Comments on: Introduction to Literary Research http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/ falling indelibly into the past Sat, 17 May 2008 02:46:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: KF http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/#comment-3157 KF Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:32:52 +0000 http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/#comment-3157 Thanks for these responses! Jason, on the one hand, I agree with you, but I think what I need to signal is precisely that this piece is *intentionally* weighted toward the finding of scholarly readings, which is what it's supposed on some level to be about: helping students recognize that their intepretations of whatever text they're working with are part of a broader critical conversation about the text, and thus should interact with those prior readings. You're right that there are other modes of research, and I should indicate so, but this is the mode that the piece is supposed to focus on. And DR, you're totally right; that bit needs to be frontloaded. The trolling-for-quotes bit is definitely to be avoided... Thanks for these responses! Jason, on the one hand, I agree with you, but I think what I need to signal is precisely that this piece is *intentionally* weighted toward the finding of scholarly readings, which is what it’s supposed on some level to be about: helping students recognize that their intepretations of whatever text they’re working with are part of a broader critical conversation about the text, and thus should interact with those prior readings. You’re right that there are other modes of research, and I should indicate so, but this is the mode that the piece is supposed to focus on.

And DR, you’re totally right; that bit needs to be frontloaded. The trolling-for-quotes bit is definitely to be avoided…

]]> By: Jason Mittell http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/#comment-3117 Jason Mittell Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:36:17 +0000 http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/#comment-3117 I like this for outlining the process of finding scholarly sources. However, and perhaps this is my background as more of a cultural historian more than a literary scholar speaking, I think you need to at least mention the possibility of primary sources, or other resources beyond scholarly articles. Documents focused on cultural context, the critical reception of literature, an author's life & other writings, historical events represented in literature, etc. all are potential areas of literary scholarship. This piece is too weighted toward finding scholarly readings rather than other modes of research - I don't imagine you'd need to rewrite what you've got here, but just add a couple of paragraphs up front as to what other types & uses for sources might be in play. I like this for outlining the process of finding scholarly sources. However, and perhaps this is my background as more of a cultural historian more than a literary scholar speaking, I think you need to at least mention the possibility of primary sources, or other resources beyond scholarly articles. Documents focused on cultural context, the critical reception of literature, an author’s life & other writings, historical events represented in literature, etc. all are potential areas of literary scholarship. This piece is too weighted toward finding scholarly readings rather than other modes of research - I don’t imagine you’d need to rewrite what you’ve got here, but just add a couple of paragraphs up front as to what other types & uses for sources might be in play.

]]> By: dr http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/#comment-3108 dr Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:53:07 +0000 http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/introduction-to-literary-research/#comment-3108 This looks really good, but I'd love to see some of the stuff from the end -- about thinking about the variety of ways one needs to engage with sources -- come earlier. A lot of student research behaviors involve a kind of trolling-for-expert-quotes type of reading, in which they aren't really paying attention to many other ways sources can be useful. I have an article that's sort of on this -- it's more about analysis, but gets into some of the writing-with-sources issues. (Not the FINDING sources issues, which you're mostly covering here.) It might be useful. And might make this point more coherently than I can off the cuff. This looks really good, but I’d love to see some of the stuff from the end — about thinking about the variety of ways one needs to engage with sources — come earlier. A lot of student research behaviors involve a kind of trolling-for-expert-quotes type of reading, in which they aren’t really paying attention to many other ways sources can be useful.

I have an article that’s sort of on this — it’s more about analysis, but gets into some of the writing-with-sources issues. (Not the FINDING sources issues, which you’re mostly covering here.) It might be useful. And might make this point more coherently than I can off the cuff.

]]>