The International Reading Association (IRA) encourages recent doctoral graduates to apply for the 2013 IRA Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award by October 1, 2012. This US$1,000 award is supported by a grant from SchoolRise LLC, and summaries of winning dissertations are published each year in IRA’s Reading Research Quarterly journal.
The award competition is open to those who have completed dissertations in any aspect of the field of reading or literacy between May 15, 2011, and May 14, 2012, and were approved by the committee. A routine check is made with the home university of the applicant to protect all competitors, their universities, and IRA from false claims. Applicants must be current IRA members.
Dissertations in reading or related fields are eligible for the competition. Studies using any research approach (ethnographic, experimental, historical, survey, etc.) are encouraged. Each study is assessed in the light of this approach, the scholarly qualification of its report, and its significant contributions to knowledge within the reading field.
The winner and the top nine finalists are encouraged to attend IRA’s 58th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, on April 19-22, 2013. They will be recognized during this conference and asked to present their dissertation research at the Dissertation Poster Session. The winner will receive a $1,000 prize and the IRA Outstanding Dissertation award. The top nine finalists will receive a certificate representing the finalists for the IRA Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award.
The winner of the 2012 award was Tanya S. Wright from Michigan State University (pictured here with IRA President Carrice Cummins) for her dissertation entitled "What Classroom Observations Reveal About Oral Vocabulary Instruction in Kindergarten." She completed her dissertation at the University of Michigan. Her dissertation chair was Dr. Susan Neuman. Visit the IRA 2012 Research Awards webpage to view the list of finalists.
Visit the IRA Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award webpage for more information or to apply.
IRA 2012 Research Award Recipients
Awards and Grants from the International Reading Association
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