Nixon, Helen. “New Research Literacies for Contemporary Research into Literacy and New Media?” Reading Research Quarterly 38.3 (Summer 2003): 407-413.

“New Research Literacies for Contemporary Research into Literacy and New Media?” raises several questions important both to Nixon and the researchers looking into the literacies that surround various medias new to exploration. Nixon argues that with the controversy surrounding the term “literacy” and the use of new medias to gain literacy,scholars must not forfeit the traditional, socially respected literacies, but use these literacies as a basis for beginning research into new medias. Arguing that new medias are as important as the old medias of literacy learning, Nixon demonstrates the need for researchers to begin with the standards of old literacy learning and to build upon these methods by setting standards for their research that can transcend the new medias, thus aiding in these standards becoming more socially acceptable. Nixon’s article, with its detailed scholarship review, is aimed at new researchers in the literacy field who must begin their research by comprehending the research of the old literacies before beginning work in the new medias with haphazardly created standards. Her purpose in this article is two-fold; she strives to prepare researchers for the obstacles apparent in new media literacy while also providing valuable information about old literacies to aid in the new researcher’s developing a stronger ethos.