PROFESSIONALISM, RESEARCH & WRITING Julia R. Miller, Ph.D. Kappa Omicron Nu Leadership Conclave & Undergraduate Research Conference August 6, 2005 – Chicago,

PROFESSIONALISM, PROFESSIONALISM, RESEARCH & WRITINGRESEARCH & WRITING

Julia R. Miller, Ph.D.Julia R. Miller, Ph.D.

Kappa Omicron NuLeadership Conclave &

UndergraduateResearch Conference

August 6, 2005 – Chicago, Illinois

PROFESSIONALISPROFESSIONALISMM

What is Your Definition?

DEFINITIONS OF DEFINITIONS OF PROFESSIONALISMPROFESSIONALISM

Expectation to demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and a responsible attitude toward recipients, the profession, society. This includes abilities to:

Demonstrate respect, compassion, integrity and altruism in relationships with students, colleagues and other stakeholders;

DEFINITIONS OF DEFINITIONS OF PROFESSIONALISM PROFESSIONALISM (Con’t)(Con’t)

Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to gender, age, culture, religion, sexual preference, socioeconomic status, beliefs;

Adhere to principles of confidentiality, scientific/academic integrity, and accountability;

Recognize and identify deficiencies in personal and peer performance.

Professionalism. (2005).http://users.umassmed.ed/colin.swales/prof.htm

DEFINITIONS OF DEFINITIONS OF PROFESSIONALISM PROFESSIONALISM (Con’t)(Con’t)

Maximizing knowledge Being innovative Showing constant improvement Sharing knowledge Ignoring distractions and losses Producing quality work Understanding the importance of communication,

appearance, and mannerisms Possessing a good attitude Keeping up with ethics and legal issues Comprehending programmatic thrusts

Withrow, S. (2005). Defining Professionalism in IT. http://uk.builder.com/manage/work

PROFESSIONAL GOALSPROFESSIONAL GOALS

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up somewhere else.”

– Yogi Berra

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

PROFESSIONAL GOALSPROFESSIONAL GOALS

When Alice encounters the Cheshire Cat in wonderland, she asks, “Would you tell me, please which way I ought to walk from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t care where—” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you walk,” said the Cat. “—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation. “Oh , you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

— Lewis Carroll

PROFESSIONALISPROFESSIONALISMM

What are Your Goals?

How do professional goalschange over time?

PROFESSIONALISPROFESSIONALISMM

RESEARCH AND RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONALISMPROFESSIONALISM

Guiding Principles for Researchers Systematic Inquiry: Researchers conduct systematic,

data-based inquiries. Competence: Researchers provide competent

performance to stakeholders. Integrity/Honesty: Researchers ensure the honesty

and integrity of the entire process.

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

RESEARCH AND RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONALISM PROFESSIONALISM (Con’t)(Con’t)

Respect for People: Researchers respect the security, dignity, and self-worth of respondents, program participants, clients, and other stakeholders with whom they interact.

Responsibilities for General and Public Welfare: Researchers articulate and take into account the diversity of interests and values that may be related to the general and public welfare.

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Predict Build general laws

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Add To The Knowledge Base Confirm findings Replicate others’ work Reinterpret previously collected data Clarify structural and ideological connections

between important social processes Strengthen the knowledge base

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES Have a Personal, Social, Institutional,

and/or Organizational Impact Deconstruct/reconstruct power structures Reconcile discrepancies Refute claims Set priorities Resist authority Influence change Promote change Promote questioning Improve practice Change structures Set policy

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Measure Change Measure consequences of practice Test treatment effects Measure Outcomes

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Understand Complex Phenomena Understand phenomena Understand culture Understand change Understand people

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Test New Ideas Test innovations Test hypotheses/objectives Test new ideas Test new solutions

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Generate New Ideas Explore phenomena Generate hypotheses/objectives Generate theory Uncover relationships Uncover culture Reveal culture

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Inform Constituencies Inform the public Heighten awareness Public relations Enlighten Hear from those who are affected by

treatment/program Describe the present Comply with authority

RESEARCH PURPOSESRESEARCH PURPOSES

Examine The Past Interpret/reinterpret the past Acknowledge past misunderstandings Reexamine tacit understandings Examine Social and historical origins of

current social problems

Abbas, T. & Teddlie, C. (2003). Handbook of Mixed Methods In Social & Behavioral Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

RESEARCH PARADIGMS:RESEARCH PARADIGMS:QUALITATIVE and QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVEQUANTITATIVE

Qualitative/Naturalistic Paradigm Qualitative data (narratives, descriptions) Naturalistic inquiry Case Studies Inductive analysis Subjective perspective Close to programs Holistic contextual portrayal Systems perspective focused on interdependencies Dynamic, ongoing view of change Purposeful sampling of relevant cases Focus on uniqueness and diversity Emergent, flexible designs Thematic Content analysis Extrapolations

RESEARCH PARADIGMS:RESEARCH PARADIGMS:QUALITATIVE and QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVEQUANTITATIVE

Quantitative/Experimental Quantitative data (numbers, statistics) Experimental designs Treatment and control designs Deductive hypothesis testing Objective perspective Aloof from the program Independent and dependent variable Linear, sequential modeling Pre-post focus on change Probabilistic, random sampling Standardized, uniform procedures Fixed, controlled designs Statistical analysis Generalization

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century Text. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

WRITING and WRITING and PROFESSIONALISMPROFESSIONALISM

“They say that figures rule the world.I do not know if this is true, but I do

Know that figures tell us if it is well or poorly ruled.”

– Goethe, German Philosopher and Author(1747-1882), 1814

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century Text. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

WRITING and WRITING and PROFESSIONALISMPROFESSIONALISM

“Unless one is genius,it is best to aim at being intelligible”

– Anthony Hope, British Novelist(1863-1933)

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century Text. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

WRITING and WRITING and PROFESSIONALISM : PROFESSIONALISM : REPORTING OUTCOMES / REPORTING OUTCOMES / RESULTSRESULTS Strive for balance when writing by providing multiple

perspectives While focusing on simplicity in presenting information.

Be clear to reduce confusion, uncertainty or misinterpretation. Make comparisons carefully and appropriately. Write in a manner to assist stakeholders with statistical

thinking and reasoning. Interpret numbers and qualitative data to have meaning. Interpret statistics and qualitative data with the understanding

that there a varying degrees of error.

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century Text. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

WRITING and WRITING and PROFESSIONALISM : PROFESSIONALISM : REPORTING OUTCOMES / REPORTING OUTCOMES / RESULTSRESULTS

Recommendations should clearly follow from and be supported by findings.

Distinguish different kinds of recommendations.

Multiple options rather than recommendations may be more useful.

Include benefits, costs of making changes and costs and risks for not making changes.

Focus on actions within the control of intended users.

Exercise political sensitivity in writing.

Be careful and deliberate with wording.

Allow time to write well. Develop strategies for recom-

mendations to be taken seriously. Show future implications of

recommendations. Remember that outcomes and

recommendations may have different meaning for different stakeholders.

Make sure to formulate well written, carefully derived recommendations and conclusions.

Ten useful and practical guidelines:

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century Text. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

SUMMARYSUMMARY

Research, Writing and Professionalism

Inform problem solving and decision making to maximize knowledge

Clarify options and assist with priority setting Identify what is and what can be Provides opportunities to exchange facts, ideas and

innovations with colleagues Influence and impact change Provide information useful for stakeholders and policy

makers within textual boundaries of time, place, values and politics

Friends To Adopt and Select Friends To Adopt and Select When We Are Planning and When We Are Planning and

Analyzing Our Professionalism, Analyzing Our Professionalism, Research, and WritingResearch, and Writing

Six Honest FriendsSix Honest Friends Six Honest Serving Friends Who

Taught Me All I Know: What Why When How Where Who

Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilization-Focused Evaluation: The New Century Text. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.