Liberating Scholarly Writing: The Power of Personal Narrative

In this provocative volume, Robert Nash argues for the validity of an exciting, alternative approach to doing scholarly writing that he calls the “scholarly personal narrative” (SPN). The result of 35 years of supervising student papers, theses, dissertations, and publications, this practical book:

• Provides an alternative to the more conventional modes of qualitative and quantitative inquiry currently used in professional training programs, particularly in education.
• Features a very accessible presentation that combines application, rationale, critique, and inspiration―and is itself an example of this kind of writing.
• Teaches students how to use personal writing in order to analyze, explicate, and advance their ideas.
• Offers tips and guidelines for writing an SPN, using examples from students who have been successful with these types of writing projects.
• Encourages minority students, women, and others to find and express their authentic voices by teaching them to use their own lives as primary resources for their scholarship.

Robert J. Nash is a professor in the College of Education and Social Services, University of Vermont, Burlington and the author of “Real World” Ethics, Answering the “Virtuecrats,” and Faith, Hype, and Clarity.