Your perspective as a scholar matters, and other academics inside and outside of our institution will be listening. But just like with an up-and-coming band, it’s not just the lead singer whose voice is heard. Lead singers carefully select their back-up vocals to enhance their own authority and how their music is perceived by the critics and the masses.

Your authority and credibility as a scholar will be judged based on those whom you select as your “back up” voices, in other words, what and who you use to create your own argument. On a basic level, those voices might be types of sources relevant to your particular research. As you learn more about your line of inquiry, those back-up vocals will be distinguished  or prominent scholars who are standard authorities for your line of inquiry.

Like any professional musician, the credibility of your scholarship and the accolades your work receives  depends upon the strategic harmony and dissonance you make with the academics you integrate into your work.  

Although it may be difficult to envision, your work will go beyond your local institution and show state, regional, national, and international connections.

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