(Inter)Views: Engaging Freshmen in Primary Research in the Composition Classroom
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| Title: | (Inter)Views: Engaging Freshmen in Primary Research in the Composition Classroom |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Webb, Adam |
| Source: | Online Submission. 2010. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 28 |
| Publication Date: | 2010 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | Majors (Students), Writing Assignments, Writing Exercises, Grading, Autobiographies, Writing Instruction, College Freshmen, Personal Narratives, Interviews, Teaching Methods, Citations (References), Academic Discourse, Resumes (Personal), Scoring Rubrics, Internet, Surveys, Research Papers (Students) |
| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
| Abstract: | While literacy autobiographies, citizenship autobiographies, and family narratives are common first writing assignments in the freshmen composition classroom, they are usually followed by some kind of research proposal, annotated bibliography, or research essay. While there is nothing wrong with literacy and citizenship autobiographies or family narratives, do these kinds of writing assignments prepare students for the transition to conducting academic research that usually begins with secondary sources? This study offers an alternative approach by introducing students to academic research and writing by teaching them strategies in conducting primary research. This approach involves having students develop a professional resume and conduct a series of three semi-formal interviews with individuals within their majors, careers, and future professions. Students then write reflections for each interview and then synthesize the information and knowledge they have gathered into one final reflection document. The study that follows is a mixed method design, involving quantitative and qualitative data from a survey conducted online. The study was conducted at the University in West Texas during the spring semester 2010. The duration of the study lasted approximately six weeks and involved two composition classrooms with 25 students per class. The following are appended: (1) Choice 1: Spring Semester 2010 Writing Assignments #1; (2) Choice 2: Spring Semester 2010 Writing Assignments #1; (3) Writing Assignment #1: The Resume Grading Rubric; (4) Writing Assignment #2: The "Interviews" Grading Rubric; and (5) Survey. (Contains 2 figures.) |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 6 |
| Entry Date: | 2010 |
| Accession Number: | ED511846 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | While literacy autobiographies, citizenship autobiographies, and family narratives are common first writing assignments in the freshmen composition classroom, they are usually followed by some kind of research proposal, annotated bibliography, or research essay. While there is nothing wrong with literacy and citizenship autobiographies or family narratives, do these kinds of writing assignments prepare students for the transition to conducting academic research that usually begins with secondary sources? This study offers an alternative approach by introducing students to academic research and writing by teaching them strategies in conducting primary research. This approach involves having students develop a professional resume and conduct a series of three semi-formal interviews with individuals within their majors, careers, and future professions. Students then write reflections for each interview and then synthesize the information and knowledge they have gathered into one final reflection document. The study that follows is a mixed method design, involving quantitative and qualitative data from a survey conducted online. The study was conducted at the University in West Texas during the spring semester 2010. The duration of the study lasted approximately six weeks and involved two composition classrooms with 25 students per class. The following are appended: (1) Choice 1: Spring Semester 2010 Writing Assignments #1; (2) Choice 2: Spring Semester 2010 Writing Assignments #1; (3) Writing Assignment #1: The Resume Grading Rubric; (4) Writing Assignment #2: The "Interviews" Grading Rubric; and (5) Survey. (Contains 2 figures.) |
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