In consultation with their advisor, students prepare a preliminary examination proposal of no more than 8 double-spaced pages, plus a list of 90-100 scholarly items divided roughly evenly across three scholarly areas. An item is usually defined as a single-author book, a collection or anthology, or a special journal issue. However, three essays or short works may also count as one item, and in some cases a major journal article or book chapter may be counted as an item. All items must be listed in proper citation format, using MLA, APA or Chicago Style.
The proposal, preparation and examination are meant to help the student explore and demonstrate disciplinary expertise in the three selected areas. Students should prepare their prelim proposals, including area descriptions and three lists of readings, according to the guidelines below. Students should work closely with their advisor to determine the three areas and should consult their prelim committee for feedback as they compose their descriptions and lists. Upon advisor and committee approval, the student will submit their proposal to the GPC for feedback and approval. The GPC can reject the proposal and return it for further work. If it does, the GPC must explain why it rejected the proposal and what revisions are required. Please consult the Department of English Graduate Student Handbook for details of the proposal and examination process.
In consultation with their advisor and committee, the student will develop a list from one of each of the three areas listed below. All lists should be created under the guidance of the graduate student’s advisor. The third list will be the student’s own designation to prepare for their dissertation.
Area 1:
Fields in Writing and Rhetoric Studies
- African American Rhetoric and Public Discourse
- Community Writing
- Contemporary Rhetorical Theory
- Cultural Rhetorics
- Digital Rhetorics and Multimodality
- History of Composition and Writing Studies
- History of Rhetoric and Rhetorical Education
- Public Rhetoric
- Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
- Rhetorics of Place
- Technical and Professional Communication
- Translingual Literacy Studies
- Writing Program Administration
Area 2:
Methods and/or Theoretical Approaches
- Archives and Historiography
- Community-Based Participatory Action Research
- Community-Engaged Research
- Critical Race Theory
- Decolonial Theory
- Feminist Methods
- Feminist Theory
- Oral History Methods
- Qualitative Research
- Queer Theory
- Rhetorical Criticism
- Rhetorical Theory
- UX
Area 3:
Dissertation Research Focus
This is the most open-ended of lists but should be developed in consultation with the advisor. Students should consider this list an opportunity to master an array of sources related to the topic of their dissertation research.