Undergraduate Research In English Studies

Editors Laurie Grobman and Joyce Kinkead offer a groundbreaking collection of essays that aims to mobilize the profession of English studies to further participate in undergraduate research, which in the past had been reserved for scientific fields. Why shouldn't undergraduates in English studies have the same opportunities as those in the sciences to benefit from undertaking real research that can inform and have an impact on practitioners in the discipline? They should and can, according to editors Laurie Grobman and Joyce Kinkead, who have produced this collection to showcase the first steps being made to integrate undergraduate research into English studies and, even more important, to point the way toward greater involvement. Undergraduate Research in English Studies is a groundbreaking collection that aims to mobilize the profession of English studies to further participate in undergraduate research, an educational movement and comprehensive curricular innovation that is "the pedagogy for the twenty-first century," according to the Joint Statement of Principles composed by the Council on Undergraduate Research and the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research. Students engaged in genuine research gain an insider's understanding of field-specific debates, develop relevant skills and insights for future careers and graduate study, and contribute their voices to creating knowledge through the research process. Some contributors discuss the importance of mentoring, how to conduct research responsibly, and avenues for disseminating research and scholarship locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally. Others provide case studies of undergraduate research in literature and in composition and rhetoric. The volume combines theory and practice, and lays the groundwork for further practice and inquiry, sending forth a call to broaden undergraduate research possibilities in all areas of English.

In this special issue, scholars from across English studies--literature, writing and rhetoric, and linguistics--explore the potential of undergraduate research in a changing disciplinary landscape. The articles cover key issues in undergraduate research including mentoring, publication, administrative support, curricular structures, nontraditional student populations, and the nature of humanities research itself. The issue includes a collection of articles coauthored by faculty members and undergraduate researchers highlighting the possibilities and challenges of undergraduate research in English studies.

In On the Inconvenience of Other People Lauren Berlant continues to explore our affective engagement with the world. Berlant focuses on the encounter with and the desire for the bother of other people and objects, showing that to be driven toward attachment is to desire to be inconvenienced. Drawing on a range of sources, including Last Tango in Paris, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Claudia Rankine, Christopher Isherwood, Bhanu Kapil, the Occupy movement, and resistance to anti-Black state violence, Berlant poses inconvenience as an affective relation and considers how we might loosen our attachments in ways that allow us to build new forms of life. Collecting strategies for breaking apart a world in need of disturbing, the book’s experiments in thought and writing cement Berlant’s status as one of the most inventive and influential thinkers of our time.

Doing a Research Project in English Studies is the essential guide to undertaking research and developing academic English literacy skills for students new to research. With a particular focus on the needs of students in contexts where English is used as a foreign or an additional language, this accessible textbook takes the reader through the research process in five main sections: getting started (arriving at a topic, interacting with a supervisor); finding bibliographic resources; collecting data; developing academic writing skills; preparing for the oral defence. Each chapter contains exercises; the answer key facilitates independent study throughout. Extracts from published research articles provide invaluable illustration of the features of academic writing. This is a must-have resource for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students embarking on a research project in English studies.

The Naylor Report on Undergraduate Research in Writing Studies combines scholarly research with practical advice for practitioners of undergraduate research in writing studies, including student researchers, mentors, and program administrators. Building upon the 1998 Boyer Commission Report, Reinventing Undergraduate Education, this book provides insight into the growth of undergraduate research over the last twenty years. Contributors demonstrate how undergraduate research serves students and their mentors as well as sponsoring programs, departments, and institutions. The Naylor Report also illustrates how making research central to undergraduate education helps advance the discipline. Organized in two parts, Part I focuses on defining characteristics of undergraduate research in writing studies: mentoring, research methods, contribution to knowledge, and circulation. Part II focuses on critical issues to consider, such as access, curriculum, and institutional support.

This volume introduces final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students taking Masters degrees or PhDs to a range of research methods that are deployed in the study of English, particularly for the periods of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Despite all of the information that exists to encourage students to attend and do well in college, this is the first research-based guide that directly advises first- and second-year college students. With a focus on the needs and interests of students who are underrepresented in the academy (African American, Latinx, low-income, and first-generation students), this book will help all students take full advantage of the academic resources that the university setting has to offer. The authors introduce students to different types of research across the disciplines, showing them how to work with professors to build a course of study, how to integrate research work into coursework, and how to write and present research. This timely volume will also assist faculty, staff, and parents in providing the needed tools to promote student success. Book Features: Prepares students for the transition from high school to college with a focus on writing, time management, and research skills.Addresses the challenges that face high-achieving, underrepresented students.Empowers students to seek out resources and research opportunities to achieve their full academic potential.Includes models, approaches, student voices, and vignettes from the authors’ successful undergraduate research program. “A must read for every college student. This practical guide provides a roadmap for success as a researcher, a scholar, and a learner.” —Tia Brown McNair, Association of American Colleges & Universities “Faculty mentors and administrative leaders who aspire to be effective sponsors and supporters of students from diverse backgrounds should definitely acquire this resource.” —Elizabeth L. Ambos, Council on Undergraduate Research “What I love about this book is the broader, humanistic conversation about how pursuing research becomes a window into how one becomes a supremely informed and critical citizen.” —Armando Bengochea, director, Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program

Co-published with and With the growing interest in undergraduate research as a high-impact practice, and the recognition that college education is increasingly moving online, this book – the first to do so – provides a framework, guidance from pioneering practitioners, and a range of examples across disciplines on how to engage remote students in research.Two foundational chapters set the scene. For those new to incorporating undergraduate research in their courses, the opening chapter provides an introduction to its evolution and practice, and reviews the evidence of its benefits for students, faculty, and institutions. The second addresses the benefit that undergraduate research can bring to online learning and provides an overview of the ways research can be incorporated into online and virtual courses to meet the course and student learning objectives. The remaining chapters illustrate implementation of undergraduate research in courses across many disciplines. They address thematic issues related to the work and its effects on students, such as transitioning them from users of, to active participants in, research; and consideration of the technological tools needed to support students in a virtual environment. The contributors, some of whom have been implementing these practices for some years, offer important insights and expertise.While the examples range across the behavioral sciences, business, education, the health professions, the humanities, social sciences, and STEM, readers will find much of value and inspiration from reading the chapters beyond their disciplines.