Major Course Requirements

For English 295, 296, and 297 with Professor Bob Broad

Several course requirements comprise your work in this class. Click on the link to jump to the description of each requirement:

Overview of Options for Teacher Research Projects

Textual Research

You will identify a problem to solve or a question to answer related to the teaching of literature and/or writing.  You will conduct research (reading, writing, talking to people, etc.) to learn what is already known about your problem or question and to try to advance our knowledge and understanding of it.  For more details, see the handout and/or web page entitled “Assignment: Textual Research.” 

Classroom Research

You will identify a problem to solve or a question to answer in a specific classroom in which writing and literature are taught.  You will plan a research project (e.g., observing, interviewing, reading students’ writing, talking to teachers, etc.) to learn what is already known about your problem or question and to try to advance our knowledge and understanding of it.  For more details, see the handout and/or web page entitled “Assignment: Classroom Research.” 

Teaching Materials

You will develop materials and/or plans for teaching literature and/or writing to secondary-level students.  Your materials will include an introduction and rationale and a Works Cited section.  For more details, see the handout and/or web page entitled “Assignment: Teaching Materials.” 

Something Else

Sometimes writing a story, poem, play, or personal essay can help you and your readers grow as teachers of English.  If you would like to do "Something Else" as one of your two research projects, please talk to Prof. Broad. 

Please note:  Only one of the two research projects (textual research, classroom research, teaching materials, or something else) must be taken through a complete writing process and made publishable.  This will be referred to as the “Published Piece” and will be included in the source-book we will publish.  The other project may be left at the “Revised Draft” stage, meaning that you have drafted, gathered and used peer response, and received comments from Prof. Broad.  For more details, see the handout and/or web page entitled “Three Levels of Revision (for students in methods courses).”