, neonates in research
pg 10-11 prisoners
pg 11-12 children
Proposal Format
Rationale
Subjects
Procedures
Adverse events/liability
Consent
Attachments
Required Elements
checklist
specific statements that must be present
Short Form Consent
used when investigator can't be sure that a signed consent is understood well enough
more relevant to complex surveys research and/or ones related to health
Waiver of Written Consent: this seems viable/useful
usable if only record in research is the consent form & greatest potential harm is loss of confidentiality
Waiver or Alteration
waiver/alteration of consent requires specific findings
justification should be self-eficent
1 minimal risk to subjects
2. waiver does not neg impact rights/welfare of subjects
3. research cannot be done without waiver/alteration
4. if pertinent, subs will get more information
can't start collecting data until claim is approved
Kids are way too hard
box 2: survey
aa: subject cann't be identified directly or through identifiers
box 3 b: they are recorded by investigator so that subjects can't be id
Consent form Example 1
Intro study/ name/ contact
Purpose of study
How it's constructed
question/warning
compensation for study
what happens to data
free will--no obligation
any questions
Consent form Ex 2
invitation/ who's running it/ contact info
purpose
explanation
summary
risks
benefits
confidentiality
rights & consent
contact information
if injury caused
Consent Form Instructions
2 steps: consent process & consent form
must have WHAT they'll be informed of
7th grade reading level
not to protect researcher
written in2nd person
no standard form; whatever format works best for participant's understanding
1 copy must be given to subject & 1 copy kept by researcher for 3 years past end of IRB approval
Cover Sheet
checklist
get PI contact info
Dr. Rickly
Expedited Review Form
minimal risk
1. drugs NOT
2. blood samples NOT
3. bio specimens NOT
4. data via non invasive (sensors, ekg, etc) NOT
5. involving materials (data, docs, records) for non-research purposes like treatment NOT
6. collection of data from voice, dig, vid, image--THINK SO--for res. purposes
7. group behavior using interview, oral, focus group quality assumrance WHAT ABOUT SURVEY?
OHRPR regs
pg 2 how regs apply & to whom
pg 3 46.102 def of research & other terms
pg 4 have IRBs so people follow rules
pg 5 IRB membership, functions, & review of RSRCH
pg 5 process for expedited review & criteria for approval of RSRCH
This IS important
pg 6 cooperative research/ IRB records/ gen req for informed consent
important in terms of structure
looks/reads much like a rules/pattern for writing the doc
pg 7 Doc of informed consent/ apps lacking plans to involve humans
pg 8 Rsrch supported by a Fed Dept/ Agnecy/ Fed Funds
pg 8-10 pregnant women, fetuses, neonates in research
pg 10-11 prisoners
pg 11-12 children
Proposal Format
Rationale
Subjects
Procedures
Adverse events/liability
Consent
Attachments
Required Elements
checklist
specific statements that must be present
Short Form Consent
used when investigator can't be sure that a signed consent is understood well enough
more relevant to complex surveys research and/or ones related to health
Waiver of Written Consent: this seems viable/useful
usable if only record in research is the consent form & greatest potential harm is loss of confidentiality
Waiver or Alteration
waiver/alteration of consent requires specific findings
justification should be self-eficent
1 minimal risk to subjects
2. waiver does not neg impact rights/welfare of subjects
3. research cannot be done without waiver/alteration
4. if pertinent, subs will get more information
Spilka: Resarch Instruction/ Rickly Jr Rev
Spilka, Rachel
Practitioner Research Instruction: A Neglected Curricular Area in Technical Communication Undergraduate Programs
JBTC 2009; 23; 216
216
circa 65% UG programs in TC do minimal/no research training
217
given rsrch's importance in field, this neglects the vital role of research
practitioner research defined
"any type of research conducted by technical communicators
as part of either their routine or their specialized job responsibilities."
"this type of research as a core job activity"
217-18
methods:
collection of data in workplace
collection of info in libraries, databases, on internet
observations
interviews
surveys
focus groups
usability tests
experiments
218-219
"Practitioner research is so integral to communication in industry that it is difficult to imagine a technical communicator functioning well without doing research or knowing how to do research competently"
219
not having reseach skills is a professional disadvantage
219-220
in spite of industry's valuing of research, undergrad tching ignores it
221
even though many grad students get good research trng, most UGs do not return to do grad work, so if they are going to be trained in doing research for TC, it should happen in UG work
221-222
method description
analysis of websites
centered on 60
223
discussion of secondary research questions
looked at course descriptions & research methods offered
224
FINDINGS
Is the Word Research (or Are Related Words) Mentioned or
Featured in a Web Site Program Description?
rarely mentioned
may be present but not called research
may be used but not actually be present
225
Is Any Research Training Available in an Institution’s
Undergraduate Program?
only at 35%
225-226
If Research Training Is Available (in a Program or College), Is It
Available in Required Courses or in Electives?
figure on 227
227
What Types of Research Training and Courses Are Available in
Undergraduate Programs That Offer Some Research
Instruction?
list of varying & included research methods
228
examples of variation in research training
228-229
possible contributors to the problem
"Most practitioner research is invisible to academics"
discussed up thru 230
230
"Academics might assume that research is an advanced skill that belongs
in graduate training"
231
discussed further on
"Academics might lack knowledge about practitioner research and feel
unqualified to teach it."
"A variety of institutional constraints, in programs at the undergraduate
level in particular, can discourage academics from offering research
training"
231
Most UGs new to the field are often doing research w/in a few months of arrival
232
Suggested next steps
“The most important goal is to give research training more presence and
priority in an undergraduate program so that this critical area of instruction
is not ignored or underrepresented.”
Research is a fundamental part of what TCers do
ID ways to alter UG TC programs to fit this
233
Require UG research
Include a variety of methods as options
Try and have Ss conduct their own studies
Expose Ss to politics of research
234
Make research a priority
Practitioner Research Instruction: A Neglected Curricular Area in Technical Communication Undergraduate Programs
JBTC 2009; 23; 216
216
circa 65% UG programs in TC do minimal/no research training
217
given rsrch's importance in field, this neglects the vital role of research
practitioner research defined
"any type of research conducted by technical communicators
as part of either their routine or their specialized job responsibilities."
"this type of research as a core job activity"
217-18
methods:
collection of data in workplace
collection of info in libraries, databases, on internet
observations
interviews
surveys
focus groups
usability tests
experiments
218-219
"Practitioner research is so integral to communication in industry that it is difficult to imagine a technical communicator functioning well without doing research or knowing how to do research competently"
219
not having reseach skills is a professional disadvantage
219-220
in spite of industry's valuing of research, undergrad tching ignores it
221
even though many grad students get good research trng, most UGs do not return to do grad work, so if they are going to be trained in doing research for TC, it should happen in UG work
221-222
method description
analysis of websites
centered on 60
223
discussion of secondary research questions
looked at course descriptions & research methods offered
224
FINDINGS
Is the Word Research (or Are Related Words) Mentioned or
Featured in a Web Site Program Description?
rarely mentioned
may be present but not called research
may be used but not actually be present
225
Is Any Research Training Available in an Institution’s
Undergraduate Program?
only at 35%
225-226
If Research Training Is Available (in a Program or College), Is It
Available in Required Courses or in Electives?
figure on 227
227
What Types of Research Training and Courses Are Available in
Undergraduate Programs That Offer Some Research
Instruction?
list of varying & included research methods
228
examples of variation in research training
228-229
possible contributors to the problem
"Most practitioner research is invisible to academics"
discussed up thru 230
230
"Academics might assume that research is an advanced skill that belongs
in graduate training"
231
discussed further on
"Academics might lack knowledge about practitioner research and feel
unqualified to teach it."
"A variety of institutional constraints, in programs at the undergraduate
level in particular, can discourage academics from offering research
training"
231
Most UGs new to the field are often doing research w/in a few months of arrival
232
Suggested next steps
“The most important goal is to give research training more presence and
priority in an undergraduate program so that this critical area of instruction
is not ignored or underrepresented.”
Research is a fundamental part of what TCers do
ID ways to alter UG TC programs to fit this
233
Require UG research
Include a variety of methods as options
Try and have Ss conduct their own studies
Expose Ss to politics of research
234
Make research a priority
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Due Tuesday, Sept 1
Barker: 5372
answer the prompt about our interest/background
respond to Windsor article
start thinking about analysis report
Carter: 5369
read 15-22 in text
write 250-300 word precis for each chapter--no opinion, but maybe at end
Baehr: 5371
Chapters 1-3 in Central Wokrs
Rickly: 5363
Journal review: 1 page per article
IRB federal or ORS guidelines
Hayoe Ed
STC grants
Eaton IRB
Eaton IRB audio
Hubbell
Mascle
ERH Ch 1
McNealy Ch 3
Hughes/Hayhoe 1-3
Review proposal examples
Review MicroStudy examples
answer the prompt about our interest/background
respond to Windsor article
start thinking about analysis report
Carter: 5369
read 15-22 in text
write 250-300 word precis for each chapter--no opinion, but maybe at end
Baehr: 5371
Chapters 1-3 in Central Wokrs
Rickly: 5363
Journal review: 1 page per article
IRB federal or ORS guidelines
Hayoe Ed
STC grants
Eaton IRB
Eaton IRB audio
Hubbell
Mascle
ERH Ch 1
McNealy Ch 3
Hughes/Hayhoe 1-3
Review proposal examples
Review MicroStudy examples
Goubil Practitioner's Guide notes
Goubil-Gambrell, Patricia
A Practitioner's Guide to Research Methods
582
quant's strength: ability to describe cause-effect
qual strength: depiction of subjects in actual setting
research methodology in Rhet COmp not widely understood
583
links to MacNealy article we just read
more cites on how/why research in TC is so important
two goals of article: ID main types of methodology business & tech writing; second, help folks in TC understand the difference in the methodologies
omitting methodology unfortunately common but causes some issues
583-4
empirical methods: quant & qual
584
2 other methods in Eng Dept
scholarly inquiry and Practitioner inquiry
quant: establish cause/effect
qual: descriptive
scholarly inquiry: goal is dialectic, confront opposing view
practitioner inquiry: goal is to report/tell story of how a person handled a specific situation
585
generalization a big issue
quant characteristics:
random sampling/select of subjects
intro of a treatment
use of control group
quasi experimental method
subjects are not random
researcher will use intact groups
(this sounds like a lot of comp/TC research)
random samples can be stratified
in quasi-exp, groups not random so R must pull on power of exp method to show grps are comparable
PRE-TEST
586
Five points to examine hypothesis' quality
conceptually clear & concepts defined operationally
have empirical referents, not value judgments
be specific to determin if testable
related to available testing techniques
related to a body of theory
Two kinds of stats
descriptive: describe data in orderly fasion (mean, meidian, mode)
inferential infer relationships
Causes manifest in 4 ways
in a sequence to produce effect
converge/cluster to produce effect
single cause may disperse into many areas
all three may occur & create a complex net of causes & effects
587
indie variable: cause of something in a relationship; treatment in a experiment--activity that will make a difference in the outcome
dependent variable: effect is change/difference that is the result of changing the indie variaable
validity: does experiment measure what it says it will
internal: change in dep var actually result of ind variable
external: results are generalizable to other groups
Reliability: whether experiment precisely measure a single dimension of human ability
quant issues
isolated variables--not realistic
other variables are eliminated
587
char of qual research
case study: small group or individual
ethnographic study: whole environment in which folks function as communicatiors
588
in qual, subjects not random
extreme case sampling: subjects are unusual
intensity: have skill/ability, but not best
maximum variation: what common patterns emerge from diverse groups
in qual, no treatment
no isolation of variables
purpose in qual is to identify salient features/variable
giving a treatment would interfere
in qual, researcher usually participates
589
triangulation important: reduces bias & helps validate 7 verify data
data
methods
researcher
theory
judging a qual study
data coll methods explicit
data used to document analytic constructs
neg instances of findings are shown/accounted for
biases discussed
strategies for data collection/analysis are clear
field decisions that change approach are documents
competing hypotheses presented/discussed
data preserved
participants truthfulness assessed
theoretical sig & gernalizability made explicity
pro/con of qual research
pro: depicts writing situations as they are
con: thus they cannot be generalized because it's not randomized
590
develop methodological literacy
Qual can be judged by 4 constructs
credibility of study
transferability of conclusion
dependability
confirmability
A Practitioner's Guide to Research Methods
582
quant's strength: ability to describe cause-effect
qual strength: depiction of subjects in actual setting
research methodology in Rhet COmp not widely understood
583
links to MacNealy article we just read
more cites on how/why research in TC is so important
two goals of article: ID main types of methodology business & tech writing; second, help folks in TC understand the difference in the methodologies
omitting methodology unfortunately common but causes some issues
583-4
empirical methods: quant & qual
584
2 other methods in Eng Dept
scholarly inquiry and Practitioner inquiry
quant: establish cause/effect
qual: descriptive
scholarly inquiry: goal is dialectic, confront opposing view
practitioner inquiry: goal is to report/tell story of how a person handled a specific situation
585
generalization a big issue
quant characteristics:
random sampling/select of subjects
intro of a treatment
use of control group
quasi experimental method
subjects are not random
researcher will use intact groups
(this sounds like a lot of comp/TC research)
random samples can be stratified
in quasi-exp, groups not random so R must pull on power of exp method to show grps are comparable
PRE-TEST
586
Five points to examine hypothesis' quality
conceptually clear & concepts defined operationally
have empirical referents, not value judgments
be specific to determin if testable
related to available testing techniques
related to a body of theory
Two kinds of stats
descriptive: describe data in orderly fasion (mean, meidian, mode)
inferential infer relationships
Causes manifest in 4 ways
in a sequence to produce effect
converge/cluster to produce effect
single cause may disperse into many areas
all three may occur & create a complex net of causes & effects
587
indie variable: cause of something in a relationship; treatment in a experiment--activity that will make a difference in the outcome
dependent variable: effect is change/difference that is the result of changing the indie variaable
validity: does experiment measure what it says it will
internal: change in dep var actually result of ind variable
external: results are generalizable to other groups
Reliability: whether experiment precisely measure a single dimension of human ability
quant issues
isolated variables--not realistic
other variables are eliminated
587
char of qual research
case study: small group or individual
ethnographic study: whole environment in which folks function as communicatiors
588
in qual, subjects not random
extreme case sampling: subjects are unusual
intensity: have skill/ability, but not best
maximum variation: what common patterns emerge from diverse groups
in qual, no treatment
no isolation of variables
purpose in qual is to identify salient features/variable
giving a treatment would interfere
in qual, researcher usually participates
589
triangulation important: reduces bias & helps validate 7 verify data
data
methods
researcher
theory
judging a qual study
data coll methods explicit
data used to document analytic constructs
neg instances of findings are shown/accounted for
biases discussed
strategies for data collection/analysis are clear
field decisions that change approach are documents
competing hypotheses presented/discussed
data preserved
participants truthfulness assessed
theoretical sig & gernalizability made explicity
pro/con of qual research
pro: depicts writing situations as they are
con: thus they cannot be generalized because it's not randomized
590
develop methodological literacy
Qual can be judged by 4 constructs
credibility of study
transferability of conclusion
dependability
confirmability
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Blakeslee: State of Research in TC notes
Blakeslee, Ann
State of Research in Tech Comm 2004
Overall analysis of opinions of quality & consistency in research (74).
Offer plan of action to improve field (74)
List of sources/experts (74-75)
Our Approach to Research Needs to Be Consistent,
Systematic, and Thorough (76)
We Need to Build a Coherent Body of Knowledge (76)
too few people are working on complementary research questions leading to a coherent
body of knowledge on certain topics (76)
Because learning from the past is a vital means of moving
forward and maturing, the field could benefit from a greater effort to identify
what is valuable in existing research and to either replicate or respond to studies already
completed. (77)
We Need Agreement About Key Questions for the Field 77
one particular area where we need to define more and better questions
is in relation to industry
We Need Less Thinking and Talking About Research and More Doing I 78
The shared perception is that too much of our scholarship (and publication)
is based on introspection and philosophizing. 78
We Benefit From But Should Be Careful About Borrowing Methods From Other Fields 79
Spinuzzi, for example, points out that we have not consistently explored the methodological implications of mixing
and matching approaches. Dragga also cautions against ill-informed borrowing
and adaptation of methods. 79
The consensus, therefore seems to be that our field benefits from the wide variety of methods available to it and from the discussions and explorations of these methods that have occurred in
other fields. 79-80
We Need to Be Aware of Which Research Methods We Use and How We Use Them 80
We Need More Consistent, Systematic, and Extensive Training in Methods 81
According to participants,
we need, as a field, to identify and agree on basic research competencies and
then to ensure that we train students in those competencies in our programs. One potential
problem in this regard is that the faculty preparing doctoral students may not
themselves be well prepared in empirical methods. 81
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PRACTITIONERS AND WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES 82
Because technical communicators do not, by definition, work in isolation, the field needs to ensure the vitality and quality of (1) the academic-practitioner relationship within technical
communication and (2) the field’s relationship with other, related disciplines. 82
We Need to Improve the Academic-Practitioner Relationship Within Our Field 82
Academics need to improve efforts to show the relevance of their research
to industry. 83
If more technical communicators could produce
similar types of publications that synthesize research—both in our own and
in related fields—in a way that practitioners find accessible and relevant, we could
make significant strides in showing practitioners the potential value of academic
research to their work. 83
We need to provide more opportunities for academics to interact with
practitioners and to collaborate on joint projects 83
We need to overcome differences between academics and practitioners
to facilitate collaboration between the two worlds 84
We Also Need to Improve Our Relationship with Other Fields 85
We need to encourage continued collegiality with those in related
fields.
We need to give top priority to overcoming differences and discovering
commonalities between our field and related fields, especially other technology
fields.
We need to generate more opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations. 85
Recognition, Support, and Resources 86
We need to disseminate our research findings broadly and increase
readership of our journals 86
Academics need to affiliate with organizations in related fields and increase
their involvement both in those organizations and on key committees
both internal and external to their institutions 87
Practitioners also need to find ways to increase leverage within their domains
to produce quality outcomes. 87
We need both internal and external support and funding 88
PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION FOR OUR FIELD 89
Step One: Expand Our Problem Definition and Vision 89
Step Two: Develop Concrete Solutions 90
Step Three: Implement and Evaluate 90
State of Research in Tech Comm 2004
Overall analysis of opinions of quality & consistency in research (74).
Offer plan of action to improve field (74)
List of sources/experts (74-75)
Our Approach to Research Needs to Be Consistent,
Systematic, and Thorough (76)
We Need to Build a Coherent Body of Knowledge (76)
too few people are working on complementary research questions leading to a coherent
body of knowledge on certain topics (76)
Because learning from the past is a vital means of moving
forward and maturing, the field could benefit from a greater effort to identify
what is valuable in existing research and to either replicate or respond to studies already
completed. (77)
We Need Agreement About Key Questions for the Field 77
one particular area where we need to define more and better questions
is in relation to industry
We Need Less Thinking and Talking About Research and More Doing I 78
The shared perception is that too much of our scholarship (and publication)
is based on introspection and philosophizing. 78
We Benefit From But Should Be Careful About Borrowing Methods From Other Fields 79
Spinuzzi, for example, points out that we have not consistently explored the methodological implications of mixing
and matching approaches. Dragga also cautions against ill-informed borrowing
and adaptation of methods. 79
The consensus, therefore seems to be that our field benefits from the wide variety of methods available to it and from the discussions and explorations of these methods that have occurred in
other fields. 79-80
We Need to Be Aware of Which Research Methods We Use and How We Use Them 80
We Need More Consistent, Systematic, and Extensive Training in Methods 81
According to participants,
we need, as a field, to identify and agree on basic research competencies and
then to ensure that we train students in those competencies in our programs. One potential
problem in this regard is that the faculty preparing doctoral students may not
themselves be well prepared in empirical methods. 81
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PRACTITIONERS AND WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES 82
Because technical communicators do not, by definition, work in isolation, the field needs to ensure the vitality and quality of (1) the academic-practitioner relationship within technical
communication and (2) the field’s relationship with other, related disciplines. 82
We Need to Improve the Academic-Practitioner Relationship Within Our Field 82
Academics need to improve efforts to show the relevance of their research
to industry. 83
If more technical communicators could produce
similar types of publications that synthesize research—both in our own and
in related fields—in a way that practitioners find accessible and relevant, we could
make significant strides in showing practitioners the potential value of academic
research to their work. 83
We need to provide more opportunities for academics to interact with
practitioners and to collaborate on joint projects 83
We need to overcome differences between academics and practitioners
to facilitate collaboration between the two worlds 84
We Also Need to Improve Our Relationship with Other Fields 85
We need to encourage continued collegiality with those in related
fields.
We need to give top priority to overcoming differences and discovering
commonalities between our field and related fields, especially other technology
fields.
We need to generate more opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations. 85
Recognition, Support, and Resources 86
We need to disseminate our research findings broadly and increase
readership of our journals 86
Academics need to affiliate with organizations in related fields and increase
their involvement both in those organizations and on key committees
both internal and external to their institutions 87
Practitioners also need to find ways to increase leverage within their domains
to produce quality outcomes. 87
We need both internal and external support and funding 88
PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION FOR OUR FIELD 89
Step One: Expand Our Problem Definition and Vision 89
Step Two: Develop Concrete Solutions 90
Step Three: Implement and Evaluate 90
MacNealy: Rsrch in TC: A View notes
MacNealy, Mary Sue
Research in Technical Communication: A View of the Past....
533 research must grow in quantity, quality, and coherence for profession to thrive
535 limited scope to empirical, non-personal research with data that could be confirmed/verified and that was significant enough to attend to (more than 1 page)
536 only in 1990 did empirical research articles reach 10%
537-38 lots of problematic sampling techniques and a broad variation in how material and data were gathered--and not all of it was clearly described or discussed
540 tech writers can learn a lot from research done in industry
540 does research build on or add to what is already known
541 major emphasis of research has been on education: what's needed, available, and how effective it is
541 design of user manuals a big emphasis in research
542 "paucity" of research on visuals
542 research is usually carried out in universities and related to advancement/changes in tech
Research in Technical Communication: A View of the Past....
533 research must grow in quantity, quality, and coherence for profession to thrive
535 limited scope to empirical, non-personal research with data that could be confirmed/verified and that was significant enough to attend to (more than 1 page)
536 only in 1990 did empirical research articles reach 10%
537-38 lots of problematic sampling techniques and a broad variation in how material and data were gathered--and not all of it was clearly described or discussed
540 tech writers can learn a lot from research done in industry
540 does research build on or add to what is already known
541 major emphasis of research has been on education: what's needed, available, and how effective it is
541 design of user manuals a big emphasis in research
542 "paucity" of research on visuals
542 research is usually carried out in universities and related to advancement/changes in tech
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