One page schedule 2025

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Google drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BnTLi9oRPZVzOT2oXdUHHCS6kpFn8Dps?usp=sharing

The two encyclopedias that I am having us use can be accessed through Clemson’s library. Access them through Sage Research Methods Core. The entries are not long and they are written for a beginning audience (so to speak). They often have related entries mentioned for learning more. You are welcome to explore those if that methods interests you. The two have slightly difference foci so if I list them both, it’s because you need to note the nuanced variations of how scholars talk about the same method. You need to READ at least one of the entries on the topic of the week closely. 

  • Allen, M. (Ed.) (2017). The sage encyclopedia of communication research methods. (Vols. 1-4). SAGE Publications, Inc, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483381411 Abbreviated throughout as Sage Communication 
  • Given, L. M. (2008). The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. (Vols. 1-0). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909 Abbreviated throughout at Sage Qualitative

May 13, 2025

Topic
Study design: what is empirical research and defining terms

Read for Class:

Do for class:

  • Post your research history in the 5-13 folder found in the google drive
  • do some search engine of your choice or quick library research on research paradigms
    • search around a bit to get a general sense of what you think is meant by research paradigms and what are some common ones discussed
    • be prepared to discuss what you found in light of my own summary (which is linked above)

In class:

  • What is research and the research enterprise
  • discussion of research paradigms
  • Definitions of parts of research
  • course structure and field exercises

May 20, 2025

Topics
Study design: field work 
Practice: how to read research

Read for class:

The first three pieces I am asking you to skim are providing insights into how folks rhetoric and communication see research. The emphasis on the field in the second two are a good way to understand empirical methods and needing to do research work that draws information from people, places, and things, and to see how folks talk differently about the same thing. So as you’re reading them mark terms or terminology that are not clear to you and questions that you may have. 

  • Skim: Broad, B. (2013). Strategies and passions in empirical qualitative research. In Nickoson, L., & Sheridan, M. P. (Eds.). Writing Studies research in practice (pp.197-209). Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
  • Skim: Middleton, M. K., Senda-Cook, S., & Endres, D. (2011). Articulating Rhetorical Field Methods: Challenges and Tensions. Western Journal of Communication, 75(4), 386–406. https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2011.586969 (This piece in particular really highlights the conversations in the field. Why? Because it is likely you feel like you don’t fully understand parts of it because of the way they integrate existing scholarship. This is a point we will talk about in class.)
  • Skim: Rai, C., & Druschke, C. G. (Eds.). (2018). Field Rhetoric: Ethnography, Ecology, and Engagement in the Places of Persuasion. The University of Alabama Press. Introduction (.pdf)
  • research questions blog 
  • from Powell, K., & Takayoshi, P. (Eds.). (2012). Practicing research in writing studies: Reflexive and ethically responsible research. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press. Chapter 5 

Do for class:

Explicate this article

Gunning, S. K. (2025). How Do Nonprofit Proposal Writers Learn Their Jobs? Results of a Nationwide Survey and Interviews. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 39(2), 191-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/10506519241307786 

When I say explicate, I want you to sit and read closely and mark up the text.

    • highlight and note the research question, methodology/theory, method, and findings. Take note of the evidence the author presents in answering the question. Consider the findings and how well you believe them based on what is presented on the page. Make note of questions that arise as you are reading. Questions of terminology, approach, process. Questions of interpretation or analysis. 
    • Upload your explication (start your file with your last name) to the shared google folder. N.B. This process of having you upload is one of sharing insights. We can learn from one another’s approach to reading and interpretation. So please try to resist the urge to compare. It’s ok if we’re different, and it’s ok if we’re also at different places. 

In class: N.B. we will likely go a bit longer than last week. 

    • discussion of what fieldwork means and how it relates to research study design and empirical methods
    • how to read an article discussion
    • crafting research questions

May 27, 2025

Topics
Study design: observations and field notes
Practice: reflective memoing and other forms of note taking

Read for Class:

  • A-Z entry on observational research in the Sage Qualitative and Sage Communication 
  • A-Z entry on ethnography in the Sage Qualitative and Sage Communication 
  • A-Z entry on fieldnotes in the Sage Qualitative and Sage Communication 
  • A-Z entry on memoing  in the Sage Qualitative
  • LaFrance, M. (2019). Institutional ethnography : a theory of practice for writing studies researchers. Utah State University Press. Skim intro Skim intro.

Do for class:

In class:

  • discussion of observational research and ethnography
    • field notes, demoing, and keeping track of yourself
  • research question workshopping

June 3, 2025

Topic:
Methods: interviews, focus groups, oral histories
Practice: sampling

Read for class: 

  • A-Z entry on interviewing in the Sage Qualitative and interviewing for interviewing data gathering  Sage Communication 
  • A-Z entry on oral history in the Sage Qualitative 
  • A-Z entry on focus groups in the Sage Qualitative and Sage Communication 
  • A-Z entry on sampling decisions in the Sage Communication and sample in Sage Qualitative

Do for class:

  • Perform a brief field observation exercise based on our readings and discussion from last week. You need to begin that observation with a curiosity of some kind. For example, you can watch people in line at your favorite coffee house. How do they pass the time in line? Your observation does not need to be long, but it needs to give you the chance to take some field notes and then reflect on the process. Upload your observation and related noted as a single file to the google folder for this week. 
  • Post an article in our shared google document from your field that uses an observational method and aligns with who you are as  a scholar/teacher/practitioner.

In class:

  • discuss your observation field exercise 
  • discuss interviews, focus groups, oral histories
    • with attention to the differences and when to use each 
  • discuss sampling 

June 10, 2025

Topic:
Methods: surveys, questionnaires, 
Practice: validity, reliability, trustworthiness

Read for class

  • A-Z entry on survey research in the Sage Qualitative and interviewing for surveys advantages disadvantages  Sage Communication  
  • A-Z entry on validity construct in the Sage Communication and validity in Sage Qualitative
  • A-Z entry on reliability of measurement in the Sage Communication and reliability  in Sage Qualitative
  • A-Z entry on trustworthiness in Sage Qualitative and triangulation in Sage Communication
  • Erika Hall’s Stance on Surveys  (this is a medium article so it’s quick. There is also an embedded link at the top where you need to read it too.)
  • Rife, Martine Courant. (2013). Invention, copyright, and digital writing. Carbondale, Il: Southern Illinois University Press. (this is a number of parts of the book. Read the methodology and the part about surveys as rhetorical only.

Do for class:

  • Perform an interview, focus group, or oral history based on our readings and discussion from last week. You need to begin that this process with a curiosity or questions of some kind. You will need to produce the questions in a structured, semi-structured, or open approach and then conduct the thing. Reflect on how well the interview went in relation to your curiosity or question. Upload your observation and related noted as a single file to the google folder for this week. 
  • Post an article in our shared google document from your field that uses the survey method and aligns with who you are as  a scholar/teacher/practitioner.

In class:

  • discussion of your field exercise
  • discussion of surveys and questionnaires
  • discussion of terms related to research 
  • check in on your research questions and create project

June 17, 2025: No class summer break 

June 24, 2025

Topics:
Study design: case study; ethics
Practice: bias

Read for Class:

  • A-Z entry on case study in Sage Qualitative and Sage Communication 
  • (Skim)Gallagher, J. R. (2024). Case Study Research in the Digital Age. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003402169 (intro and chapter 1 attached *.pdf)
  • A-Z entry on bias in the Sage Qualitative ; short blog on bias
  • A-Z entry on relational ethics in the Sage Qualitative 
  • Melonçon, L., Molloy, C., & Scott, J. B. (2020). Ethics in praxis: Situational, embodied, relational. Rhetoric of health & medicine, 3(4), 430-436. https://doi.org/10.5744/rhm.2020.4004
  • McNely, B. (2024). Engaging ambience: Visual & multisensory methodologies & rhetorical theory. Utah State University Press. Introduction 

Do for class:

  • Post a citation and short summary of an article or book chapter (in an edited collection; do not use a chapter from a monograph)  that uses the case study method and aligns with who you are as  a scholar/teacher/practitioner.  
  • Perform a brief field observation exercise based on our readings and discussion of surveys. Your task this week is to consider some aspect of your research question that may benefit from quantitative data. Write up five survey questions that would get you data toward answering your query. In addition, you want to explain what approach you would do to get a sample and distribute your survey. Upload a short document with your inquiry, your five sample questions, and your sampling plan as a single file to the google folder for this week. 

In class:

  • discussion of case study readings
  • discussion of your survey field exercise 
  • discussion of bias and ethics

July 1, 2025

Topics
Methods: Usability testing; experiments
Practice: relationship between question and literature review; positionality

Read for Class:

  • A-Z entry on experimental design and quasi-experimental design in Sage Communication 
  • Lam, C., & Wolfe, J. (2022). An Introduction to Quasi-Experimental Research for Technical and Professional Communication Instructors. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 37(2), 174-193. https://doi.org/10.1177/10506519221143111
  • Usability testing from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability_testing
  • Trade/commercial insights into usability testing: https://www.usertesting.com/resources/guides/usability-testing
  • Lit review blog
  • A-Z entry on researcher-participant relationships in the Sage Qualitative
  • Melonçon Chapter 2 (has an overture to positionality AND it is detailed explanation on the type of research that I did. This would be similar to what your own dissertations will include in Chapter 3.)
  • https://atlasti.com/research-hub/positionality-statements-qualitative-research (note, that Atlas.TI is a qualitative analysis software. I chose this brief overview because it was a little more generic than some found in specific fields.)

Do for class:

  • Find an article or book chapter that aligns with your ongoing research interests that reports empirical results. Take a look ONLY at the introduction and the literature review. What kind of literature review is it doing? Can you see how the literature review opens space for the question being asked or said another how does the lit review set up the research question? Post your citation and a quick overview of the relationship between question and literature review in this weeks’ google folder in our class drive.
  • Find a different article, book chapter in edited collection or book that has some reference to the researcher’s positionality. It is likely these will be found in reports of qualitative research. N.B. For those of you who took histories of rhetoric, you CANNOT use Sanchez’s. 😉 Post your citation and copy a key quote from where the author discusses their positionality.

In class:

  • Quick discussion of Usability testing (products, systems, and information; delivery is key)
  • Discussion of quasi-experiments
  • Relationship of literature review to the question
  • positionally of the researcher 
    • how does the impact the research practice and method
  • what do I know? how do I know it? (relates to both the lit review and your own positionality)

July 8, 2025

Topics
Methods: textual/rhetorical
Practice: grounded theory, coding, themes

Read for Class:

  • A-Z entry on textual analysis in Sage Qualitative and Sage Communication
    • If you are considering doing archival research both of the encyclopedias have various entries on theme. I mention it here to make you aware since we will not have time to discuss at length. But, note, I am happy to talk with you about archival research, and have bene fortunate enough to visit many both in the US and abroad.
  • A-Z entry rhetorical method and rhetorical artifact in Sage Communication
  • A-Z entry on grounded theory in Sage Communication and Sage Qualitative
  • A-Z entry on codes and coding in Sage Qualitative and coding of data in Sage Communication
  • A-Z entry on themes in Sage Qualitative and thematic analysis in Sage Communication
  • Coding blog

Do for class:

  • Post a citation and short summary of an article or book chapter (in an edited collection; do not use a chapter from a monograph) that uses does some form of textual analysis and coding
  • N.B. I have eliminated doing the field exercise for the user test or an experiment, which by class structure you would be doing for this week. It seemed to be a step too far in trying to conceptualize these methods if you are not going to use them for your own research Said another way, these are complicated methods that take a bit of preparation. If you are considering either one of these methods, please get in touch, and we will do some practical work on them.

In class: 

  • discussion of textual analysis and rhetorical analysis
  • discussion of coding
    • in class activity

July 15, 2025

Topics
methodological frameworks; role of theory 

Read for Class:

  • A-Z entry on theoretical traditions  in Sage Communication
  • A-Z entry on theoretical frameworks inSage Qualitative
  • (SKIM) Taylor, Todd. (2003). A methodology of our own. In Lynn Z. Bloom, Donald A. Daiker, & Edward M. White (Eds.), Composition studies in the new millennium: Rereading the past, rewriting the future (pp. 142-150). Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
  • (SKIM) Scott, J. B., & Gouge, C. (2019). Theory in the Rhetoric of Health & Medicine. In A. Aldren, K. Gerdes, J. Holiday, & R. Skinnell (Eds.), Reinventing (with) Theory in Rhetoric and Writing Studies: Essays in Honor of Sharon Crowley(pp. 181-195). University press of Colorado and Utah State University Press. (skim this one)
  • McNely, B. (2024). Engaging ambience: Visual & multisensory methodologies & rhetorical theory. Utah State University Press. Chapter 1 and 2 (N.B. for those taking visual rhetoric in the fall, we will be reading the remainder of this book then.)

Do for class:

  • think through based on our discussion of methodologies and paradigms what you think the role of theory is in research; be prepared to talk about this, particularly in light of one of the articles or book chapters you have already read this term. Pose a question or questions the google drive for this week

In class:

  • discussion of theory and its role in research

July 22, 2025 

**no meeting this week

Topics:
Practice: work on your final create assignment

Do for class:

  •  what lingering questions do you have that this point about methodologies, methods, and practices? Post them in our google drive in the folder for this week. 

July 29, 2025

Topic
Wrapping things up 

Do for class:

  • Consider what your two big takeaways are about empirical research. Be prepared to share these in class.

In class