Writing and Researchfor Publication
Barbara E. MoelyProfessor Emerita of PsychologyTulane University
Robert J. Hironimus-WendtAssociate Professor of SociologyXavier University of Louisiana
Group Interaction 1:Why do Research?
(Ten Minutes)
Why would you personally like to do research regarding service learning?
What questions do you have regarding service learning research?
Reasons for Doing Research
Evaluation report to funding agency or university administrators (evaluative research)
Evaluation of program functioning, with the aim of making improvements (formative research).
Reasons for Doing Research
Research to answer basic questions about:
reactions of students, faculty, community to a service-learning experience or program;
important program or course characteristics;
individual differences in service learners;
changes over time in students, faculty, or community attitudes or behaviors.
Group Interaction 2:Potential Research Topics
Ten minutes
In groups of 4 or 5, share with each other possible research interests that you have.
The Research Process
Formulating your question: What do you want to know?
Reviewing the existing research literature: What do we already know?
Identifying your sample: Who will you ask?
The Research Process
Developing measures: How can you measure what you want to learn from the individuals in your sample?
Use of established test instruments or methods
Development of new measures
The Publication Process
1. Conceive Study 2. Conduct Study 3. Write Paper 4. Present Paper at Meeting 5. Revise Paper 6. Submit Manuscript to Journal
The Publication Process
National Venues for Presenting Research: National Service-Learning Conference
http://www.nylc.org/ International Conference on Advances in
Service-Learning Researchhttp://outreach.msu.edu/slConference/
American Education Research Associationhttp://www.aera.net/
National Society of Experiential Educationhttp://www.nsee.org/
American Association of Higher Educationhttp://www.aahe.org/
The Publication Process
National Venues for Publishing Research: Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning
(MJCSL)http://www.umich.edu/~mjcsl/
Campus Compact Readerhttp://www.compact.org/publication/readerbackissues.html
The Generator: Journal of Service-Learning and Service Leadershiphttp://www.nylc.org/generator.htm
Journal of Experiential Education (JEE)http://www.aee.org/pubs/jee/njourn.html
National Society for Experiential Education Quarterlyhttp://www.nsee.org/pubsandresources.htm
Service-Learning Websites
http://www.servicelearning.org/ http://www.learnandserve.org/ http://www.compact.org/links/
CART (Compendium of Assessment and Research Tools)
Bob Bringle’s book, The Measure of Service Learning