This series centers around Dr. Kannapell’s Ph.D. dissertation, “Language Choice Reflects Identity Choice: A Sociolinguistic Study of Deaf College Students,” presented at Georgetown University in 1985. A typed text of the dissertation is included, as well as Dr. Kannapell’s outline and initial notes for the dissertation. The remainder of the series consists mostly of articles and papers that she used in writing the dissertation, occasionally including a few pieces of notes or correspondence written by Dr. Kannapell.

The research material is concerned with sign language, culture, and the deaf community. Several papers by Dr. William C. Stokoe and Dr. James C. Woodward are included. Of particular interest is a copy of an early paper by Dr. Kannapell, “The Deaf Person as a Teacher of American Sign Language” (1977, box 4/folder 7).