An exciting new twist on a familiar approach: credit-based research groups at the University of Washington

A key competency for professionals in technical communication is an ability to understand, evaluate, and even contribute to the body of research relevant to the field. At the same time, helping students learn to understand and do research can be challenging within the constraints of a traditional curriculum. At the University of Washington, we are addressing these issues through the use of credit-based research groups. In this paper, we describe this initiative, present example of approaches taken by specific research groups, identify the models underlying these examples, and discuss lessons learned.