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Erica Haugtvedt is a second year student who conducted research in English and presented her findings at the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum as a freshman. Erica just completed her second research project in history, entitled "Threshing Rings in Steele Country, North Dakota: Cultural Ecology through Cooperative Labor Exchange."
How did you become involved in research?
I took a freshmen seminar autumn quarter of my first year; the course explored our cognitive interactions with narrative—how narrative helps us shape our world and reflect it. We used articles from linguistics, cognitive science, neuroscience and psychology in conjunction with short stories to help us understand what happens cognitively when we encounter a story. I was absolutely fascinated with the class and would often stay afterwards to ask my professor questions.
As the end of the quarter neared, I asked Professor Aldama if I could study cognitive narrative theory further with him. He was glad to accommodate me. About a year after beginning my research with Professor Aldama, I finished my project.
Can you explain how you actually conduct your research?
In English, research consists primarily of writing. Before actually writing a critical essay, though, I need to read a lot of previous criticism on my topic in order to understand the field and my position in it. For me, I picked my text and then chose an aspect of it to explore but often the text is used primarily to illustrate the way the theory operates. Like a lot of criticism, I used tools of critical theory to dissect and explain the way my text was rhetorically operating in order to illuminate an innovative or interesting strategy in the narrative. In narrative theory, English research attempts explain how narratives work.
What were the benefits of participating in research?
For me, getting acquainted with critical theory early on has been very beneficial. As I read, I began to see how many different theories interact and intersect with one another and, as my opinions began to form, I saw how I would fit in this scheme. I’ve met a whole lot of people who are doing some incredible stuff—people who are pioneers in new and developing critical theories. It’s very cool to feel like, in some small way, I’m at the forefront of a growing literary movement. The learning never ends.
It’s also been incredibly beneficial for me to have just had the experience of finishing a fifty-page manuscript. It took a lot of work and sometimes I couldn’t imagine seeing the end, but now that my manuscript is in the revision process, I feel a huge amount of accomplishment. I’m proud of my work and I think I’ve gained a lot of valuable insight about myself along the way. Now I know that I have the commitment, drive and passion needed to complete such a daunting project.
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