Just like a review of research paper, an effective research-based article addresses a key literacy issue or question, reviews relevant literacy research that has been done to answer that question, and makes concrete instructional or curricular recommendations. However, the voice and tone of the article are more flexible, the writing geared for practitioners, and the recommendations immediately useful in K-12 schools. Our Writing Workshops will guide you to prepare an article that is engagingly written, thoroughly grounded in effective literacy research, and provides useable information for educators.

Process and Writing Workshop Assignments:
1. Clarify research interest(s): Consider your particular professional role and setting -- either your current educational role or your future professional role as a literacy specialist, general education or special education teacher, school psychologist, or counselor. What burning questions come up for you about literacy and how you can positively impact the literacy lives of K-12 students? NOTE: Because this course addresses general literacy development and research based best practices in instruction, please target your research interests accordingly.
June 25: Come to class ready to share possible research topics.

2. Examine models of articles: Explore journals, newsletters, and websites that publish articles on the topic(s) you have selected. We will spend some time on this in class on June 18. The process of looking at sample articles will help you develop a focus for your article.
June 25: Bring at least one research article from a professional journal, newsletter, or web site that you feel meets our criteria above (e.g., engaging, grounded in research according to criteria in Allington, p. 24-25, useful information for educators).

3. Develop a research question: A research-based article typically answers a question related to a specific literacy issue (e.g., what is the impact of family literacy on student achievement? What instructional practices increase the effectiveness of graphic organizers? How can discussion help students construct a deeper understanding of what they read? What are the research-based strengths and weaknesses of early intervention programs in literacy? What characteristics of grouping for instruction have been shown to improve students’ reading achievement?). The challenge will be finding a question that is focused enough to be handled effectively in an article (as opposed to broad enough for a dissertation).
Your article must consider issues of diversity, the relationship between research and instructional practice, and ethics related to your topic. As you develop your research question, keep these considerations in mind.
July 2: Form your research interest into one (or several) research questions that you will share in class.

4. Identify a publication target: Select a journal, professional newsletter, or website where you would want to publish an article on your selected research question. Familiarize yourself with the appropriate guidelines for contributors or authors. Read sample articles to get a sense of the scope, voice, and format published in this venue. This research will give you valuable insights into how you need to structure and write your article.
July 9: Bring to class with a sample article that exemplifies the characteristics of articles in your target publication.

5. Gather research: Read a broad selection of research studies pertaining to your topic (5 - 10 articles). This reading phase should help you sharpen your question and give you a good idea of the depth and kind of information available. After reading, choose the best, most relevant studies you have found. In your review, you must include at least three articles that are reports of research studies. The research studies you cite must meet Allington’s definition of scientifically-based reading research (Allington, 2006, p. 24-25). You may supplement with others that are reviews of research or application articles pertaining to the topic. Take notes on the articles using the Research Review Notes handout.
July 9: Bring the three most cogent research articles and your Research Review Notes to discuss in class.

6. Draft the article: Your article will briefly review relevant research on your topic, follow APA guidelines, and be a maximum of 10 pages (double spaced, 12-point font). NOTE: 10 pages is the outside target length; you may be able to write a highly effective article that is less than 10 pages. However, your article can be no longer than 10 pages. During the Writing Workshop on July 9, we’ll explore how to structure the article, how to begin with an engaging lead, and how to work with APA conventions (e.g., citations, references). We will also work with graphic organizers as a tool for planning the entire article.
July 16: Bring to class a graphic organizer showing the overall structure of your article with the key ideas/components listed. In addition, bring a draft of any part of the article so that you can work on revision strategies during the workshop. The draft does not need to be long (aim for 1-2 pages).

Although the specific structure of your article will vary from publication to publication, you need to include the following components (review the assignment rubric for specific criteria that will be evaluated):

A. Clear introduction that explains the literacy research question and its relevance. Describe your question in "real world" terms and explain why it is important in your particular professional setting. The Introduction briefly summarizes why you have undertaken the review. In this section, discuss how your topic reflects issues of diversity, instructional practice, and ethics. Include an engaging “hook” to entice the reader into the article. More information here

B. Review of research. This is the main section of your article, your opportunity to "make your case" based on the evidence of others' research and practice. Include at least three articles that report research studies that contribute information about your question. Synthesize the information you gathered from the different research studies by drawing connections among them – what, as a whole, do these studies taken together contribute to our understanding of your question? Your goal is to weave the research articles together into a cohesive statement of support for your article. More information here

C. Discussion of the research and implications for professional practice. Based on the findings of the research studies and other articles you have cited, explain how the research has answered your original question or solved your original problem. Discuss the instructional implications of the research. Explain how the research has provided guidance for real-world educators and learners. Tie in what you have learned about diversity, instructional practice, and ethics related to your topic. More information here

D. Conclusion. The conclusion should tie directly back to the reasons for pursuing the topic that you raised in the introductory section. In a few sentences, synthesize what we now know about the question you posed. More information here

E. References. List the references cited in your paper in correct APA format. Include every reference cited within the body of the paper and only those references actually cited. More information and resources for APA format here

F. Reflection. Briefly reflect (2 pgs maximum; the reflection is not part of the article page count) on your experience researching this topic and writing the article. In your reflection, answer the following questions: What specific implications of this research do you see for your own professional practice? In what ways has this article strengthened your knowledge and skills as a professional? How will you use what you have learned to improve your service to colleagues, students, families, and the wider community?

7. Revise and polish your article. We will spend time during the Writing Workshops on July 16, 23, and 30 exploring revision, peer response, and polishing strategies.

July 23 and 30: Bring drafts of your article to class to work with during the Writing Workshops. Final Article Due: August 6

RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATION
On August 6 we will hold our Literacy Research and Practice Symposium. That’s a fancy name for a very informal, engaging, and enlightening event. During the Symposium, four or five of you will present simultaneously with the rest of the class rotating among the “sessions.” This works much like a poster session at a professional conference with different presenters speaking simultaneously -- yet all in the same room. Plan to discuss your article very briefly and informally as your classmates circulate among the projects. Because of the format, please plan to discuss your article informally for a couple of minutes, rather than preparing a formal presentation. Prepare a one-page handout to give to your classmates. This handout should describe the application implications from your article in enough detail for your colleagues to think about it in terms of their own professional roles and should include applicable bibliographic references from your article. Please make sure that your name is on your handout. Bring enough copies of the handout for everyone.

The presentation must use some kind of visual aid to illustrate major concepts (e.g., graph, photographs, samples of student work, examples of materials related to your topic). This does not need to be elaborate – just provide us with visuals that will help us understand your topic and the research you reviewed. You must present in class to receive credit.