Write a short (1-3 page) reflection essay based on a “mentor article” that directly informs your approach to some aspect of your research, writing, or scholarly identity. For example, find a mentor article that...
In your essay:
Provide the article citation, brief annotated bibliography information about its contents and what specific part(s) of the article provides a model of your own work.
Include a paragraph actually emulating the mentor article's features you're seeking to mirror/learn from, with your own work.
You are welcome to turn this in earlier than this deadline!
There are many ways you might find a mentor article, but here are some strategies to try.
Ask your advisor or another professor who is familiar with the area in which you're working to recommend an article that would be helpful in developing your work. Share your interests with the person you ask to provide some context.
Published bibliographies, such as Oxford Bibliographies for Education (requires login with Purdue Career Account) are great starting points when researching a new topic. This resource provides nearly 300 annotated bibliographies that give overviews of major areas of educational research, that are followed with brief descriptions of relevant articles by notable scholars in the field.
Browse scholarly journals strategically. Many journals have specific focuses, either with regards to the research area or methodological approach. A journal's website will provide helpful information about that particular journal. Look at the journal's "Aims and Scope" or "Author Guidelines." Ask your advisor for advice about the journals that could be relevant to your research area(s).
A mentor article selected from a journal can also be used for guidance when preparing a manuscript to submit to that very journal. Below are some examples of journals that distinguish themselves in aim and scope by area or the research methodologies they feature.
Specialized reference works dedicated to the field of educational research contain brief articles that give an overview or introduction to a topic. These articles are usually written by scholars working in the relevant area. Scholars will often use sources that are commonly cited or referenced, which are cited in the bibliographies. These bibliographies can lead to articles you can use to shape your own research.
Use a combination of keyword searching, subject searching, and citation searching to find articles relevant to your research interests. For more detailed guidance, please see the Literature Search Strategies tab on this Library Guide. Key databases to use: