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Title
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Exploring professional identity: a study of American Sign Language/English interpreters
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Creator
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Nicole Harwood
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Degree Name
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Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies
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Project Type
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thesis
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Date
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6/14/2017
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Abstract
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Professional identity is a complex and multi-faceted concept that encompasses definitions pertaining to the professional identity of the collective, the professional identity of the individual practitioner, and the process of developing a professional identity. Individuals start with a fundamental concept of self and then layer on a variety of identities, including a professional identity, thereby forming the answer to the question: who are you? Utilizing the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) directories and online social media resources to survey interpreters, this study attempts to explore the professional identity for ASL/English interpreters. In order to explore the collective identity of ASL/English interpreters, the Professional Identity Scale in Counseling developed by Woo (2013) was adapted to fit the interpreting profession. This adapted scale is an instrument intended to measure the professional identity of ASL/English interpreters. Survey participants also took the Campbell et al. (1996) Self-Concept Clarity scale to assess the individual interpreter professional identity and impact of self-concept clarity on professional identity. Finally, survey participants answered optional open-ended questions to evaluate the process of professional identity development for ASL/English interpreters. The mixed-methods approach allowed this research study to begin the exploration of the broad and intricate topic, and the resulting data is a foundation for future research. While credentials alone may not hold the key to understanding the professional identity of ASL/English interpreters, the experiences of the collective profession and individual professionals present a glimpse into the possible connections between professional identity, self-concept clarity, professional confidence, and ultimately, professional competence.
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Committee Member
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Vicki Darden, Erin Trine, Ruhama Freeman
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Rights
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Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 6/26/2018, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author at the email address listed above.
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http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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Language
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eng
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Date Available
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6/14/2017
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Type
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Text
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Identifier
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theses/37
