RISE

Abstract

Cooperative education is a core characteristic of a Northeastern University student’s experience. For English and other non-STEM-based majors, writing is an integral-but-understudied element of any co-op. The intent of this research is to better understand and identify the types of writing students do on co-op. Research will be conducted with current and former co-op students via surveys and one-to-one interviews. Descriptions of writing required on co-op will also be gathered from Co-op Fair posters and NUWorks listings. This investigation will be invaluable to students’ understanding of what professional writing entails and its comparison to academic writing.

Background, motivation, and goals

For this project, we wanted to conduct an in-depth exploration of the writing students do on co-op at Northeastern University. Co-op and the writing it requires is incredibly relevant to the lives of students and deserves further study. This research aims to better understand and identify the types of writing students do on co-op as well as the preparedness, enjoyment, and future outcomes involved in that writing process.

Process and methods

In order to collect data for this research, we sent out a survey as well as conducted one-to-one interviews with both current and former co-op students. Additionally, we conducted textual analyses from co-op fair posters and NUWorks job listings.

Findings and products

We received a total of 149 responses from our surveys with a majority of respondents affiliated with CSSH, CAMD, and COS. Students mainly reported that they completed everyday communications (text, emails, etc.) and note taking (medical charts, meeting minutes, etc.) while on co-op. In our survey, we explored multiple questions such as the amount of time that students spent writing, the skills they learned and applicability of their skills, and the level of enjoyment that co-op brought to students.

Conclusion