Class Reflections

 I have learned so much about the processes of designing a sound research study throughout class. Before taking this class, the idea of constructing a full research proposal was intimidating. But because of this class, I have learned that it is a fairly straightforward process if you break it down into easier chunks.

Start with a research question, then see what literature/research has already been published on said question. Then use that information to compile a literature review and identify the gap that your research could help fill. Then, determine which research method would be most beneficial for researching your question. There are quantitative, qualitative surveys, qualitative observations, etc. From there, you can begin to design your research methodology and plan your research process. After that, you need to write out how you will analyze your data, and add in your implications and abstract. When breaking the proposal into these chunks and taking them one at a time, a full research proposal is slowly built!

These processes have taught me that part of my role as a technical and professional communicator is to be thorough and ethical. The written word is a powerful tool, and we have to wield our rhetoric ethically. Similarly, when conducting research, we have to maintain ethical standards (especially if the research involves contact with humans), and we need to be grounded thoroughly in the results. We cannot and should not bend our results to fit our biases; we have to stick to the data. 

I've also learned that technical and professional communication is an interconnected field. There are always more technological advancements within the industry, and as such, there is always growing research. As an emerging professional, I can contribute to this network of information and research. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed this class and I want to thank my professor and all my classmates who took the time to review and reply to my posts during this process. It has been a joy to see all of our proposals be built over the course of the semester!

Comments

  1. Jaxon TuellerNovember 4, 2025 at 2:31 PM

    Hi Kaistin, I agree that before this class the idea of constructing a full research proposal was intimidating. But just like you, I learned how straightforward the process can be. I didn't realize how easy it could be if I broke it down into smaller and more manageable sections. I really liked how this blog post outlined the whole process in a simple yet thorough manner. It really makes the process less intimidating when we break it down like you did. This class has been so beneficial at teaching us all how to approach and create research proposals. I think we will all see success in our future as we move into bigger roles as technical and professional communicators.

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