Article Critiques
The Proseminar is an important site (though not the only one) for developing your skills to read and write critically about educational research. There is no more important component of academic literacy for you to develop, quickly and deeply, than the ability to "critique" empirical research - that is, research that gathers data (hence, empirical) and draws inferences from those data. Developing these skills will make you a better reader, a better writer, and a better speaker and thinker. To put it as concisely as possible, you cannot generate knowledge without learning first how to critically evaluate the published and not-yet-published work of others.
It is important to understand that critical does not mean negative. Many cultures teach us to be appropriately respectful of the ideas of others, especially when they appear in print. Though respect is always an appropriate professional stance, all research - published and not - has limitations, holes, and sometimes, out-right errors. You will grow and develop as a scholar only as you learn to find these limitations, write about the unanswered questions, and point directly to errors of design and reasoning. All these things can be done respectfully.
Because the ability to read empirical research critically is so important, all doctoral students in CEPSE are assessed on these skills during their first year or during a formal examination at the beginning of their second year. The formal exam consists of critiquing an empirical research article in an all-day session. You will get to know more about this exam this semester and will participate in numerous in-class activities and assignments designed to help you develop these skills. More specifically, we will informally critique articles together as a class and you will write a formal critique of another. You will receive feedback on this formal written critique and submit a revision of it.
It is important to understand that critical does not mean negative. Many cultures teach us to be appropriately respectful of the ideas of others, especially when they appear in print. Though respect is always an appropriate professional stance, all research - published and not - has limitations, holes, and sometimes, out-right errors. You will grow and develop as a scholar only as you learn to find these limitations, write about the unanswered questions, and point directly to errors of design and reasoning. All these things can be done respectfully.
Because the ability to read empirical research critically is so important, all doctoral students in CEPSE are assessed on these skills during their first year or during a formal examination at the beginning of their second year. The formal exam consists of critiquing an empirical research article in an all-day session. You will get to know more about this exam this semester and will participate in numerous in-class activities and assignments designed to help you develop these skills. More specifically, we will informally critique articles together as a class and you will write a formal critique of another. You will receive feedback on this formal written critique and submit a revision of it.
