National Reading Conference
Address: 7044 S. 13th St. Oak Creek, WI 53154
Main Office: 414.908.4924
CustomerCare Center: 414-908-4924, ext. 450
Fax: 414-768-8001
Email: customercare@nrconline.org

History of the Award

The National Reading Conference awards the J. Michael Parker Award to encourage research in adult literacy. The award is given to graduate students and untenured professors who present research on adult learning or education at the annual conference. The award was established in 2001 in honor of J. Michael Parker, winner of National Reading Conference’s Student Research Award. Recipients of the award receive a small cash award to be used for conference expenses and are recognized during a general session of the conference.

The award is presented to both papers with a single author and to co-authored papers. For single authored papers, the recipient will receive $500 and a plaque commemorating the award. For co-authored papers, the recipients will each receive a plaque and will decide amongst themselves how to divide the $500 award.

Criteria for Consideration for the Award

1. The research is capable of making a significant contribution to theory and/or practice of adult learning and instruction.
2. The methodology is appropriate to the research question and of sufficient rigor.
3. Implications of the research are of a scope needed to impact the field.

Applicants are required to submit the full paper (25 pages or less) electronically by October 1st. Papers must be double-spaced and in 12-point font. The text limit does not include references and any appendices.

When submitting proposals for the conference, those interested in the award should indicate that they will be applying for the J. Michael Parker Award (noted at the bottom of the personal information page).

Submissions and questions should be sent to the committee chair, Erik Jacobson, at jacobsone@mail.montclair.edu.

Review Process
Applicants will be notified of the results prior to the conference, and the plaque and honorarium will be presented to the winner during a plenary session at the conference.

J. Michael Parker Award Winners
Robin Waterman (2006) “The Value of Mexican mothers, The Power of Effective Adult Education: Fueling viable parent involvement through school-based ESL classes”

Amy Johnson (2007) “Literacy as Answerable Response: A Life History Portrait of an African American Woman in a Rural Southern Community”

Kristin Perry (2007) “More than Language Translation: Culture, Text and Genre Aspects of Literacy Brokering among Sudanese Refugees”