ABSTRACT
With data from key informant interviews, Chapter 3 establishes novel methods of uncovering trends in “medium” datasets and further constructs a framework that represents Writing Studies researchers’ perceptions of and experiences with the Common Rule. RAND-Lex, a powerful human-in-the-loop corpus analytic tool, illustrates findings from interviews discussed in this chapter. RAND-Lex was used to analyze transcripts of interviews with Writing Studies researchers—scholars who are intimately familiar with the IRB process—whether as members of an Institutional Review Board, prolific researchers who work regularly human participants, and/or as scholars doing the theoretical work in research ethics. The data from these interviews is presented in multiple ways. Given the complexities involved in presenting data collected with traditional methods and analyzed using methods unfamiliar and novel, Chapter 3 establishes that As Writing Studies scholars extend their discipline’s legacy of exploring new methodologies and methods, honoring the principles shared with IRBs—autonomy, beneficence, and justice—can help researchers clearly articulate their positionality towards ethical principles and the goals of research to external audiences. Chapter 3 honors the collective wisdom from a cohort of scholars with expertise on the matter of research with participants and further elaborates strategies for Writing Studies researchers’ effective partnership with Institutional Review Boards.
