James P. Purdy

Dr. James P. Purdy is a Professor of English/Writing Studies and Director of the University Writing Center at Duquesne University, located in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds a Ph.D. in English/Writing Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2006), an M.A. (2001), and a B.A. in English from Penn State (2000). His research focuses on digital humanities, writing center theory, and the intersection of digital technologies with scholarly practices. He is particularly interested in intellectual property law, student research behaviors, and the evolving role of digital spaces in academia.

Dr. Purdy has authored/co-authored multiple books, including The Effects of Intellectual Property Law in Writing Studies (2020) and Making Space: Writing Instruction, Infrastructure, and Multiliteracies (2017). He has also edited volumes such as The Future Scholar: Researching and Teaching the Frameworks for Writing and Information Literacy (2016). His work emphasizes ethical considerations in digital scholarship, design thinking in pedagogy, and fostering information literacy across disciplines.

• Awards: 2016 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2019 John G. Rangos Prize, Ellen Nold Award (2011), and multiple NEH grants.
• Teaching: Courses include "Authorship and Ownership in Digital Writing" and "Writing for Digital Media," with a focus on integrating technology and ethical practices.
• Grants: Received over $15,000 in NEH and Presidential grants for research and scholarly projects.

As Director of the Writing Center, Purdy oversees staff training and professional development, emphasizing best practices in peer tutoring. His presentations and workshops address topics like plagiarism detection, library partnerships, and teaching digital literacies. He actively contributes to national conferences such as the Conference on College Composition and Communication and Computers and Writing.