Brett Stanfield; Research Methods ENGL 6401

 For me I found creating this research proposal rather challenging. While I really understood the theory of my subject and do firmly believe that comics as a form of technical communication will benefit an arts nonprofit if they were to use them, it is an entirely different process to actually design research questions that will produce the research outcomes I want. I think I have some great ideas about what the framework for developing this type of research might look like, but I really drew a blank when it came to developing what questions I might ask if I were engaging in focus groups, or conducting an interview related to my topic. My research proposal is arguing that an arts nonprofit should work with members of their respective communities to produce a comic book. This comic book will be a how-to guide for attendees to understand contemporary art spaces, explaining how to interact in a gallery space, etc. A comic book will allow the public to visually see themselves in a spac...

After some good feedback on my literature review, I feel I have a strong foundation for my proposal. In terms of my plans for revision, I need to my narrow my focus and develop a plan for how arts nonprofits can best employ comics as a form of technical communication. One of the main issues facing arts nonprofits today is consistent attendance, people are not visiting these spaces, especially art museums. As I learned in the Arts Administration program at SUU, this is predominantly because many arts nonprofits are not diversifying their outreach, their audiences are small and mostly white, middle class people. Using comics as a method of participatory design and reaching out to diverse communities in the areas these nonprofits represent will provide an excellent opportunity for community building, and alleviate blind spots that arts nonprofits may have when it comes to getting to know the communities that the nonprofit represents.   For example, Southern Utah Museum of Art’s m...