How to Prepare for Research Roundtables:
Ensuring Productive Discussion of Works-in-Progress

We’re so grateful that you have agreed to facilitate a Research Roundtable at the upcoming Qualitative Research Network (QRN)! Each roundtable typically includes four to five participants (or collaborating teams of researchers) and YOU, an experienced researcher in the field who can facilitate the discussion. The roundtables are organized either by shared research focus (e.g., cultural literacies, first-year writing, digital contexts, institutional research) or common questions (e.g., study design, data analysis, theoretical framing).

The roundtables typically go for 2 – 2.5 hours, and they begin after the keynote presentation and a short break. We try to limit each researcher/research team to 20-25 minutes, which means around 10 minutes to share handouts, to frame their projects, and to pose questions that they want help answering regarding their research methods, analyses, etc, and then another 10-15 minutes for discussion and feedback.

Suggestions for Facilitators

  • Each roundtable will have at least 2 facilitators. Work out beforehand who will take the lead in getting the conversation going or whether you will take turns.
  • Have everyone at the table introduce themselves at the beginning of the roundtable portion of the meeting.
  • Monitor speakers to ensure that they provide all of the information requested in the handout description below and to ensure that others at the table have adequate information for responding.
  • Monitor feedback to ensure that it’s pitched to the issues and level appropriate to the presenter. Intervene as needed to redirect discussion and make it as productive as possible.
  • Be sure that everyone at your table gets equal presentation and discussion time, calculated according to number of presenters or teams.
  • Encourage presenters to focus their questions and to provide details relevant to the issues on which they’d like feedback.
  • Encourage other participants to respond to the presenter’s questions, seek clarification, ask questions, and offer a range of perspectives.
  • Make connections among issues raised by various participants and encourage presenters to do the same.
  • Share your own research and publishing experience as appropriate.
  • Point participants to scholarship and scholars that might be useful in moving their project forward.
  • Keep discussion focused and on time.
  • Encourage people at the table to exchange email addresses or contact information so that they can stay in touch after the session.

We’ve also provided the research presenters with a list of suggestions that you may find useful: Presenter Instructions. Thank you again for your willingness to support colleagues engaged in qualitative research projects!