Art & Action of Research

As the Annotated Bib looms in my future like the Apocalypse, I thought it would be a good idea to "journal" my ideas. In one of the last chapters we read from The Subject is Research, Wendy Bishop details her own ways of going about research. Interestingly enough, her chapter “The Researching Writer at Work” is part of the Research as Art and Action section of the book. This proved interesting to me because I never thought of research as either an art or a form of action. Throughout the last few weeks, I have to say, I have been proven wrong. The amount of reading that I have had to do is no less a work of art than is Michelangelo’s David. Ol’ Michel and I just might be neck and neck on hours spent. With the art emphasis down, the action is still to come. Such action will be evident in the large amount of interviews it seems I will have to complete to have any substantial information on the SWCA.

Now, as I wind my way back to my original thought like the ADD person that I am, Bishop writes that in every assignment/paper she has submitted from students, she asks for a “process narrative” to be submitted as well. In these process narratives, there will be “paragraphs, letters, and/or mini-essays that describe in specific detail how the text was written, including discussion of the physcial scene of drafting, time spent drafting, revision squences, writer's decisions, peer and teaching suggestions, and so on" (94). As I read this paragraph, I couldn't help but think that my blog is the 21^st, or better yet the electronic, version of Bishop’s process narrative. Analyzing my blog for how it would fit into Bishop’s description, I find it satisfactory in some aspects, but lacking in others. From now on, I will attempt to specify on such items as physicality, writing techniques and the suggestions that I am receiving throughout my research project.

Currently, the amount of research that I am reading is beginning to overwhelm me, so my next few blogs will be an attempt at the specific journal writing Bishop asks for. Hopefully with a level head and clear paragraphs, I will be able to begin making connections between my research material and the SWCA.

And so it begins . . .

At least, I would like to think that it has begun - and hopefully has begun on a good note. My previous post includes my approved research proposal. Writing the proposal was without a doubt a push in the right direction, as it forced me to think about the road that I am heading on and where I want that road to end. I also know that the field of writing centers is not widely known, not even by me when I began a year ago, so the proposal will be a good starting point for me to understand who my audience is and the questions that need to be answered.

It was not only the research proposal that was upfront and personal, but interviews were up to bat as well, with all of us learning the art of a successful Q & A. This past week has definitely been eye-opening and will undoubtedly be beneficial throughout this research project. In my case, interviews will play a tremendous role, possibly the biggest. As can be seen by my proposal, and with one of my previous posts in which I ranted about the lack of research, the SWCA will not create a deluge of research throughout databases. Instead, interviews will provide a substantial bulk of my research.

The previous interview summaries were an inquisitive experience that quieted my apprehension of the possible interviews for the research. I am naturally an outgoing and talkative individual, so I actually enjoy interviews and this past week reinforced this notion.  Many of my interviews won't actually be in person, which is the format that I would rather go with, so next I will have to practice interviewing through email and phone.

Outside of the classroom, I continued my search for more material on my subject. From the writing center director at my institution I was able to find about four books and several articles on the subject. It was an odd feeling photocopying these books and articles; I felt I was finally "researching", even if it was just the simple action of copying research material.

The next week will be a continuation of this week's adventure. I'm excited to read and analyze the material I have found and hopefully find research that will be beneficial to my project. Going along with those lines, I next have to start crafting my interview questions. This will be a big task, as there will be general questions I will ask all my interviewees, but with many of my interviewees (which I have yet to find!) I will have to ask specific questions.

It all seems to be falling into place - I just hope it doesn't start falling apart!

My Research Proposal

Title:

How has the Southeastern Writing Center Association evolved throughout its 30-year-history?

Introduction to the Research Project:

This semester my potential project will be an inquiry into the Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA). The SWCA is entirely what its name implies: an association of writing centers located in the southeastern portion of the United States. Founded in 1981, the SWCA is approaching its 30-year-anniversary. Throughout its history, several approaches have been taken in running, organizing and representing the SWCA. My search will then focus on how the evolution of the SWCA has progressed, what has been a part of the evolution and what this progress entails for the future.

The issue to be researched is one that I am personally and academically attached to as I am a writing center tutor for St. Thomas University. I began tutoring about a year ago and I am still learning about the world of writing centers. This research then will continue my foray into understanding how writing centers have adapted throughout their history, what are their significance and function across campuses, the role of the SWCA in running these writing centers and what the stories are of those that come into, work for and interact in any manner with a writing center.

Throughout the research, I will also be inqurying into the history of writing centers and how this has intertwined with Southeastern Writing Center Association. It is important to discover how the evolution of writing, writing centers and the SWCA are all related.

Specific Research Questions:

-          How has the history of the SWCA evolved over their 30-year-history?

-          What is the importance of the SWCA within the international writing center community?

-          How has the SWCA affected how writing centers are operated?

-          What are the stories of those that interact with writing centers and how does this involve the SWCA?

Potential Research Plan

Background information on the SWCA will be found on their website and its publication, The Southern Discourse. Their website will provide a brief history and mission statement, a membership guide, access to archived publications and contact information for the executive board, representatives-at-large and Southern Discourse editor. These members will provide potential interview subjects, as their experiences throughout their involvement with the SWCA will serve as the primary source for the SWCA’s history. A potential survey will involve the STU University Writing Center and other writing centers that are members of the SWCA. This survey will shed light on my research questions asking the significance of writing centers across different campuses. The observation aspect of this research project will entail observing the STU University Writing Center and surrounding writing centers such as FIU’s Center for Excellence in Writing.

Potential Multimodal Writings

There are several writings that can be produced from the research on the SWCA. One that has been created and I would like to perfect is a brochure for the SWCA. This brochure incorporates the history, mission statement and other important information on the SWCA. Unfortunately, I don’t believe it is up to standard, and this research project will allow me to liven up and substantiate the brochure.

Another potential multimodal project will be inspired by a presentation I attended at last year’s SWCA conference in which the presenters discussed advertising videos for writing centers. There were several aspects to the videos created such as comedic vs. serious, presentation style and technical features. It’s my hope that the research will be able to supplement the information in the video and showcase the writing center in an enlightening and appealing manner.

Other multimodal writings will involve a potential presentation at the SWCA conference and an article for the Southern Discourse. These writings will be a retrospective and investigative review of my research project.

Conclusion

In summary, this research project will be an inquiry into the past, present and potential future of the Southeastern Writing Center Association. The SWCA is a large association that will branch out into investigating the historical significance of the SWCA in the writing field, explore its main theme of writing centers and possibly turn into a venture of study into my Professional Writing major. The research project will incorporate interviewing members of the SWCA, surveying writing centers in the SWCA and observing those that interact with writing centers. This research project will also incorporate an addition of multimodal documents such as a brochure, video clip, (potential) presentation at a conference and article in the Southern Discourse.

Life in Hialeah

Hialeahean Interview Summary:

The difference between the research material that is available on a city and the perspective of an individual living in said city is a broad spectrum that at certain points merge, but most often than not lie on completely different sides. Such is the story of Hialeah, in which my research brought out interesting highs and lows that (sometimes) interacted with that of my interviewee. The most significant match is that of the Hialeahean's Cuban heritage. According to Hialeah demographics, the city of Hialeah is only second to Westchester in Cuban population with about 86% of the city noting a lineage tracing its roots to Cuba. Without a doubt, the language of Hialeah is one that works symbiotically, with Hialeah ranking second with Spanish as the spoken language in the United States. Ironically enough, number one is Hialeah Gardens, a suburb, according to the Hialeahean interviewee, that was created because Hialeah city "could not deal with them anymore" and is only a form of "demographic hair-splitting".

Such a large Hispanic influence is evident with Hialeah's motto, to the interviewee's knowledge, being the only city in America to incorporate Spanish: La Ciudad que Progresa - The City that Progresses. Along the lines of a Cuban heritage is the Santero community - with Hialeah's claim to fame as the largest community of santeros outside of Cuba. With an empathic "Oh, Yeah", the Hialeahean can recount vividly his own experiences with santeria and the rivalry that occurs between the botanicas - the religious stores that line many streets throughout Hialeah.

With such a eclectic mix of cultures, one would think that Hialeah ranks favorably in terms of travel, but Forbes ranked Hialeah in 2009 as one of the most boring cities in America. The Hialeahean will agree - but only to a point. Yes, he states, our malls and movie theaters "suck", and venues for entertainment are limited, but he believes Forbes has lost its mark. Hialeah, throughout his experiences, has been a cultural landscape filled with the "strange" and "peculiar" - a place where outsiders will be able to experience a culture unlike no other.

Such a strong notion of the Hialeahean's city leads me into a travel guide that I had found throughout my research. The recommendation for food and drinks while travelling throughout Hialeah: Chipotle (Mexican fast food); Jerry and Joe's Pizza from NY; and La Carreta ("authentic" Cuban food). As I read this list, the Hialeah's eyes begin to roll and he shakes his head. You want Hialeah, he asks me. Forget that list. Go to El Rey de la Fritas.

I might just take his offer. I haven't travelled down the 826 in awhile.

Interview Write-Up

My first interview summary is one of literary history and its surrounding aspects.

My sports admin interviewee is a college student majoring in English. His literary history begins inconspicuously with him starting to read surrounded by a family that revels in reading and academics. Dr. Seuss, as with so many others, resonates as his first book experiences. Transitioning to elementary, this school era translates to an excelling in academics where reading and writing are seen as a passion to cultivate. Unfortunately this era comes to an end with the start of middle and high school, as the sports admin shifts to a focus on athletics that diminishes his love for the literary world. When asked of the difficulties in combining the sports world with his academic world, the sports admin believes it was his incapability to balance both and one overtook the other. It was only until college that a catalyst was enacted in the form of one professor, Dr. Montes. It is with Dr. Montes' inspiration that the sports admin is able to change his outlook and begin a successful merging of both his literary and sports culture. A new horizon was forming for the sports admin, as it was at this time he changed his major to English and is now considering a future in grad school with a Masters in either Sports Administration and/or English. The sports admin dream will be to one day merge the two into a successful career as a sports journalism, thus bringing two spectrums into one. Such a passion for both fields is evident as the sports admin speaks, with his emphatic notion that it is possible "to use one to understand" the other. This symbiotic relationship is evident throughout his personal literary history as he describes reading "How Soccer Explains the World" and delves into how it is possible to utilize sports to understand economics, society - in his words, to find "the deeper  meaning of sports". At a happy medium in his life, the sports admin has reached a meaningful point in the arch of his literary history - successfully blending together a passion for sports and an ingrained family culture of literacy.

Baby Steps

As I attempted the first part of my research project this week, I was reminded of one my favorite movies. I recently rewatched What About Bob? and the catchphrase of the movie would not stop replaying as I began to research the Southeastern Writing Center Association. The outcomes were mixed and varied, but mostly seemed to stay within the range of why is this here?

Searching ProQuest for Southeastern Writing Center Association wielded results ranging from Taiwan and Imperialism to China and the Huns. Searching LexisNexis for SWCA found me browsing through results for the Holocaust and Jews. It was at this time that Bob's motto flashed through my mind: Baby Steps.

The SWCA as a topic will definitely be one in which the "usual" sources will not yield as much research as I may have anticipated. The first day I researched I found perhaps one article that I would truly utilize. The others would perhaps bring me ideas and lead me down other paths. And then there were the random ones that just made me scratch my head.  

Thus, Baby Steps.

This research project will definitely be an exercise in patience, nerve and an unyielding sense that I just keep looking. Without a doubt, it will be like nothing I have undertaken before. In the words of Bob:

Baby steps as I wade through research; baby steps as I interview countless sources; baby steps as I survey out-of-state writing centers; baby steps as I observe my 20th session; baby steps through a minimum 4000 word paper; just plain ol' baby steps until I knock this monster out of the park.

Complete 360 . . . er, 180.

One look at my post title and one can see I am going in a different angle than anything that I brought in previously. To my chagrin, I am often one of those that believe doing a complete 360 would set me in a new direction. In all actuality, this would be very counter intuitive, seeing as I doubt my goal was to be right back where I started. Instead, what I am attempting to do with this post will (hopefully) result in a 180 turnaround of positivity and not a 360 run-around with no end.

After discussing with several other members of my research class, a new light has surfaced for my research project ideas. As much as I would be intellectually curious to find out the underlying nature on how individuals perceive immigration, religion or homosexuality, I do not know what the end of the journey would entail. This research project will hopefully be a manner for me to start my publishing/presenting/etc. aspect of a writing career and so it may not be completely beneficial to invest such time with no possibility that any of these goals would be accomplished.

As a recent convert to the Professional Writing major, I will instead focus this research project on investigating my own field. Throughout  The Subject is Research, they often have examples of students who search within their own field to get an idea of what their future holds. This will be my inspiration, as there are so many branches this major can take, so I must start learning them and attempt to find my own niche within. 

The idea that I have then decided on is investigate the Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA). It is their 30th year as an organization, and so their history as an association is broad, and I have a personal connection as a writing center tutor. This topic will be very new to me, as I have only recently been introduced to the world of writing centers and feel very much like a fish out of water. My only hope is that I do not get completely stuck out of the water!