Join the Graduate English Association for a professionalization workshop on “Research Methods & Practices.”  Professors Dan O’Hara and Miles Orvell will give presentations, joined by Temple English graduate student Jen McKim.

This workshop will be focused on the interplay between academic reading and writing. Questions we will consider together include: where does the research process begin? With a text, a passage, or a close reading? A theoretical problem or cultural issue? An academic debate? How do you identify a problem you want to pursue and from there, how do you begin to pursue it? Do you begin by reading, writing, or researching, or note taking, or somewhere else? What do all of those processes entail at the beginning/middle/later stages of your project? Do you go into the archive, scour the internet, or simply read the text in question again and again? How do you take notes, how do you effectively utilize those notes? How do you know when to stop reading and begin writing or, conversely, how do you know if you need to read more or to research more? Finally, how do you know when your are finished? When it is time to send in the paper or defend your dissertation?

Please join us for what is sure to be a stimulating discussion, aimed at tackling some of the most important questions of our research strategies and methodologies.