The Research Process

WHY DO RESEARCH?

Researchers are curious. They wish to know the why or how of an issue, and they hope the findings of their research result in additional knowledge and, perhaps, even make a difference. Being a researcher means seeing more intensely. Research also has the power to change people. It can be, in fact, a transformative experience, as the investigator is empowered to pose questions, design studies, investigate, report on results, and recommend alterations in policy or practice. Thus, research adds to the knowledge base of the field of study and has the potential for significant impact.

Hardly anyone worries about polio now, as the vaccination Dr. Jonas Salk developed in 1955 meant people could avoid the devastating disease. But prior to 1955, polio literally terrorized the nation, reaching epidemic proportions with almost sixty thousand cases in 1952. Many people died or were crippled for life. Some were placed in machines called iron lungs that helped them breathe, as they could not breathe on their own. As a child, I watched a television show that featured an adult in an iron lung. Talk about claustrophobia. The disease affected children primarily, but adults, like Franklin D. Roosevelt, were also victims. The subject of Andrew Wyeth's painting Christina's World was a polio victim. The well-known violinist Itzhak Perlman performs sitting due to the debilitating effects of the disease. Dr. Salk began working on a vaccine in 1948. When it proved successful, he was hailed as a hero, yet he refused to profit by taking out a patent on the drug.

While Dr. Salk's research was scientific, the current research that seeks to eradicate polio worldwide is sociocultural. It seemed at one time that polio could be completely eliminated; however, lore about the vaccine permeated some rural areas around the globe, particularly those populated by people with Muslim beliefs, that the vaccine would hurt children. As a result, hundreds of cases still appear. But with researchers working through community and religious organizations to educate leaders about the devastating effects of the disease and the value of the vaccine, the number of cases is decreasing in some areas of the world, a hopeful sign.

Humanistic research plays a role in the fight against polio, too. Technical communicators design appropriate technical documentation to educate and inform community members. Researchers such as Rebecca Walton note that standard technical documentation that puts the facts forward to users may not be effective. Instead, technical communicators do a needs assessment of the issue and then design appropriate documentation for the specific purpose. This may include showing people in familiar garb and surroundings. Such an approach brings the situation closer to being recognizable by users. The power of narrative and storytelling may also be evoked in effective documentation. Walton (2013; Walton, Zraly, and Mugengana 2015) works in user-centered design, and her particular interest is enhancing technical communication in third-world countries.

Researchers are working at this very minute trying to find cures for Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and even the common cold. Research in health-related issues is a high priority for any nation, as it contributes to economic, social, and personal well-being. The United States is known particularly for its research in health, defense, technology, energy, and space exploration. And, over half the nation's basic research is undertaken at its colleges and universities.

Students who engage in research are helping to ask questions and solve problems in a wide range of fields. This is important work. In addition, students benefit in multiple ways. Undergraduate research has been identified as a "high impact" practice by researcher George Kuh (2008, 20) and his team, who, through the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), found that many colleges and universities provide research experiences for students in all disciplines. Students' early and active involvement in systematic investigation and research offers a "sense of excitement that comes from working to answer important questions." Students grapple with "actively contested questions, empirical observation, and cutting-edge technologies."

Personally, students gain tremendously when engaging in research. The following attributes have been substantiated by researchers such as David-Lopatto (2009) and Laursen et al. (2010). Student researchers benefit by

• experiencing the rewards of designing a project, making discoveries, and sharing findings;

• understanding some of the ways in which research differs across disciplines;

• increasing ability to think, learn, and work independently;

• strengthening oral and written communication skills;

• sharpening critical thinking skills;

• developing close relationships with faculty mentors;

• preparing for graduate school;

• getting work published;

• traveling to conferences and working with people who share their interests;

• enhancing a resume;

• participating in and contributing to the life of their chosen field.

Participation in research has the capability of increasing students' sense of responsibility and independence, yet it provides experience in learning to work as members of a team when a project is done collaboratively with other students or with faculty mentors. It can also help clarify career goals. Is this what I wish to do with my life? And even if the subject matter differs from the postgraduation job, research skills are transferable to other settings. Employers consistently cite good communication skills, problem solving, facility with technology, and the ability to work with others as highly valued attributes.

WHY DO RESEARCH IN WRITING?

Charles Bazerman (2007) argues that the study of writing is the study of "how people come to take on the thought, practice, perspective, and orientation of various ways of life; how they integrate or keep distinct those perspectives in which they are practiced; and how we organize our modern way of life economically, intellectually, socially, interpersonally, managerially, and politically through the medium of texts" (35). Throughout history, to be literate has been key to a person's success. Writing is not only about personal success but also about a person's well-being. It can be used to discover oneself, to write one's way through problems, and to communicate feelings.

Writing is what makes us human.

Important studies in writing have changed the way writing is taught from...