1. Course Summary & Conclusions LIS488’s Final Class

2. Writing Skills

3. Greater precision to reflect more accurately what you mean Booth et al. demonstrated both the importance of writing well and a “system” of writing research: –Recognizing a structure to help one to think and to create is useful … provided one realizes it is only a guide: the creative part is knowing when to follow and when not to.

4. Writing Skills What does it mean for a researcher to write well? What does it mean for a reader to “read well”?

5. Scholarly Communication & Intentionality Why are there different journals? Cluster journals by topic; also provides a research opportunity to see how concept develops, moves thru society, influences other concepts (a history or anthropology of knowledge) Cluster journals by domain; also provides opportunities to see how a members of a domain perceives itself, its values, and relationship to others

6. The Structure of Research Identify physical elements - why are they useful? Suggests the structure of reflective inquiry Helps reader to identify the questions, the literature, why the research questions are valued … the “so what?” factor Text, graphic, and numeric facets: all three are in a sense different languages saying the same thing; a kind of checks- and-balances

7. The Structure of Research Reveals, too, what questions and types of evidence (warrant) are accepted as a means for confirmation or veracity; this is an unarticulated aspect in the discovery of truth and, in a way, raises the question of truth in an empirically- bound field …

8. The Structure of Research Part of these means for acceptance can increase one’s ability to read and to interpret research Part of these means may limit what is valued as important and limit what counts for evidence and warrant

9. The Structure of Research To convince others thru evidence or (knowingly) to stun others into submission –I don’t understand, so I’ll skip this section –Oh! I didn’t notice that … Emotional language or emotionally-charged issues that impact your personal and professional life –“Diversity” –“Smokers’ Rights” –“Right to Life” / “Keep your laws off my body”

10. Role of Research Requires a shared, interpretive structure (society writ large; work domains; organizational communication) and Spirit of Inquiry –Compare: “It’s a [xxx] thing, you wouldn’t understand.” –“That’s a management issue.” –“How do I …” –“I wonder …”

11. Nuts and bolts Take on the challenge of finding, interpreting, critiquing, and integrating “research”. In class, we … Examined sources of research/profession lit Critiqued articles Explored data collection Use of data Interpretations/alternatives Student-provided cases to explore (on the board)

12. Data Collection Many techniques but for us primarily the idea of collecting data that actually inform us about the research question “Critical value” - not memorizing a zillion stats, but sensitized to the primary concepts of how statistics are used to explore a question and are expressed in the literature

13. Putting it all together Practiced one type of collection - survey Some specifics: –Overview of the question –The purpose of the survey –Right to opt out without punitive measures –Interpretation of data –[everything, frankly, lissa course forms are not]

14. Putting it all together Demonstrated what happens to the collected data: statistical software (used the Babbie text) Writing a Proposal: –Now that you have all the pieces, you integrate them into a single, cogent whole: the proposal –You have an idea of what you want to study. Now you, like all researchers, must shape your expression, data, warrant, etc., into a format that is understandable by the intended audience. –Examples?

15. Discussion Topics Ethics and Research Digital rights and research Your questions

16. What’s next? If you’re interested in pursuing research - you can! Take classes/read about research methods and statistics. Consider a doctorate! Practice writing: don’t be afraid to write, write, write and then throw the whole thing away and start fresh! (Writing to learn)…

17. What’s next? Philosophical aspects: our notion of science is based in empiricism; read about it and alternatives; consider epistemology Read and reflect - be the informed consumer of data Find journals or domains where the work interests you - even if the articles seem difficult or poorly written - keep at it!

18. In conclusion, congratulations! If you’ve completed all the readings, thought about the content, reviewed the course materials available online and in- class demonstration/lecture/discussion, you’ve gained a large body of passive knowledge and a good deal of active knowledge. You’re quite ready to consider and participate in the Role of Research.

19. Bye! Have an enjoyable summer and good luck in your other courses. If you’re graduating, congrats! If you have thoughts, comments feel free, as always, to drop by and send an e-mail.