WilliamsCommentproposalFodnessKevin

Proposal Review - Kevin Fodness DUE: Monday, May 04, 2009 MEMO: PROPOSAL REVIEW __REVIEWER: Logan Williams__ __**TITLE**__ Does the title reflect both the //**specific focus**// of the project, and why it will be of more //**general (theoretical or social)**// interest? Focus on disabilities and cyberspace Theoretical interest "alternative pathways"; social interest -- social justice __**ABSTRACT**__ Does the abstract clearly specify the //**aims**// of the project? Yes; document and analyze, laws & norms; make recommendations Does the abstract clearly articulate how the project will create //**new knowledge,**// and respond to theoretical or social concerns? Talks about contributions to design theory but could be more descriptive Does the abstract provide a succinct yet clear description of //**how the project will be**// //**carried out**//? " It will use in-depth interviews and policy research to determine…" __**OVERVIEW**__ Does the overview clearly describe the aims of the project – //**empirical, conceptual,**// //**methodological and practical**//? Clearly in three goals Does the overview describe the **importance** of the project – empirically, conceptually, methodologically and practically? //"// In the United States, the legal and regulatory framework is ambiguous about the responsibility of corporations to make their websites accessible. As a consequence, so most websites have not been made to be accessible " //Talks about how it relates to blindness// Are the **aims of the project reflected** in (clearly articulated) primary research questions? There are so many research questions; it seems like the scope of this project is huge (see my comments about your deliverables below) Does the overview explain and **justify the type of data** that will be collected for the project? //You will be interviewing with the disabled, and with policy makers and programmers, etc, as well as working with policy documents ; sounds good to me// Does the overview provide a “snapshot” of the //**various components**// of the research project, and a sense of the //**schedule**// on which they will be completed? //Components yes; schedule no// Does the overview convince you that the //**project is feasible**//, and that the researcher has the //**appropriate expertise**//? //yes// __**BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE**__ Does the proposal provide an adequate (not too long, nor too short) and compelling description of the //**“object” of the study**//? Yes; Does the proposal clearly explain what //**literatures**// the project will draw on and contribute to? //Design theory; STS; IT// __**PREPARATION AND WORK THUS FAR**__ Does the proposal describe the relationship between this project and //**previous work**// carried out by the researcher? //Yes; You have done extensive work in this field already; awesome.// Does the proposal provide a //**plan**// for pilot studies, literature reviews, language training or other initiatives that need to be undertaken before the project begins? //Yes// __**METHODS**__ Does the proposal provide an understandable and compelling “snapshot” of //**what the**// //**researcher thinks is going on**//, based on preliminary investigation and existing theory? //You are pretty blunt in stating that they (website makers) are not doing what is required by law because the law is vague and not enforced (or they are unaware of its relevance to cyberspace); it would be interesting to see how this is discussed in STS lit. though.// Does the proposal indicate how the research questions //**build on existing literature**//? //STS; IT; disability studies ( I think design theory as well which is implicit to your discussion of universal design, user-centered design, etc)// Does the proposal clearly explain what //**data will be used**// to answer the research questions, and how and where this data will be collected? //It is kind of weird that you mention education for the first time in your preliminary results// Does the proposal provide a very clear sense of what the researcher will do in various //**phases**// or components of the project? //The research schedule showed this very well// Are you convinced that the proposed data collection plan is both f//**easible, and**// //**appropriate to the aims**// of the project? //Oooh. I really liked your Ethnographic Interview Guide. I believe I will be stealing -- ahem borrowing it. :)// Does the proposal convince you that the researcher has a strategy for //**validating his or**// //**her data**//, and for //**acknowledging the biase**//s that he or she will bring to the project? //For ethics you sited the AAA code.// //For biases, I think this is hard to do, and I don’t think I did this in my proposal either// Does the proposal provide a clear and compelling sense of how the data will be //**analyzed**//? //Yes; theoretical frameworks are clearly outlined in the preliminary results; which was kind of a strange place to put it (a stylistic choice that I disagree with I mean).// Does the proposal provide a compelling sense of how the data analysis will be //**written**// //**into a text**// – through the development of chapters that develop particular core concepts, for example? //Yes in abstract and also see my comments on dissemination// Does the proposal provide a strategy for addressing the //**ethical dimensions**// of the project, and a sense that that the ethical dimensions have been thoroughly thought through? //The whole project is about ethics in a sense; a specific strategy is not named// __**DISSEMINATION**__ Does the proposal provide a compelling description of the //**scholarly publications**// that will result from the project? Does the proposal describe the //**scholarly audiences**// that will be interested in the books and articles that result from the project? //Book on policies & design theory; this is a five year project;// Does the proposal describe a creative strategy for //**circulating project results**// among informants, and to particular lay audiences? //Curriculum textbook on standards for web-browsers and other cyberspace and software standards; this is a different five year project// //Book on activist activity and social norms; this is a different five year project//
 * //In the "// Abstract //" section of your proposal// **
 * //In the "// Overview //" section of your proposal// **
 * //In the "// Abstract //" section of your proposal// **
 * //In the "// Overview //" section of your proposal// **
 * //In the "// Overview & Methods //" section of your proposal// **
 * //In the "// Abstract & Future Plans //" sections of your proposal// **