Frances ENGL6401

a) What have you learned about the processes of designing a sound research study in class? b) What have these processes taught you about your future roles as a technical/professional communicator and digital rhetorician? One thing I learned about the process of designing a research study is that it takes some brainstorming. I wouldn't have finalized my project without Dr. Bacabac's help. Collaboration and building ideas can be very useful. To add to that, sleeping on a thought is also a valid and useful strategy. Sometimes, we can ruminate on something too much, so much so that we feel like we have thought about everything there is to think about the topic. Stepping away for a few hours or even a day or two can be a useful reset for the mind. The process has mostly taught me (reaffirmed is probably a better word) that readers cannot read my mind. I have to be explicit, detailed, and clear in everything I write so that readers can understand my work and other researchers would b...

 After the peer review, the first thing that I realized I need to edit was the fact that my study is going to essentially be one small drop in a nearly empty bucket. I need to better emphasize that I am mostly calling attention to the need and showing how Annett's (1982) list may or may not be relevant in a more modern era. This study is more of a prologue than an introduction. I also have some citation errors to fix. I tried to do narrative citations, but I didn't do them properly. Thankfully Professor Bacabac pointed out where I went wrong! Finally, I think I need to give a better overview of Annett's list. It was incredibly informal with no methods, discussion, results, nothing. Basically, he got a bunch of editor friends together, analyzed student work, and came up with ten items. I want to express how informal that study was and how I want to do the same thing but through a more academic process than just me and my friends.