Masterstroke of the century: Taking this course before my final MAIS course.

I don't believe in Absolute Knowledge. Or.. the Truth with a capital T. However, I do believe in trying to get to the best approximation of truth possible. To do this, one has to research and research well. In my first few courses I was just too happy to find anything on my topic, that I would include it in my paper. I loved to see my Works Cited list grow and grow, and believed it to be a sign of my skills as a researcher.

It's different now. The volume of research materials I include are of less importance than the quality of research. Another important difference is the way I assess research. I look for ways-of-thinking, and have become less inclined to just focus on the volume of facts in any given text. This takes me back to Bartholomae's (1986) concept of the 'uninitiated writer' (qt in Fernsten & Reda, 2011, p. 172-3). It seems I have become initiated into the world of academic writing (and by extension, critical thinking), during the course of my MAIS studies.

This second-to-last course represents another growth spurt in this initiation process.
 No doubt this is a never ending process.

Process:

Google Scholar (with the help of the AU library bookmarklet, which gives me access to a lot of research hidden behind a paywall).

AU Library journal database.

AU Library requests for books.

I have created a virtual bookshelf in ebrary under a folder MAIS 606 for this course. It contains many sources for my final paper.

I also use a card system to jot down notes on certain sources, cross referencing citations. By doing this I have noticed how the research I am looking at repeatedly emphasizes certain key documents and experts. Those key documents will form the foundation of my literature review on the use of voice in academic writing.

My topic:

Describe the current discourse surrounding the researcher's presence as writer and individual in academic writing, particularly regarding the use of the personal pronouns in research essays.

Happy hunting

Eben

PS. As can be seen (hopefully) above, my daughter is also researching along with me...

Works cited

Fernsten, L.A., & Reda, M (2011). Helping students meet the challenges of academic writing. Teaching in Higher Education, April, Vol. 16, No. 2, 171-182.