Disciplinary Alignment--You Are What Conference You Attend

Although it is possible--and in some cases necessary--to develop multiple disciplinary alignments, being recognized as a viable member of multiple fields is not an easy feat. Given the persisting influence of the disciplinary division of labor (Matsuda, 1999), it is important to develop a solid footing in at least one of the main disciplinary contexts. 

One of the most obvious manifestations of disciplinary alignment is conference attendance. If you specialize in second language writing in the United States, that means you would regularly and actively participate in CCCC, AAAL or TESOL as your home conference--in addition to attending the Symposium on Second Language Writing. 

The choice of the conference has implications for what you read, who you associate with, and what kind of jobs you will apply for (and get). 

In any case, working in a transdisciplinary field such as second language writing is not easy because you need to read not just everything that's related to second language writing but read widely in one or more of the related fields. 

Information for Prospective Ph.D. Students

Looks like it's the time of the year when prospective doctoral students begin to explore their options. I've been receiving my share of email queries from students who are interested in second language writing, but since many of them seem to have the same kinds of questions or misconceptions, here are some clarifications. 

Please note that this information is specific to people who wish to work with me. It should not be generalized to other faculty advisors, programs, or institutions. 

Choosing the Right Program

If you haven't already, please read "Choosing a Ph.D. Program."

ASU English Department offers various Ph.D. programs. I suggest studying the Department website thoroughly before contacting anyone with questions. 

The Ph.D. programs that are most relevant to students interested in second language writing are: a) Writing, Rhetorics, and Literacies; and b) Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. In practice, if you apply for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics and specify me as a possible faculty mentor, your application may be transferred to Writing, Rhetorics and Literacies, which is the program of my primary affiliation. The requirements are flexible enough that you can pursue your interest in either program. I do work with Linguistics and Applied Linguistics students who choose to work with me after being admitted. 

At ASU (and at many other institutions in the United States), "English Education" means the teaching of English in K-12 institutions in the state. If you are planning to teach English outside the United States or if your interest is in second language education, this is probably not the most relevant program for you. But if you are interested in studying second language writing in the context of K-12 schools, this may be a good fit, but I would suggest checking with the program director.

For more information about these programs, please check with the Graduate Studies Coordinator.

Admissions

If you have any procedural questions--such as the application procedure, application materials, deadlines, etc.--please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator.

If you have questions about working with me, please contact me before applying to any of the programs. I will ask you to share some of your ideas and your work to see if your goals and abilities match my expectations. This is also your chance to see if my mentoring philosophy and goals are appropriate for you. You can learn more about my teaching and graduate advising under "Teaching."

In the United States, admission into the doctoral program does not involve the approval of the thesis/dissertation proposal. Instead, we admit the best candidates and ask them to enhance their depth and breadth of knowledge by taking courses. Students will then take a series of exams to demonstrate their qualifications before they submit their dissertation proposal. 

Advising

Since I already have a large number of doctoral students, I can only work with highly qualified individuals whose research interests and professional goals match my educational mission--to prepare the next generation of second language writing researchers who will contribute new knowledge and insights by maintaining active research programs. 

If you do not specify the faculty mentor at the time of application, the program director will serve as your initial academic advisor—until you find your real academic advisor (i.e., your dissertation chair). You can choose your dissertation chair anytime between the beginning of the program to when you have to file your program of study (known as iPOS). If you are interested in working with me, contact me as soon as possible. 

Opportunities Related to Second Language Writing

If you are interested in studying second language writing, here are some of the opportunities available for you:

If you hold a TAship, you will normally teach ENG 101 and 102 during the first year. Starting in the second year, you will be able to request second language sections of first year composition courses (WAC 107, ENG 107 or ENG 108). During the fist semester of teaching second language writing courses, you will enroll in ENG 594, a practicum course, and be mentored by me or one of the advanced doctoral students. For advanced doctoral students with strong background in second language writing and excellent teaching records, there may be other teaching opportunities available.

You can take ENG 525, Teaching Second Language Writing, which provides a broad introduction to the field of second language writing and research-informed discussions of various pedagogical issues. This course is appropriate for master's and doctoral students.

You can also take ENG 625, Advanced Studies in Second Language Writing, which is a variable title (aka omnibus) course offered under different subtitles. You can take this course multiple times under different subtitles. This course is primarily designed for doctoral students who are interested in conducting research on second language writing, but master's students who are interested in research are also welcome.

Depending on your expertise and interest, you may have an opportunity to gain some administrative experience as the Assistant or Associate Director of Second Language Writing.

You may also have opportunities to be engaged in special projects, such as being part of the organizing team for the Symposium on Second Language Writing, an annual international conference for teachers and researchers of second language writing from around the world. Depending on my roles at different professional organizations (including AAAL, CCCC and TESOL), you may have additional opportunities for professional engagement. 

You will also have opportunities to collaborate with me or other students who share similar interests. There are plenty of research and writing projects going on all the time.

Conclusion

The information presented here is current as of April 11, 2018. The views expressed here are mine and they do not represent those of program directors, other faculty members, or the institution.

Thank you for your interest in Arizona State University. I wish you the best of luck with your application process.

A Second Language Writing Specialist on Every Campus

Every rhetoric and composition Ph.D. program should have at least one faculty member who specializes in second language writing. Every institution of higher education should have at least one second language writing specialist.

Yes, at least one specialist. The rest of the faculty can specialize in other things but should also know enough about aspects of second language writing that pertain to their areas of specialization. And a 100% of writing teachers should be prepared to work with second language writers.

What Advisors Are For

Dear doctoral students: 

If you have questions related to your own research, and if you are in a graduate program, please ask your own advisors first. It's their job to help you and they are being paid for it. If your advisor doesn't know how to help you or are not willing to help you, perhaps you need to find a new advisor. 

If you can't find anyone who can help you at your institution, what do you do? If you are in your first few years into the program, consider moving to an institution where you can work with a real mentor. If it's too late, do your best to find the answers yourself first before asking others for help. 

If you are not in a doctoral program and are looking for one, go to an institution where there are faculty members who are willing and able to share all their expertise and resources to help you achieve your goals.

If you don't know how to identify a good doctoral program, take a look at this blog:

http://dissoilogoi2.blogspot.com/2012/06/choosing-phd-program.html

Here are some guidelines for e-mentorship: 

http://dissoilogoi2.blogspot.com/2006/06/e-mentorship.html

Congratulations, Kacie Kiser!

Congratulations, Kacie Kiser, on receiving the WPA GO Travel Award. WPA GO stands for "Writing Program Administration Graduate Organization." This is a competitive award based on the quality of proposals submitted for the annual convention of the Council of Writing Program Administrators. Way to go, Kacie!

Choosing a Ph.D. Program

I've been talking to various people who are interested in applying to Ph.D. programs. Here are some pieces of advice I keep giving out to help them choose an appropriate program for them.

1. Find out whether doctoral-level work is really for you. The doctorate is, first and foremost, a research degree that prepares people to become knowledge producers. It's not a glorified teacher certification program. (Teaching is an important part of professional preparation especially in my fields, but teaching proficiency or potential is a pre-requisite; training teachers is not the primary purpose of Ph.D. programs.)

2. Learn about the field you are getting into. It is important for a Ph.D. applicant to have a solid understanding of what the field is all about, what kind of research people have done and are currently doing, and what applications (if any) there may be. Familiarize yourself with some of the key ideas, terms and names in the field. Read widely and read a lot. (A master's degree in the same field is not always required, but even with a relevant degree, if you can't demonstrate a broad understanding of the field, getting accepted into a good program can be difficult.)

3. Know what your interests are. At least in the U.S. context, it's not always necessary for a beginning Ph.D. students to have a clear research program at the beginning of doctoral studies. A broad understanding and interest in the field as a whole and in a few areas of specialization would do.

Am I ever going to get to the question of how to choose a program? I know, I know. Be patient. It's not a quick and easy decision like picking the right avocado for making guacamole tonight. If you don't do your homework, you are going to regret it--big time.

4. Read more in the subfield in which you are particularly interested. In this process, you will familiarize yourself with key topics, issues and methodological approaches in association with particular names of authors who publish actively and are cited often. If you have a sense of who's who in the field, you are ready to look at specific programs.

5. Make a list of people whose work you find interesting--their topics, methodological approaches, and their arguments. Leave out people whose work you find incomprehensible or incompatible with your own orientation. (But read their work anyway until you understand what they are trying to say and why you find their perspectives incomprehensible or incompatible--so you can write a good response article, if you must. If you can't, there are different career paths available for you.) 

6. Go on line and find out where they teach. By now, you should be able to do this without looking up the information--from your reading of many of their recent publications. Find out whether they teach in doctoral programs and, if so, what kind of courses they teach, in what department, what other faculty members are teaching in the same program, what kind of courses are offered, what and how their graduate students seem to be doing in terms of presentations, publications, dissertation projects, and job placement.

7. Try to get to know these people. You might contact them by email. Be very polite, tactful, and to the point. If possible, state briefly why you are contacting that particular person. Don't ask any questions that can be answered by looking at the program/graduate school web site or by asking administrative assistants for the graduate program. Ask those questions that cannot be answered by anybody else. If possible, arrange a campus visit and meet with faculty members and graduate students in person.

8. Try to get to know the students of your prospective advisor. When you go to conferences (if you don't, then start going to conferences in the field), go to sessions presented by faculty and students from that institution. (If you can't find anyone from the institution at major conferences in the field, then you know what to do--move the institution to the bottom of the list. Or ask yourself if you are at the right conference. See how to choose the right kind of conference.) Tell them that you are interested in applying to their program and ask them to share their insights about the program, faculty members, financial support, and life in the program, at the university and in the area.

9. If a writing sample is required (as it usually is), choose one that demonstrates your broad understanding of the field and your analytical and research skills as well as the quality of writing. Remember: good writing is not complicated writing. Use keywords in the field, but don't use big words unnecessarily just to impress the admissions committee--they will easily see through it.

10. The statement of purpose or the "personal statement" should focus on your professonal aspirations, not the details of your personal lives. Admissions committee memebers couldn't care less about the close relationship you had with your dog when you were in elementary school--unless you are applying to a doctoral program in, say, animal psychology. The conventions and expectations may vary from program to program, but in general, include: why you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in the field (and perhaps what you hope to do in the future), what subfields you are interested in and, most important, why you are interested in the particular program (faculty, courses, quality of graduate student publications, etc.). You don't have to sell yourself too much--this is not a job application. Being a good student and colleague who will successfully and promptly complete the degree and become an active member of the field is sufficient.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Jing Xia is a winner of 2012 AAAL Graduate Student Award

Congratulations, Jing Xia, for receiving the 2012 AAAL Graduate Student Award from the American Association for Applied Linguistics! Well deserved!

Jing is a Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Linguistics at Arizona State University, specializing in second language writing.

Choosing Reputable Outlets for Academic Work

In academia, it matters where your present or publish your work. Presenting at conferences and publishing with presses that have established strong reputation in the particular field is important when it comes to hiring, tenure and promotion. Publishing with presses that are less then reputable does not make your academic credentials stronger; in some cases, it can hurt your reputation as a researcher.

Being able to distinguish reputable venues from questionable outlets is part of disciplinary knowledge, and sometimes it is difficult for novice scholars--or experienced scholars outside your field--to tell the difference. (That's why tenure and promotion cases often involve external reviewers who are experts in the field.) But there are some signs to help identify which venues are reputable or at least acceptable. Below are some questions to consider. (The greater the number of affirmative answers, the better; even the most reputable of outlets do not necessarily meet all of these criteria.) 

For conferences: 

• Is the conference affiliated with a major professional organization in the field? 
• Is the conference affiliated with universities or research institutes that have good reputations in the field?
• Is the conference being organized by well-established members of the field?
• Does the conference feature keynote, plenary and invited speakers who are well-established in the field?
• Does the conference have many sessions that are interesting to members of the field who are studying similar topics?
• Is the conference attended by active members of the field who publish on topics that are reputable?
• Does the conference either have a peer review process for proposals or invite only well-established or cutting-edge researchers?

For journals:

• Is the journal edited by well-established members of the field?
• Does the journal have editorial board members who are well established in the field? 
• Does the journal have an editorial review process that involves reviewers who are experts on the topic?
• Does the journal include articles by authors who are well-established members of the field? 
• Are articles in the journal cited frequently and widely in other reputable journals?

For publishers:

• Does the publisher have a booth at major professional organizations in the field?
• Does the publisher have a book series or a journal dedicated to the field or its subfields?
• Does the publisher regularly publish books written or edited by well-established members of the field? 
• Does the publisher solicit contributions primarily from established members of the field or people who are doing cutting-edge work that is being recognized by established members of the field?
• Does the publisher require an editorial review process coordinated by well established members of the field?
• Does the publisher involve well established members of the field in reviewing submissions?
• Does the publisher have an acquisition editor who specializes in your field and is somewhat knowledgeable about the field?
• Are publications from the publisher being cited in other reputable publications or mentioned in conference presentations? 

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

• The publisher emails you out of the blue to invite you to publish your conference papers, theses and dissertations as a book.
• The publisher emails you out of the blue to invite you to edit a book.
• The publisher offers contracts without an editorial review process. 
• The publisher actively solicits contributions from novice researchers and graduate students without a strong track record.
• The publisher does not involve well established members of the field in the editorial review process.
• The publisher has not published at least a few books or journals in the field. 
• The publisher (or journal) has not published at least a few works by well established members of the field. 
• The publisher may mention something along the line of "I can tell you are an expert" without mentioning anything specific or establishing their own credentials. 

These guidelines are only suggestive; there are some new publishers who are beginning to establish themselves in a new field, and doing so by building a system for rigorous editorial review involving experts in the field. Even the publishers that have a few of these red flags may be legitimate publishers and businesses—although being a legitimate business is not the same as being a legitimate or high quality venue for academic publishing. 

"Use your judgment" is probably not a good piece of advice because the judgment requires expert knowledge of the field that novice researchers often don't have. But if you are surprised to have received a solicitation email, that should tell you something. When in doubt, check with your thesis/dissertation advisor or other people who are well established in the field. 

If you don't know who they are, start reading everything. 

Choosing Reputable Outlets for Academic Work

In academia, it matters where your present or publish your work. Presenting at conferences and publishing with presses that have established strong reputation in the particular field is important when it comes to hiring, tenure and promotion. Publishing with presses that are less then reputable does not make your academic credential stronger; in some cases, it can hurt your reputation as a researcher.

Being able to distinguish reputable venues from questionable outlets is part of disciplinary knowledge, and sometimes it is difficult for novice scholars—or experienced scholars outside your field—to tell the difference. (That's why tenure and promotion cases often involve external reviewers who are experts in the field.) But there are some signs to help identify which venues are reputable or at least acceptable. Below are some questions to consider. (The greater the number of affirmative answers, the better, but keep in mind that even the most reputable of outlets do not necessarily meet all of these criteria.) 

For conferences: 

• Is the conference affiliated with a major professional organization in the field? 
• Is the conference affiliated with universities or research institutes that have good reputations in the field?
• Is the conference being organized by well-established members of the field?
• Does the conference feature keynote, plenary and invited speakers who are well-established in the field?
• Does the conference have many sessions that are interesting to members of the field who are studying similar topics?
• Is the conference attended by active members of the field who publish on topics that are relevant?
• Does the conference either have a peer review process for proposals or invite only well-established or cutting-edge researchers?

For journals:

• Is the journal edited by well-established members of the field?
• Does the journal have editorial board members who are well established in the field? 
• Does the journal have an editorial review process that involves reviewers who are experts on the topic?
• Does the journal include articles by authors who are well-established members of the field? 
• Are articles in the journal cited frequently and widely in other reputable journals?

For publishers:

• Does the publisher have a booth at major professional organizations in the field?
• Does the publisher have a book series or a journal dedicated to the field or its subfields?
• Does the publisher regularly publish books written or edited by well-established members of the field? 
• Does the publisher solicit contributions primarily from established members of the field or people who are doing cutting-edge work that is being recognized by established members of the field?
• Does the publisher require an editorial review process coordinated by well established members of the field?
• Does the publisher involve well established members of the field in reviewing submissions?
• Does the publisher have an acquisition editor who specializes in your field and is somewhat knowledgeable about the field?
• Are publications from the publisher being cited in other reputable publications or mentioned in conference presentations? 

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

• The publisher emails you out of the blue to invite you to publish your conference papers, theses and dissertations as a book.
• The publisher emails you out of the blue to invite you to edit a book.
• The publisher offers final contracts without an editorial review process. 
• The publisher actively solicits contributions from novice researchers and graduate students without a strong track record.
• The publisher does not involve well established members of the field in the editorial review process.
• The publisher has not published at least a few books or journals in the field. 
• The publisher (or journal) has not published at least a few works by well established members of the field. 
• The publisher may mention something along the line of "I can tell you are an expert" without mentioning anything specific or establishing their own credentials. 

These guidelines are only suggestive; there are some new publishers who are beginning to establish themselves in a new field, and doing so by building a system for rigorous editorial review involving experts in the field. Even the publishers that have a few of these red flags may be legitimate publishers and businesses—although being a legitimate business is not the same as being a legitimate or high quality venue for academic publishing. 

"Use your judgment" is probably not a good piece of advice because the judgment requires expert knowledge of the field that novice researchers often don't have. But if you are surprised to have received a solicitation email, that should tell you something. When in doubt, check with your thesis/dissertation advisor or other people who are well established in the field. 

If you don't know who they are, start reading everything. 

Guidebooks on Academic Writing and Professionalization for Graduate Students

Here are some guidebooks on academic writing and professional development for graduate students and novice scholars:

Becker, H. S. (1986). Writing for social scientists: How to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Belcher, W. L. (2009). Writing your journal articles in 12 weeks: A guide to academic publishing success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  

Bolker, J. (1998). Writing your dissertation in fifteen minutes a day: A guide to starting, revising, and finishing your doctoral thesis. New York: Owl Books. [Don't be fooled by the title. The publisher asked the author to add "in fifteen minutes a day" in order to make the book more marketable, which is a silly idea given the academic audience.] 

Cargill, M., & O'Connor, P. (2009). Writing scientific research articles: Strategy and steps. Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Casanave, C. P., & Li, X. (Eds.). (2008). Learning the literacy practices of graduate school: Insiders' reflections on academic enculturation. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Casanave, C. P., & Vandrick, S. (Eds.). (2003). Writing for publication: Behind the scenes in language education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Clark, I. L. (2007). Writing the successful thesis and dissertation: Entering the conversation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

DeNeef, A. L., & Goodwin, C. D. (Eds.). (2006). The academic's handbook (3rd ed.). Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD: How to plan, draft, write and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation. New York: Palgrave.

Feak, C., & Swales, J. M. (2009). Telling a research story: Writing a literature review. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 

Feak, C., & Swales, J. M. (2011). Creating contexts: Writing introductions across genres. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Hume, K. (2005). Surviving your academic job hunt: Advice for humanities PhDs. New York: Palgrave.

Moore, C., & Miller, H. (2006). A guide to professional development for graduate students in English. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Penrose, A. M., & Katz, S. B. (2004). Writing in the sciences: Exploring conventions of scientific discourse (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon Longman.

Semenza, G. C. (2005). Graduate study for the 21st century: How to build an academic career in the humanities. New York: Palgrave.

Showalter, E., Figler, H., Kletzer, L. G., & Schuster, J. H. (1996). The MLA guide to the job search: A handbook for departments and for PhDs and PhD candidates in English and foreign languages. New York: MLA, 1996. [This is a useful book, but it makes a discriminatory remark about the desirability of hiring nonnative English speakers in the English department.]

Sternberg, D. (1981). How to complete and survive a doctoral dissertation. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Swales, J. M. (2004). Research genres: Explorations and applications. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. (2004). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills (2nd ed.). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. (2000). English in today's research world: A writing guide. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. (2009). Abstracts and the writing of abstracts. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. (2011). Navigating academica: Writing supporting genres. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

This list is not comprehensive, and it is being presented as is without warranty. The views expressed in this book are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect my views. Being listed here does not automatically imply my endorsement, either. I will be updating the list occasionally--whenever I feel like.

How to Read Everything?

The phrase "read everything" seems to have become my mantra in advising graduate students and scholars. I mentioned this when I was visiting National Chiao Tung Unviersity in Taiwan a few weeks ago, and more than a few people said they were going to start reading everything in their email message to me or even on Facebook!

Today, I just received a comment from Joe in response to my earlier blog entry on reading everything:

I've just come across this wonderful blog. Thank you so much for your valuabale advice.

People have been advicing graduate students (especially M.A. students) to read a lot. However, hardly do they talk about how to read. I have found myself struggling with reading for graduate school and so have my friends. Would you mind sharing your thoughts or your strategies on this? Do you take notes for everything you read? Thank you, Dr. Matsuda.

Some of my answers can be found in other related blog entries (a list of related entries as well as other pieces of advice for graduate students can be found here) and in "Coming to Voice: Publishing as a Graduate Student" (2003). But I don't think I've had the chance to talk about taking notes.

The answer is: I don't.

Most of the books and journals in my personal library are clean--I could sell them on ebay or Amazon anytime, though I rarely sell my books because I consider them to be important tools of my trade.

I've always found underlining or highlighting texts to be more distracting than helpful. (My suspicion was confirmed in the introductory psychology course I took during my first year in college, where the professor mentioned a study showing that underlining is not an effective strategy for studying.) I also don't like how those marks left on the pages actually constrain my reading the next time I read the same text--they distract me away from grasping the meaning in larger contexts and particularly in the context of my current thoughts. For that reason, I don't like buying books second hand or borrowing books from the library. Sadly, some people underline books from the library!

When I was a master's student, I used to buy lost of sticky tabs at Staples and put them by the line that seemed important. The idea was that I would be able to take them off when I was done, though I almost never did. (Some of my books from those days still have yellow tabs sticking out.)

I thought the sticky notes would help me find places that I needed to refer to during class discussion or when I cite the source. What I learned after a few years was that: 1) I put too many tabs that they became meaningless; 2) even when I didn't put too many of them, they made me feel as though I had to talk about all of them during the discussion or in citing that source; and 3) too often, what I ended up citing was in places other than those that were marked with the sticky tabs.

I have also tried to take notes on separate sheets. It was useful when I was preparing for comprehensive exams, but I also noticed that I seldom looked at them again unless there were specific and immediate reasons for taking notes. I tend to lose my notes in the pile of stuff in my (cluttered) offices. Some of the notes have survived because I filed them away with the articles I read, but I stopped doing this because the same filing strategy wouldn't work for books. (I find it important to develop a thinking system to be consistent so my distributed cognitition does not become disturbed cognition.)

Even if I don't lose them, I often can't reconstruct what I meant--not only because of my terrible handwriting but also because the notes are always already out of context and outdated. So I stopped taking notes and started to rely on my memory.

I don't regret having gone through these stages of trying different strategies because they probably facilitated the development of my reading strategies and the understanding of the contents. But at some point in my professional development, I took the leap of faith--I learned to trust my own intuition. I felt that it actually helped me read faster, read more, and understand the important points better. And those ideas would come back to me when I need them because I've already rehearsed the conversations as I was reading them. That is, I felt my knowledge became more contextualized.

Some people ask if I have what's called a photographic memory (like Cam Jensen).

The answer is: I don't.

But I do tend to remember books by their color, and the visual design of the text. I often remember which part of the page I found the idea (e.g., top left corner of the page, about half way through the book).

Some people might wonder how I could do this with academic publications, which are visually not as distinct as, say, magazine articles or web pages. Well, I thought the same thing about houses in Arizona--they all looked the same when I moved here, but now I can appreciate individual differences among various neighborhoods and individual houses.

I've also learned not to worry about sticking to the same text in the reading process--I read regular texts like hypertexts. (People in the field of computers and composition seemed to be busy theorizing the notion of hypertext in the early 1990s, but even back then, I found the concept to be straight forward and intuitive.)

Sometimes I start thinking about a related topic as I read. If that happens, I often put down what I'm reading and start looking for other related reading materials. They may be something I've read before or sources that are mentioned in the text I'm reading. Or I may follow my hunch and go to a text that might have something related, and I often do find something interesting, which is really exciting. It's like a mental game--I have a lot of fun doing this.

I can still keep track of who said what because I try to get to know them personally. As I read, I form ideas about each author. I also try to meet them at conferences and get to know them so I know where they are coming from. Academic reading and writing to me are really like joining a conversation with a group of people I care about.

For similar reasons, I usually don't take notes when I listen to presentations. I used to take notes to ask questions, but I stopped doing that as well. After hearing countless conference presentations, I know the genre inside out, and that helps me understand where the speaker is going. (I can also tell when the speaker is not going anywhere.) If I am the respondent, I may take notes, but mostly to outline my responses (if I have to respond, that is). They are not "records" of what I write; instead, they are part of my distributed cognition.

At CCCC this year, for example, I served as a respondent for a panel with Suresh Canagarajah, Bruce Horner, Min Lu, Catherine Prendergast, and John Trimbur. I used a small notepad (courtesy of the convention hotel) to create an outline of my response as I was listening. I started doing something similar at a TESOL academic session on writing (organized by Chris Tardy and featuring Lourdes Ortega, Meg Gebhardt, Youngjoo Yi, Ilona Leki, and Miyuki Sasaki). But in the middle of the session, I decided that it wasn't working, so I took out my laptop and start creating PowerPoint slides, which became my formal response.

I also don't take notes during meetings--I remember things better if I'm engaged. When I served as the chair of the CCCC Committee on Second Language Writing, I always asked someone I trust (e.g., Jessie Moore at Elon University and Angela Dadak at American University) to take the minutes. If I do take notes, it's usually to help organize the meeting.

If there are things that I need to follow up on, I would sometimes write them down, but if I don't act on them right after the meeting, they get lost. These days, I just email those tasks to myself (or ask others to email me) so I would actually follow up on them.

My strategy, then, has been to just read, read and read, and keep adding them to my mental intertextual map. Or sometimes they get integrated into my thinking directly as I get stimulated and start developing my own ideas. I don't even write down my own ideas, either, because if it's a really good idea (and one of my criteria for a good idea is that it responds to the particular rhetorical situation), it would come back in the context of my immediate thoughts when appropriate. If not, then the idea is going to be out of place, which is what I often see in manuscripts that I read.

I used to keep a clipboard by my bed so I can write down my ideas anytime, but I gave up on that as well. If I can't remember it when I needed it, I figure, it wasn't a good idea to begin with. If it really made sense, I would have the same thought again.

Of course this leisurely approach to reading (and thinking) requires a lot of time, but that's what my profession is about--I'm in the business of acquiring and making knowledge. If I have to know everything about my field, I might as well enjoy it. It may seem impossible, but it does get easier as my content and formal schema develop.

The key is not to wait until I have to read something for my projects. When I read as I write, my reading process becomes much more focused and purposeful. That's good, but that's different from "reading everything." Rather, it is the result of reading everything; I feel I can be more focused partly because I have already developed a strong intertextual network in my mind. I often know exactly what information I need and where I can find it.

Advice to Graduate Students

In response to my advice to beginning Ph.D. students, George Braine from Chinese University of Hong Kong sent me two of his advice to graduate students who are beginning their Ph.D. studies. Here they are:

1. Time Management: Graduate students often underestimate the amount of time they will have to spend on conducting and writing-up their research. Learning to say "No" to people who exploit your time is probably the most important aspect of time management.

2. As part of a larger study, I surveyed and interviewed around 30 doctoral students from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering at Hong Kong universities to find out what led to their success or failure. The single most important factor for success was a sound working relationship with the thesis supervisor. Even the smartest students failed when this relationship broke down.

Graduate Research Fellowship

Zuzana Tomas, one of the doctoral students in the graduate seminar on Second Language Writing Research I'm teaching at the University of Utah, has received a Graduate Research Fellowship.

Congratulations, Zuzana!

From Discourse Communities to Activity Systems: Activity Theory as Approach to Community Service Writing

Michael-John DePalma, a student of mine from UNH, just published an article on service learning and activity theory, which he wrote in my Theory of Composition class.

His article, "From Discourse Communities to Activity Systems: Activity Theory as Approach to Community Service Writing," appears in the latest issue of Reflections: Writing, Service-Learning, and Community Literacy (7.3).

Congratulations, Mike! Well done!

Congratulations to Tanita Saenkhum!

Tanita Saenkhum, one of my doctoral advisees specializing in second language writing at ASU, has received the Albert H. Marckwardt Travel Grant to attend TESOL 2009 in Denver, Colorado.

Congratulations, Tanita. Well done!

Recurring Questions about Professionalization

This is the time of the year when people are thinking about applying to graduate programs, adjusting to graduate school, and applying for academic jobs. I have been mentioning a few of my blog entries that have to do with professionalization, so I thought it might be useful to highlight some of them here.

Finding a suitable graduate program

Writing a statement of purpose for graduate program application

Applying to the Master's Program in TESOL at ASU

Requesting letters of recommendation

Advice for new graduate students

Read everything

Read everything again

Read widely

Academic job search

Requesting someone to be a reference for a job application

CFP: TESOL 2009 Graduate Student Forum

Call for Proposals
The 2009 Graduate Student Forum
at the 43rd Annual TESOL Convention
Denver, Colorado, USA
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Eligibility to Submit a Proposal

Full-time and part-time students enrolled in graduate programs leading to the master's degree in TESOL (or related fields) at any institution of higher learning can take part in the Graduate Student Forum, either as presenters or as participants. (Please note that there is a similar but separate forum for doctoral students).

Types of Proposals

Proposals for three types of presentations are being solicited: papers, demonstrations, and poster sessions.

A paper (15 minutes) is an oral summary, with occasional reference to notes or a text, which describes or discusses something that the presenter is doing or has done in relation to theory or practice. Handouts and audiovisual aids may be used.

A demonstration (15 minutes) shows, rather than discusses, a technique for teaching or testing. No more than 5 minutes is spent explaining the theory underlying the technique. The presenter provides handouts and may use audiovisual aids.

A poster session (1 hour) allows for short, informal discussions with other participants during the 1-hour time period that a self-explanatory exhibit is on display. The exhibit is presented on a large (4' x 8') display board that includes a title; the name and institutional affiliation of the presenter(s); and a brief text with clearly labeled photos, drawings, graphs, or charts. No other audiovisual equipment is allowed. Exhibits are set up during the lunch hour before the session and dismantled immediately after the session.

Deadline for Submitting a Proposal

All proposals must be submitted by December 1, 2008. Proposals may be submitted via email using the Proposal Form. If you do not have access to a computer, send your proposal to the following:

TESOL Gradute Forum
Brigham Young University University
4064 JFSB
Provo, UT 84602 USA

Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the title of the proposal on it for acknowledgment of proposal receipt. Please do NOT submit duplicate proposals.

Adjudication of Proposals

Submitted proposals will be refereed by graduate students at the host universities (Brigham Young University, Eastern Michigan University, Seattle Pacific University, Southeast Missouri State University). If you have any questions about the 2009 Graduate Student Forum, please contact the TESOL Graduate Student Forum at tesolgradforum@gmail.com.

Factors Affecting Selection

The Graduate Student Forum is intended to bring together individuals from a variety of institutions and backgrounds; therefore, an important factor in proposal selection is program balance. In adjudicating proposals, the Forum Program Committee will seek such balance in (a) range of topics, (b) level of expertise, (c) interests covered, (d) professional and geographic distribution of the participants, and (e) relevance of the proposal to the needs of graduate students in TESOL.

Another important factor is how well the proposal summary is written. Summaries should possess (a) clarity of purpose, (b) succinctness, (c) appropriateness, (d) significance for the intended audience, (e) an indication of the research quality (if relevant), and (f) evidence that the presentation will be well prepared.

Because institutional travel funding for many graduate students is contingent upon their presenting a session at the convention, the Forum Program Committee will accept only one primary presentation per presenter. Otherwise, if a presenter takes up more than one spot on the forum program, others may be prevented from attending the TESOL convention.

Factors Disqualifying a Proposal

Proposals will be disqualified if they promote commercial interests are not completed according to the guidelines outlined in this Call for Participation (e.g., the summary exceeds one page) are not received by the deadline of December 1, 2008.

Responsibilities of the Presenter

Notify all co-presenters about the status of the proposal. When two or more people are presenting, the first presenter is responsible for notifying the others. Register for the forum and the TESOL convention. TESOL is unable to reimburse program participants for expenses.
Do not change the conceptual content of your session once it has been accepted. Bring enough handouts for your room size, which will be indicated in the proposal acceptance message. Participate in all the activities of the entire Graduate Student Forum from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Steps in Submitting a Proposal

Proposals that do not follow these steps are automatically disqualified.

1. If the proposal is accepted, the proposal must include an abstract that will appear in the Program Book. Participants in the forum will use the abstract to decide which presentations to attend. Make sure the abstract has the following information in the upper left corner: (a) title, (b) presenter’s full name, (c) institutional affiliation, (d) city, (e) state/province, and (f) country.

Title Guidelines:

(a) accurately reflects the content
(b) is clear to the intended audience
(c) has no colon in the title
(d) is limited to seven words. Each part of a slashed or hyphenated word counts as one word. Do not use quotation marks. Capitalize all major words. Examples: (1)Participants' Perspectives on In-Service Teacher Training (seven words), (2) Web Sites for Teaching U.S. Popular Culture (seven words).

Abstract Guidelines:

(a) does not exceed 50 words
(b) is written in the third-person present tense (e.g., "The presenter begins by ... and she/he ...”)
(c) avoids all references to published works
(d) is carefully edited and proofread
(e) is written to draw the most appropriate audience to the presentation
(f) spells out any acronym(s) used in the title

Sample Abstract: This paper reports on research conducted to determine how to best develop language learning strategies. The participants were EFL learners in a Southeast Asian nation. This research compared the natural development of strategies among students in traditional classrooms with the effects of specific instruction in strategies and their use.

2. Prepare a one-page summary of the presentation content. Only the referees will see the proposal summary; it will not appear in the Program Book. Make sure your proposal summary has the following information in the upper left corner: (a) title, (b) type of presentation (i.e., paper, demonstration, poster session), (c) designated interest area, (d) content area, and (e) audiovisual equipment needs.

Proposal Summary Guidelines:

(a) is limited to one 8 1/2" x 11" (21.5 x 28 cm) page. Longer summaries are disqualified.
(b) is typed: double-spaced, dark, and readable
(c) does not include names of the presenter(s) or institution(s)
(d) presents a clearly stated purpose and point of view
(e) includes supporting details and examples
(f) contains evidence of current practices and/or research
(g) uses appropriate format (e.g., paper, demonstration)
(h) uses a variety of techniques (e.g., activities, visuals)
(i) indicates that a presenter can cover the material in the allotted time
(j) is carefully edited and proofread

Proposal Summary Content:

(a) paper: synopsis that includes central idea and supporting evidence
(b) demonstration: central purpose and description of what will be demonstrated
(c) poster session: main ideas to be presented and description of the visual display

Registering to Attend or Present at the Forum

To attend the 2009 Graduate Student Forum, you must register for the TESOL 2009 Graduate Student Forum. Registration for the 2009 Graduate Student Forum is a separate process. Although there is no extra forum registration fee for students registered for the TESOL convention, registration is still required for the Graduate Student Forum because space limits attendance to 160 participants. To register, fill out the registration form and send it to the address below. Registrations must be received by February 25, 2009.

TESOL Graduate Student Forum
4064 JFSB
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602 USA

You Are What Conferences You Attend

An academic's identity is shaped in part by what conferences she or he attends. This is true especially for graduate students and junior scholars who are just beginning to discover and construct their own disciplinary alignments.

When I was a graduate student, I attended AAAL, CCCC and TESOL on a regular basis. I also attended local affiliates and special topic conferences being held in the area. But how can a graduate student afford to attend all these conferences? Attending multiple conferences can be especially hard for graduate students who are working in interdisciplinary fields. Well, I wasn't particularly rich--my spouse and I were both on TA stipends--but I was able to find ways to finance my trips.

Here are some strategies:

• Apply for internal travel funding. Check with the graduate student organization and the graduate program in your department to see if they have any travel funding for graduate students who are presenting a paper. The graduate school at your institution may also have some travel funding.
  
• Apply for external travel funding. Some professional organizations (e.g., AAAL, CCCC, TESOL) have travel grants and awards for graduate students. Many local TESOL affiliates also offer travel grants for attending the international TESOL conference.
  
• Apply for graduate student awards. I applied for many awards for graduate students that provided some additional funding. It also helped enhance my profile and boost my confidence.
  
• Look for volunteer opportunities. Some conferences, such as AAAL, provide graduate students with opportunities to volunteer for a few hours in exchange for registration discount or waiver. The volunteer work itself is a good way of getting to know the organization and other members.
  
• Split the cost with someone else. Share a hotel room with other graduate students from your program or other programs. Plan to arrive at the airport at the same time with other people you know so you can share a cab. Making these arrangements becomes easier as you develop your professional network by attending more conferences.
  
• Find inexpensive hotels in the area. Many cities have public transportation options that make commuting to the conference realistic. I personally didn't use this strategy too much, though, because I wanted to be in the middle of action. I tended to stay at the headqarter hotel (or ones that were close to them), which tends to be more expensive. I go to conferences to meet people, not just to attend sessions.
  
• Find a grocery or convenience store and get water, cookies, energy bars, and other inexpensive and quick breakfast and lunch items. At conferences, it's usually more important to be able to go to dinners with people you meet, but sometimes you end up going to really expensive restaurants (depending on who you hang out with), so it's important to find ways to reduce the cost for breakfast and lunch.
  
• Go to publisher's exhibits where coffee and snacks may be available.
  
• Go to events and receptions where food is served. For example, CCCC invites first-time attendees to a breakfast where pastries and coffee are served.
  
• Forget expensive vacation plans. You get to travel to a lot of different cities by attending conferences. Plan your vacations around them, if necessary.
  
• Attend local and regional conferences. Attending small conferences could be more rewarding than people may realize because it provides opportunities to meet people in the field in a more relaxed and intimate setting.

Ph.D. Program in Applied Linguistics at ASU

Here is the poster for the Ph.D. Program in Applied Linguistics at ASU. If anyone would like a hard-copy version to post on their bulletinboards for their undergraduate or master's students who might be interested, please let me know.

http://www.public.asu.edu/~macswan/APL_poster.pdf

I Miss Being a Grad Student

“I don’t believe it,” is the response I have come to expect from my graduate students whenever I tell them that I miss being a graduate students because I had more time on my hands as well as more intellectual freedom. They don’t quite say it, but the gasp and the look of disbelief are quite conspicuous.

Yes, professors are busy people, despite what many folks seem to think.

As I wrote at the end of “Coming to Voice: Publishing as a Graduate Student” (2003):

Now that I have a tenure-track job, however, I have come to think of being a graduate student as a somewhat privileged status. At Purdue, I was only teaching three courses per year. I had no obligation to administer programs, serve on academic committees or mentor graduate students, although I did so voluntarily. Most important of all, l had more freedom in choosing which conversation to join and in which form, whereas I now feel some pressure to focus on certain types of publications, such as monographs and articles in prestigious journals. Some of my professional colleagues have also told me about the pressure they felt about the need to develop a coherent professional profile that was in sync with their teaching. My professional identity will no doubt be influenced by the ever-so-unclear requirements for tenure and promotion. But will I be able to continue thinking like a professional whose goal is to contribute to the field regardless of how it will be evaluated? Will I start thinking like a junior faculty member who will publish for tenure and promotion—for the sake of having published? Or will I be able to find a happy medium? The biggest challenge I faced as a graduate student continues to confront me.

I wrote this in my first year on tenure-track at Miami University, but even after having gone through the tenure process twice—once at UNH and again when I moved to ASU with tenure—it still rings true.

I’ve managed to focus on what I think is important for the field and for second language writers, but I do sometimes think about things like the impact factor when I choose the journal to send my manuscript to, which many institutions now use as a way of evaluating faculty contributions. The impact factor is not the best measure of the relative value of a journal, but it is one way of measuring the impact that a journal has on the field. (I must say, though, that using the impact factor to compare across different disciplines--or even within subfields--is meaningless. To do that, we need an index that accounts for the size of the field, among many other things.)

I’ve also been struggling with the balance between what I want to do and what I’m asked to do (which is not altogether different from what I want to do because I can say—and have said—no). It’s nice to be invited to write on a particular topic, which helps me to expand the scope of my work, but sometimes it takes time away from those exciting new projects that I’ve been wanting to work on.

A few days ago, Abby Knoblauch, one of my collaborators and a former student of mine, sent me an email to let me know how she is doing on her new job as an Assistant Professor of English at Kansas State University. I was happy to hear from her especially because things seems to be going well for her—she surrounded by nice and supportive colleagues. What struck me the most, however, was her comment that she didn’t realize how busy being a professor really would be.

Suddenly graduate school seemed to be full of these grand expanses of free time. I know that's not true—or at least not how it felt—but yikes am I busy. I mean, clearly you know this, but it's all new to me.

On top of the heavier teaching load and committee work as well as the never-ending expectation to produce scholarly work, she is inundated with email and campus mail from various people, which takes up a lot of time to sort through.

I assured her that the workload will only increase as she moves up in rank, but that it is possible to learn to cope with it.