| “Where Is the Site in Citation” uses non-argumentative, non-linear, “illogical” writing feminography to explore the research paper genre. In particular, this dissertation enacts a model of inquiry by refusing to engage military paradigms fused with argumentative, logical, rational discourse, nor does it apply warring metaphors in its execution (unless, of course, it desires to call attention to those commonplaces).; “A Few Sources, A Few Authorities, and a Hybrid Genre,” the first section, examines the components of academic discourse (direct, partially direct, and indirect quotations; paraphrases; summaries; parenthetical citation; footnotes and endnotes; bibliographies, and works cited) from historical, theoretical, literary, and rhetorical perspectives. Section one demonstrates how those components and the research paper genre limit the composition processes, perceptions, and voices of students enrolled in feminized, introductory writing classes.; “The MLA Handbook and Institutional Codification of Documentation Norms,” the second section, probes one institutionally sanctioned publication that governs the rules of research paper production. Section two describes the patriarchal, but transparent, nature of researched writing, as well as its proliferation through handbook dissemination as a result of the Behaviorist Movement.; “Women, Academic Discourse, and 'The Great Conversation,' Or a Metaphor We'd Rather Not Live By,” section three, follows Rita's search for her own scholarly voice over the course of approximately sixteen years. With an eye toward non-Western “circular” logic, section three also attempts to demonstrate an alternative form of research inquiry. This methodological approach reacts to an educational system whose origins can be traced to the twelfth century Roman Catholic Church and an ethos rife with misogyny.; “Research Papers and a Philosophy of Listening,” the final section, concludes the dissertation by advocating a renewed use of classical rhetoric. In an attempt to salvage the “non-saying” half of “logos” (which disappeared as the result of cultural, societal, political, religious, and academic priorities that have systematically eradicated feminized philosophies and voices), section four seeks a fuller ecology of written expression, one embracing a resurrected philosophy of listening. Finally, the study promotes eliminating research paper pedagogy from undergraduate curricula unless instruction can be intensified to accommodate the complexities of academic discourse. |
