Our Conference Theme:
Research for "Consequential Publicness"
In Chapter 4 of The Naylor Report on Undergraduate Research in Writing Studies, Doug Downs, Laurie McMillan, Trish Roberts-Miller, and this year’s Plenary Speaker, Megan Schoettler, envision products of undergraduate research that have “consequential publicness.” They go on to note that this more “more capacious understanding of undergraduate research in Writing Studies"
requires reframing traditional expectations for dissemination of research findings within, and as an advancement of the knowledge of, a discipline. By understanding the available “ends” of UR more broadly, as circulation of consequential discovered stories and stories of discovering to a variety of relevant publics both academic and non-academic, those fostering UR in Writing Studies can increase the range of what is recognized as UR, decrease the time it takes to bring projects into circulation, and dramatically expand access to and participation in UR projects. In so doing, we can also significantly increase the number of public stakeholders touched by Writing Studies research as well as the production of research, and support for it, in the field.
This year’s workshop takes up that challenge: to reframe undergraduate research as consequential, as activist, as doing good in the wider world. With that in mind, our goal is for you to leave the Naylor Workshop poised and ready to continue your own consequential research with energy, excitement, guidance, and a network of support.
The schedule for each day demonstrates the flow our workshop. We begin with networking and getting to know one another. We provide you with time for conversations with mentors and fellow researchers, as well as for and reflection and re-visioning. And we invite you to present your revised thinking and next steps in a “gallery walk,” where you can get advice from other participants to send you forth to continue your work.