Date of Award

2025-08-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

English Rhetoric and Composition

Advisor(s)

Lauren L. Rosenberg

Abstract

In this research, I wanted to understand how respect in the First-Year Composition classroom was understood, applied, and negotiated by undergraduate students. Also, I proposed a concept called the alchemy of respect, which describes the transformations, addition of value to students' ideas, and the refinement of their abilities in the classroom. The study relied on three theoretical approaches: virtue ethics by John Duffy, community literacy by Linda Flower, and rhetoric of respect by Tiffany Rousculp. I found important concepts in their work, such as the analysis of morals in the decisions people make, the construction of communities across differences, and the change students experience when they write. I conducted the study in one RWS 01 or two RWS 02 classes. The research methodology was qualitative, using three data collection methods: observation, questionnaires, and a drawing activity. For the observation, I visited writing classrooms nine times and took notes. For the questionnaire, participating students answered twelve narrative questions. For the drawing activity, I asked students to draw respect and briefly describe it. I analyzed the data using Grounded Theory. From the observations, I found that respect encompasses various expressions such as trust, listening, time, inclusion, effort, kairos, and more. I gathered them in groups, and I called them signs of respect. From the questionnaire, some of these signs were confirmed again, but since the students' responses inspired them, they were called principles of respect: listening, attention, equality, confidence, safety, comfort, group work, feedback, healthy environment, mutual support, and more. My findings suggest that the alchemy of respect is present in the FYC classroom, and it is expressed in different activities that constantly transform depending on how students feel, their academic responsibilities, and the classroom environment. Additionally, that respect is defined by the students' knowledge, experiences, and actions.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

200 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Raphael Ivan Reyes Juarez

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