This document provides instructions for a poetry field research project. Students will choose a poem from the textbook to analyze. They will develop 1-3 inquiry questions about readers' interpretations, opinions, or personal connections to the poem. Students will then design a method to explore these questions, such as a survey. They will conduct a trial run with classmates and receive feedback. Next, students will conduct their research with 3-5 outside subjects. Finally, they will write a 750+ word APA-style report including the purpose, methods, results, discussion, and appendix with materials. The report should focus on the inquiry questions, detail the research method and results, and discuss implications.

1. Introduction to Literature
Unit 3: Design a Poetry Field Research Project
Task 1: Choose a poem from the textbook. Read it carefully. (Note: no more than four
students can choose the same poem).
Add information about your selection to the wiki. This will allow the instructor to approve your
selection and your classmates to see the poem that are and are not spoken for.
Task 2: Develop a field research project about your poem. Your goal for this project is to
explore your poem and reader’s reactions to it.
Decide on 1-3 inquiry questions that you would like to explore. You might consider exploring:
 Readers’ interpretation of the poem
 Readers’ opinion of the poem
 Readers’ personal connections to the poem
 How certain information influences their interpretation, opinion, or connection
 How a certain teaching technique influences their interpretation, opinion, or connection
Once you have decided on 1-3 inquiry questions, develop a method for exploring your question
with readers. Your method should be a series of steps you can conduct the same way with
multiple readers. Decide on your selection of participants, your materials (which you’ll include
as appendices), your design, and your procedure.
Before using your method, write it out in steps to ensure that you deploy it consistently.
Task 3: Lead an in-class trial run of your project.
Prepare a draft of your introduction and methods report components as well as any materials you
need for the field research test. During the class period, you will be testing your field research
project on your classmates. After trying out your project with your classmates, discuss its success
and revise your methods based of their feedback.
Task 4: Conduct your field research project with 3-5 subjects outside of class.
Task 5: Write an APA-style report of about 750 words in which you describe your project’s
purpose, detail its methods, state its results, and discuss the implications of your findings.
Please follow APA guidelines for report format with a title page and sections labeled
Introduction, Method (Participants, Materials, Procedure), Results, Discussion, and Appendix.
It’s perfectly acceptable and encouraged to write in the first person in this report. Describe your
project as you conducted it (method), report what you found out (results), and then interpret what the
findings mean to you and your interpretation of the poem (discussion). Include copies of materials
you used (Appendix). The poem from the text and other sources can be cited informally.

2. 27-30
 Project is complete and on Blackboard before class start time.
 Project focuses on 1-3 specific, researchable inquiry questions.
 The project details a creative method of investigation and specific results
 The discussion presents thoughtful, insightful ideas about the results
 The project uses the APA report format and is written in a consistent,
academic tone without errors
 Project uses an ample number of details and quotations
 Project informally cites sources when necessary.
 Length is more than 750 words
24-26
 Project focuses on 1-3 clear inquiry questions
 The project details a clear method of investigation and detailed results
 The discussion presents ideas relevant to the results
 Project uses the APA report format and demonstrates academic style with, at
most, only a few errors.
 Project uses at least two quotations
 Project informally cites sources when necessary.
 Length is at least 750 words
21-23
 Project focuses on 1-3 inquiry questions
 The project details a method of investigation and results
 The discussion is generally logical and coherent
 The project demonstrates competent academic style
 Project uses at least one quotation
 Project informally cites sources when necessary.
 Length is at least 750 words
20 or
below
 Project does not present clear inquiry questions
 The project’s methods, results, and/or discussion are insufficient or unclear
 Project contains consistent errors in use of report format or Standard English
 Project may use no quotations or uses them inappropriately
 Project may omit appropriate citations
 Length is less than 750 words