Popularizing Scholarly Research

Book excerpt: A detailed look at various ways to conduct research for public scholarship Traditional research practices have often been critiqued for resulting in a wellspring of research that circulates exclusively within academic circles and garners small readership. With opinions and values shifting in the world of academia, public scholarship is on the rise. Popularizing Scholarly Research: Research Methods and Practices focuses on how to use and implement both traditional and emergent research methods in order to contribute to public scholarship. This book contextualizes the role of digital resources such as blogs, social media, and email in the move toward making scholarship accessible and explains the role of research methods in knowledge construction and dissemination. Drawing from the authoritative Oxford Handbook of Methods for Public Scholarship, an impressive list of interdisciplinary contributors expand on survey research, interviews, oral history, ethnography, autoethnography, evaluation, literature, visual art, health theatre, narrative film, and a range of methods that rely on the internet and social media. Because of this and Patricia Leavy's robust introduction and supplementary resources, this book is an essential resource for scholars looking to create more accessible research and further the efforts of public scholarship.