Me-Search and Re-Search

What we intend to do in this book is to explain, and exemplify, in a nuts-and-bolts way, whatwe are calling Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) writing. This is a genre created over 15 yearsago by Robert, one of the co-authors of this book. The other co-author, DeMethra, has actuallywritten a thesis and dissertation using this genre, so she brings an author's direct SPNexperience to the table. Both of us co-teach a course that we call Scholarly Personal NarrativeWriting for Pre-Professionals and Professionals. In the chapters that follow, we will present astep-by-step approach for composing an SPN manuscript.The book will be comprised of four general parts, consisting of several short, practicalchapters, written in non-technical language. We will write each of the chapters as a way ofresponding to the most common questions that our students have raised about SPN writingthrough the years. We will attempt to write as we teach, with no frills and with clarity, empathy, and understanding. We will alsoprovide several SPN writing examples, as well as authorial toolbox tips, throughout the book. In addition, we will conclude with abibliography of the most relevant personal narrative writing guides we have been able to muster. Our desire is to minimize the numberof in-text citations and references in order to maximize the space for us to present a useful, nuts-and-bolts guide to writing, as well as arealistic, down-to-earth rationale for scholarly personal narrative writing in the academy. After reading the book, and practicing thewriting exercises, undergraduate and graduate students will be able to author research papers, theses, and dissertations using theScholarly Personal Narrative research genre. Hundreds of students have done this already throughout the country.