*******************************
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Mary Catherine Ellwein Outstanding Dissertation Award

Qualitative Research Methodology

The Qualitative Research SIG invites nominations of dissertations in educational research that exemplify excellence of qualitative methodology and that may also typify the SIG’s mission to emphasize “ways that qualitative research may contribute to
reducing inequality and injustice in schools and society.” The winner of the qualitative award will also be recognized by the American Educational Research Association. Dissertations completed during the 2007-2008 academic year, prior to December 1,
2008, will be eligible for consideration. Nominations must be received by Friday, December 5, 2008. Late nominations or incomplete nominations will not be considered. Award finalists will be contacted the third week of January 2009. Finalists may
then be asked to supply 3 copies of the dissertation to distribute to the committee for further consideration.

Send nomination packages to: Dr. Karen Tonso

Wayne State University

#341 Education

5425 Gullen Mall

Detroit, Michigan 48202

To nominate a dissertation, the nomination packet must include 3 sets of the following five (5) items:

1. One letter of faculty endorsement from a member of the student’s dissertation committee who is an AERA member, attesting that the dissertation was completed by the student during the time period specified and that the faculty member
nominating or endorsing the nomination served on the dissertation committee. Please also include the oral defense date. This letter should include a brief clarification of the purposes, scope and quality of the student’s dissertation research, an
explanation of how the dissertation contributes to the field of qualitative methodology (in terms of theory and practice) and a discussion about why it is deserving of this methodological award.

2. A title page for the dissertation (including university/college, name of the professor chairing the dissertation committee and a complete list of committee members). In addition, please add to the title page complete contact information
(postal and e-mail) of either the student or the nominator that can be used for all correspondence regarding the award.

3. The Table of Contents from the dissertation.

4. A summary of the dissertation, prepared by the student, that gives an overview of the research, a description of individual chapters, and a statement that provides a context for how the representative chapter that is being sent fits within
the overall dissertation (double-spaced, 12 pt. type, 10 pages max.)

5. One representative chapter from the dissertation that best exemplifies the contribution of the dissertation to theorizing and implementing qualitative methodology. Criteria for judging the merits of the dissertations include the
significance and timeliness of the methodological issue(s) addressed, the integrity and quality of the discussion and implementation of the methods used for an empirical study, and the contribution of the dissertation to the advancement of knowledge
about an area of or issue in qualitative research methodology. Dissertation nominations might also add to the theoretical and practical knowledge about contemporary methodological issues to be considered for the award. For example, a recent winner
examined fictional writing genres and reflexive analyses of the researcher’s relationships with those studied. Dissertations that use qualitative methods, but that do not contribute significantly to the theorization or implementation of methodology,
and do not substantially address contemporary issues in methodology are not eligible for the award.



************************************************


Thank You and we hope you have a safe, pleasant and productive summer!



Deborah Ceglowski, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Chair of Qualitative Research SIG
Jeasik Cho, Ph.D., University of Wyoming, Assistant to the Chair of the Qualitative Dissertation SIG service

Tags: AERA, small schools, rural, education