This section demonstrates the development and progression of my research skills throughout my academic career. Research involves several skills such as critical thinking, reviewing literature, synthesizing knowledge, and data analysis. Below are examples of qualitative and quantitative empirical research wherein diverse methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and analyses were applied.

Final.-Gender-Bias-^0-Clinical-Research.-IDS300W-McElrath-PDF

The above research paper was completed for IDS 300W: Interdisciplinary Theories and Concepts. As a class, we took the entire semester to produce interdisciplinary research. We studied real world problems through the lens of at least three different disciplines then integrated the knowledge and theories of those disciplines in an attempt to provide meaningful interdisciplinary resolutions. This paper explores the factors contributing to gender bias in clinical research, and how gender biases may affect treatment outcomes for female-bodied patients.

While this paper isn’t necessarily my best work, it did lay a sturdy foundation to build my research skills. This paper is the first of many exploring issues in medicine and healthcare.

McElrath-PSYC-318-FINAL-DRAFT-1

Above is research produced for the course PSYC 318W: Research Methods. It was the first quantitative paper I wrote, exploring the relationships between work status and instructor presence on a student’s academic motivation in the online classroom. This assignment was an important stepping stone in developing my research skills. I was able to practice analyzing data output from the statistical software SPSS and synthesize theory and data into an evidence-based conclusion.

McElrath-ENGL-370-Language-Analysis-Final-Draft

I wrote this paper for ENGL 370: Linguistics. The assignment asked that we collect a small corpus of written documents in which we wrote an IMRaD structured paper that applied linguistic concepts and theories. This paper examined the pragmatic meaning men and women apply to the word “support” in online IVF forums. Pragmatic meanings were assessed by identifying common patterns and themes using an approach called coding. This artifact demonstrates my critical thinking ability and communication skills as I had to explain how I interpreted the meaning and posters’ gender identities.

ENGL-327W-Final-Empircal-McElrath

This artifact is the most recent item curated for this portfolio. It was written for ENGL 327W: Advanced Composition. This research explored the concept of health literacy by examining how formal education levels may influence the ways individuals conceptualize and use health literacy to make informed decisions about their healthcare. It was the first time I’d ever designed my own study and conducted interviews. This assignment demonstrated competency in study design, critical thinking, and communicating which all are transferable skills in a competitive job market.