To: Authors of Young Adult Literature November 15, 2001
Re: Permission to cite you and your works
I am an English professor and director of English Education at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. I have received a research grant from ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English) for a study entitled “Adolescent Readers in Search for Meaning: Guiding Teens to Sacred Texts.”
As a part of my research I would like to interview you regarding your writing and interest in adolescents, particularly in adolescents’ search for meaning or spiritual depth and for literature that fills many of the voids in their lives. I intend to share my findings in a book that would have a chapter devoted to what you, authors of YA literature, have to say. Most of the book will be devoted to an annotated bibliography of your works, accompanied by a teaching idea for each work. I am asking for a release from you to quote you or share the results of the interviews.
I have created a survey for adolescents; I’m attempting to gather responses nationwide from young people with a range of experiences. I list the questions below so you can see what I’m trying to glean from the adolescent readers. I also include my contact information which I hope will facilitate arranging an interview with you. Thank you in advance for sharing your insights with me and other readers of your writings.
Survey for Adolescent Readers in the Search for Meaning
Age: Gender:
Type of High School:
Size of High School:
Thank you for your input on this survey.
Dr. Mary Warner, Associate Professor of English/Director of English Education
English Department, 305 Coulter Building
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723
Phone: (828) 227-3931
Email: mwarner@wcu.edu
Web page: http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/mary.warner
If you are willing to be interviewed and give your permission to be cited in this study, please contact me. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mary Warner