EDER 603.23 Writing Educational Research (Spring 2012)

This course focuses on examining and developing the skills associated with crafting an academic paper. Topics will include genres and purposes of academic writing, and venues for presentation and publication. An academic paper is more than a compilation of a literature review, some relevant information, and a conclusion. An acceptable paper- whether intended for an academic or a professional audience, and whether a research report or a theoretical-philosophical argument – takes a clearly defined topic or idea, situates it in the current literature, and supports it with a well-structured discussion. The principle intentions of this course are to introduce students to the various structures of academic papers and to provide support in student’s efforts to craft and publish written work.

A traditional approach to writing educational research involves first learning about writing, then learning to write. Learners first study sample texts, analyzing them and then dissecting them, examining their structure, argument and style. The next step often involves producing an original piece of writing that mimics the style, tone and structure of the sample text. The final step is to integrate elements of the student’s own voice and style with elements of the texts they have previously studied. The rationale behind this approach is that students must first learn what counts as excellent writing by learning about writing. Only then are they prepared to write themselves.