While many research methods courses challenge students to make sense of their own researcher identities as they relate to research paradigms and perspectives, there is a lack of research that examines how students actually go about constructing theses identities, particularly at the level of discourse. In this study, we attended to graduate students?￠???? talk in an introductory research methods course, taking note of how students used particular discursive resources to construct a research identity in online classroom discussions. We analyzed 93 discussion posts students were asked to make in response to a discussion board prompt after completing assigned readings related to research paradigms and researcher identity. We identified two discursive patterns through our analysis: 1) minimizing knowledge, and 2) justifying paradigmatic orientations. Our findings highlight how being asked to talk about one?￠????s research identity is a potentially fragile task, as evidenced by disclaimers of ?￠????knowing?￠????, and one that evokes justifications and connections to students?￠???? everyday lives. We highlight implications for the teaching of research methodology, particularly qualitative methods courses.
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