Women's and Gender Studies

What is feminist research?

The Feminist Research Institute at UC Davis defines feminist research as "intersectional", "inclusive", "justice-oriented", and "transformative".

Intersectional: encompassing sex and gender as they relate to other categories of difference such as race, class, ability, sexuality, and religion.

Inclusive: recognizing expertise across different spaces and disciplinary boundaries.

Justice-oriented: challenging structures of inequality in everyday interactions as well as social institutions, including academia itself.

Transformative: enacting positive change to end oppression and create a more just world.

Source: Feminist Research Institute. (n.d.). Mission and Vision. https://fri.ucdavis.edu/about/mission-vision.

What does feminist research look like?

Feminist research encompasses all kinds of knowledge sharing, from traditional academic writings such as journal articles, papers, and books, to documentaries, zines, and photo essays. You can find examples of feminist research in all fields, including nursing, education, natural sciences, computer sciences, and more.

How do I choose a topic?

Create a mind map. Start with a single topic, phrase, person, place, object, event, or concept. Think of subtopics or key words related to your original topic. Follow the connections on your mind map that interest you the most, and start your research.

You might find yourself repeating the Identify, Review, and Develop research stages multiple times before you develop a final research question that resonates with you.

How do I conduct research?

Research is the process of asking a question, gathering information, and presenting findings to answer your question. Information can be gathered through a literature review and through quantitative or qualitative studies, such as interviews, surveys, observations, etc.

Where do I get started with my research?

Work backwards to create a timeline for your research. With a 12-15 week timeline, you should start with a literature review and focus on articles and book chapters first, then incorporate primary sources if relevant to your research. Try to find books available online or in print at the library. Requesting a book from another library will take time to delivery.

Feminist research encourages us to explore nontraditional ways of knowing through a variety of sources: scholarly and non-scholarly, primary and secondary. The important thing is to ensure the sources you use are reliable and trustworthy.