Framing the Question: Versions of the Research Question
"While place might determine what research methods are possible, the research question determines what research methods are necessary."
(Composing Research, 2000. Cindy Johanek, 3)
| Modes of Inquiry (link to study design) |
Research Questions |
| Practical | What impact does different levels of "rhetorical reflection" have on the quality of student reflections and the resulting revised drafts? What type of reflective prompts work best for post-freewriting-draft revision? What type of reflective prompts work best for revision between the second and third draft? What type of reflective prompts work best for transfer between a finished essay and a new assignment? |
| Historical | What was the application of Dewey's notions of reflection within a pragmatic Composition curriculum like in the first half of the 20th century? Were his ideas about reflection implemented? Were their historic ancestors of the use of reflection within the Composition curriculum? |
What is the modern history of reflection within the field of Composition? How has reflection been hijacked by portfolios? How has reflection's place within writing and program evaluation been used and evolved, particularly through portfolios? |
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| Philosophical | What is the role of reflection in assisting student writer's develop "judgment" or "phronesis"—that is, the skill (for which there is no rule) to apply rules, to mediate between general rule and particular instance, to develop the virtue of reflective deliberation that determines right application? (see Phelps, Composition as a Human Science, 216-17). What is the nature/importance of phronesis in Composition? |
| What is the nature and significance John Dewey's writings on reflection (most likely focused on How We Think)? | |
| Experimental | Do students engaged in reflection between drafts produce better revisions? (cf study—Do students who do prewriting/invention before an essay end up with a better final product?) |
| Clinical | What happens when students reflect between drafts? (inductive, more grounded) What is the nature of reflection as validity testing inbetween drafts?(i.e. focus on "events" of transformation and confirmation and what they mean) –(This comes at the question with a more specific aspect of reflection to examine.) |
What is the relationship between reflection between drafts and revision? As a element of teaching practice, does this technique of incorporating reflection have an affect upon revision? Or what kind of affect does it have? |
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| Can we identify any patterns of intellectual development within the reflections of students at different ages? | |
| Formalist | What is reflection's role within Kolb's Experiential Cycle? Viewing the writing process as a form of Kolb's Experiential Cycle, what is reflection's role within this cycle or process? |
| Ethnographic | Can we observe the phenomenon of reflection occurring for writers and how does it appear to manifest itself? |
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Lirvin Researching | Site created by Lennie Irvin, San Antonio College (2007) | Last updated
August 20, 2007