Thanks for helping with Mike Z's research!

Hi Participant

I thought I'd take a second to let you know about my research, since you will be part of it (unless you opt out; please don't!).

This is very harmless stuff! I am looking into processes of "dialogue," which is a term with many definitions! I am working on developing a practical (aka "pragmatic") definition, and to do so with any academic viability requires that I have data (people talking together) and analyze it productively. That is why I am recording the sessions.

The ideas and talk-in-general that you might share in the sessions are not materially important to my work (though often very interesting, and yes I am very interested in curriculum development). What is more important is the "group talk as a whole." It takes multiple parties to make "dialogue." In other words, I will not be critiquing, in my research, the content of your thoughts and ideas; rather, I will be looking (as I've said a few times) at "how talk influences talk."

I have to say that it's amazing how little of what goes on is actually used in the research report. A 25-page paper might include as little as five or ten minutes of actual talk, from the whole semester-long project! Sorry if you don't "get in," but if you do, rest assured that it will be under a changed name.

I have a university-approved (by HRC/IRB) consent form for you to sign, once we meet. Please do that for me, when we meet live, so I can possibly include, in my analysis, talk that you have contributed.

Many thanks,

Mike Zizzi
(future Pulitzer Prize winner -- well, maybe)