References

Barone, T. E. (1992). A narrative of enhanced professionalism: educational researchers and popular storybooks about school people. Educational Researcher, 21(8), 14-24.

Connelly, F. M. and Clandinin, D. J. (1990). Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19 (5), 2-14.

Eisner, E. W. (1991). The enlightened eye: qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of educational practice. New York: Macmillan.

Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures. New York: Basic Books.

Goldberg, N. (1986). Writing down the bones: freeing the writer within. Boston, MA: Shambhala.

Lester, J. D. (1984). Writing research papers: a complete guide (Fourth Edition)Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Co.

Strunk, W. and White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style (Third Edition). New York: Macmillan.

Troyka, L. Q. (1990). Handbook for writers (Second Edition). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Zinsser, W. (1988). On writing well: an informal guide to writing nonfiction (Third Edition). New York: Harper and Row.

Questions for Consideration

1. What are the possible audiences educators-as-inquirers ought to share their learning with?
2. What are the different kinds of stories that you can imagine for sharing what you learn with each of the audiences mentioned in the previous question?
3. What are the various elements of a story?
4. Why are all the elements essential for a good story, no matter what the audience or the nature of the publication?
5. What are Spradley’s six levels of writing?
6. Why are all six levels necessary in qualitative writing?
7. How should one decide upon the proportion of a report to dedicate to each of the six levels?
8. What are Spradley’s suggested stages of report writing?
9. How do you plan to share your qualitative project?

Suggested Activities

1. Decide who your audience will be. Might you have more than one? For example, you might consider both your professor and classmates, as well as readers of a professional journal or people attending a conference.
2. With this audience in mind, what format would best carry your content and be most appropriate for your audience? Are there rhetorical demands (expectations for certain modes of sharing) from your audience? What political concerns ought you to consider? If you decide to publish, in what journal? Study one to be sure you realize content and format constraints.
3. Informally formulate your ideas based on the inquiry you have done, create a draft, revise it, ask for peer response, edit, and prepare a final draft.
4. Present your work to your audience.