Undergraduate Research in English Studies

Here is a call for proposals for a collection on undergraduate research in English Studies. Although most of you are not in English, you might be interested (or surprised!) to learn that English and Writing Studies are incorporating undergraduate research. --Libbie Morley

Call for Proposals: Undergraduate Research and English Studies: Undergraduate research has been described as “the pedagogy for the 21st century.” While this phenomenon is pervasive in many fields in higher education, participation in English Studies is somewhat spotty. A paradigm shift is underway, however, with increasing attention to undergraduate research in the humanities, most notably, the creation of a new Division in the Council on Undergraduate Research (www.cur.org). <http://www.cur.org).%20/> The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (www.ncur.org<http://www.ncur.org/>) has long had a vibrant collection of presentations on literary studies but a paucity in writing studies. We invite proposals for essays for a collection on Undergraduate Research in English Studies that includes writing (e.g., composition, creative, professional, technical), rhetoric, literature, linguistics, folklore, and cultural studies. When we talk about undergraduate research, we mean primarily those students who are engaged in inquiry within their major or minor. Topics might include, but are not limited to the following: models of undergraduate research in English studies; best practices for faculty mentoring; studies of specific undergraduate research projects; community-based research and service learning; instruction in research methods, particularly in the context of the writing or English major; the role of IRB (human subjects) approval; faculty roles and rewards; diverse student populations; responsible conduct of research (ethics); issues of collaboration and authorship; impediments to undergraduate research in English Studies; venues for dissemination of research. Chapters will be in the range of 15-25 manuscript pages, including works-cited lists (and end notes, if there are any), though we are open to shorter or possibly slightly longer projects." We encourage proposals from undergraduate researchers. Proposals of 250-500 words should be submitted by February 1, 2008 to the editors, Laurie Grobman (leg8@psu.edu<mailto:leg8@psu.edu>) and Joyce Kinkead (joyce.kinkead@usu.edu<mailto:joyce.kinkead@usu.edu>).

About the editors: Laurie Grobman is co-founder and editor of Young Scholars in Writing, a journal devoted to publishing the work of undergraduate researchers (http://www.bk.psu.edu/Academics/Degrees/26830.htm?cn21); she is also the author of Multicultural Hybridity: Transforming American Literary Scholarship and Pedagogy and co-editor with the late Candace Spigelman of On Location: Theory and Practice in Classroom-Based Writing Tutoring. Joyce Kinkead is Associate Vice President for Research at Utah State University. Her publications include Valuing and Supporting Undergraduate Research and “How Writing Programs Support Undergraduate Research” in Developing & Sustaining a Research-Supportive Curriculum.

Thank you for your consideration,

Joyce

J. A. Kinkead
Associate Vice President for Research
Professor of English
1450 Old Main Hill
Old Main 162
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-1450
435.797.1706
435.797.1367 FAX
joyce.kinkead@usu.edu<mailto:joyce.kinkead@usu.edu>