Tutor profile: Gabriela M.

How can I learn to format my research papers according to scholarly article requirements?

Scholarly articles can be difficult to read and comprehend because they are written by experts for experts, but once a reader can recognize the formulaic structure and systems of an article, deconstructing and replicating the format becomes much easier. Examine scholarly articles in your field and familiarize yourself with the individual parts (ie., article title, author(s), publication information, abstract, introduction, background/literature review, methodology, results, discussion/conclusion, references/bibliography). Find a journal that is best suited to your research and look for their guide(s) to publishing or submitting -- this will provide you with detailed information necessary for writing your paper.

How can I improve my critical reading skills?

The first step to improving any skill is to find and personalize a strategy that works for you. Practice scanning, close reading, and lateral reading. Scanning is reading to target/determine the value, accuracy, and merit of sources and text. Close reading helps with comprehension and improves your ability to identify, summarize, infer, distinguish cause/effect, and analyze. Lateral reading is validating everything habitually -- as you come across new information you should crosscheck before reading further.

What are indigenous methodologies and why should they be used in favour of western research paradigms when conducting research with indigenous communities?

Indigenous methodologies are approaches that recognizes non-hegemonic world-views, respects cultural protocols, values, and behaviours and decolonizes dominant academic practices. These approaches rely on understanding indigenous knowledge in it's many forms (i.e., local, culturally specific, shared orally) according to tribal protocol. By privileging the experiences, presence, and visibility of indigenous communities, researches identify critical issues indigenous communities face in social, cultural, and political contexts. Imposing western research paradigms on indigenous communities is problematic because they do not afford reflection -- there is no room for the research to be present in the research -- and do not recognize the collective gathering of information by indigenous people as a valid way of knowing.