Blog # 4

What is Stern's methodology? What skills does she use? How do the limitations of autobiography identified by Evans apply to Stern's essay?



     Stern's essay creates great emotion in the reader. It is like watching a horror movie. Step by step I read through with a great sympathy for her, yet I wanted to skip some parts because they were very difficult to read. In the beginning of Stern's story, she mentioned "terrorism" and I felt discouraged to continue to read, because it reminded me of that horrible date of our history 9/11. An author, I believe she is still recovering today, because she is not stopping her research on terrorism, in order to answer the question: What makes men angry? Jessica Stern is a strong, powerful woman. Many people like her will become silent, at least will say something about it, but will not do the research as Jessica Stern has done.
     Stern's method is autobiography. Despite the denial in the past of others (e.g. police, hospital) she decided to share her story as a victim of rape with her readers.
     According to Mary Evans "Auto/biography as a Research Method", "The individual who are the subject of auto/biography live in the same way as the researher, within a world where the boundaries of the public and the private are increasingly fluid. Moreover, those boundaries are often re-written by the subjects of auto/biography themselves..." This statement seems applies to Stern's story. Also there are three limitations of autobiography: 1. Partiality and exclusion in an account of a life; 2. The often uneasy relationship between the contextin which an auto/biography is written and the emphasis in interpretation and range of material; 3. The 3rd flaw of it focuses on one individual. This limitations apply to the stiry in a partial way. Jessica Sterns puts her story within a broader context, which is her study of terrorism.

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Blog 3 Research Paper Questions

Do somemore  writing to map out your research question => pose several (related) questions that you might ask.  You may not be able to state what you want to study in just ONE question, and you may need to do some explaining/exploring to set up your question(s).  This is a place to put your ideas in writing - so your classmates and I can give you feedback.



Research Question:

How reading influence Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten children from preschool to secondary school?

Methods:

- Interview. I will interview parents, and teenagers.

Questions:

1. How old were the children when the parents began to read to them?

2. How often did or do the parents read to them? (e.g. everynight, once a week)

3. What kinds of books, stories did the parents read?

4. At what time did the parents read to the child? ( e.g. morning, evening)

5. Did the child prefer to be read to in a group or alone?

6. How old were the children when they began to read by themselves?

7. Did the teacher notice reading ability in the child?

8. Did he/she copy words from the book? When? While being read to or after?

9. Did he/she recognize any words in the story?

10. Was the child able to retell the story?

11. Was the child able to answer questions about the story?

12. How did the parental reading help the child to develop his/her own reading skills and writing skills?

13. What books or stories does a teenager recall that was read to him/her?

14. What books or stories does a teenager recall that he/she read in primary school?

Blog 2 Research Project

    Write in some detail about your ideas for a research project.  Think about your focus (what you will study); what questions you will ask, who you might talk to/observe/work with to find answers; what kinds of places or things you will need to study, and so on.  The more brainstorming you do here, the more I will have as a basis to give you feedback.


     I would like to research how reading influences children in Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten. Reading is considered to be the most significant school and home based activity. Teachers and parents read aloud so that children develop listening skills, and build a foundation to succeed in reading and writing in the future.
     I plan to interview collegues, parents at church, friends to get information to support my research. I would like to know how much reading to Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten children prepare them for reading and writing in primary and secondary school.

Blog 1 Research Methods for English Studies: An Introduction by Gabriele Griffin

Write a definition of methods, methodologies and skills.

Methods – are special ways to observe and collect data on a certain topic of interest. Methods are used to reach the goal of research. Methods are the “how” of research.  

According to Griffin “ Methods are concerned with how you conduct a given piece of research”. (p.5) 

Methodologies – are how a person approaches to a particular topic, it is a perspective that person

has, or “ concerned with the perspectives you bring to bear on your work  such as a feminist or a postcolonialist one” (p.6)

Skills – are knowledgeable approach or a tool to a particular research. It is “techniques for handling material” (p.5)

In her introductory chapter Gabriele Griffin gave clear explanations of  what method, methodology and skills are in research. In the future I will need them and use them in completing my research project assignments.