Academic research, professional discourse: Social bookmarking as a catalyst for rhetorical research pedagogies

This qualitative study investigates social bookmarking as a tool for college writers to invent comprehensive, real-world arguments. Teaching research as a sub-process of invention and enhancing the inventive process with social bookmarking presents an opportunity to improve students' research through active engagement with members of the profession. This engagement can further students' understanding of the discourse, its critiques, and the significance of their writing. Specifically, social bookmarking can introduce students to their academic major's discourse, further research engagement, and create comprehensive arguments that consider the discourse community, not the instructor, as the target audience. This study uses a tripartite methodology to increase understanding of social bookmarking use. The study combines surveys to assess literacies and use of the social bookmarking site, a site use study that examines how participants interact with the site without assistance, and a case study that delves further into participant motivation, acquired literacies, and problem areas of unguided use. Results indicate that students are capable of navigating an unfamiliar social bookmarking site without assistance; however, a strong pedagogical foundation can further both student use of the site's tools and their critical engagement with research in online mediums. Study implications and recommendations provide methods for creating strong social bookmarking pedagogy that can incorporate the use of social bookmarking effectively in the classroom with appropriate support from the university and the social bookmarking company.