Navigating Research Projects

Research: Learning and discovering to solve problems Research and analysis drives progress and innovation in every field. All of us conduct research in our daily lives to solve problems When we want to purchase something: a car, a phone, good running shoes – we read articles and reviews on these items When we travel, we research places to go, where to stay, and things to do When we want to lose weight, we research diets and exercise routines

Research: Learning and discovering to solve problems Passionate inquiry Why are we doing this? Writing, research, and analysis require more depth of understanding and promote deeper learning than tests or exams Howard Gardner’s performances of understanding The Three Ps in teaching pedagogy (I do, we do, you do) Research makes you think critically! Remember Robert Reich? Transcending Topics Forget the word “topic.” Instead, think in terms of problems

Research: Learning and discovering to solve problems As you think of problems to base your research project on, consider the following: Reject clichéd or moral controversies, unless you can think of a fresh, problem- solving angle for researching them. Ask yourself if you have a genuine interest in the research problem and if it has an impact on your life. Ask yourself if you can make a contribution to solving the problem and what that contribution could be. Consider whether or not you have any firsthand knowledge of the problem or exposure to it. (If you do, you have a better chance of making a meaningful contribution.) Consider whether you are willing to research the problem with an open mind - ask questions, examine opposing views, and engage in critical thinking.

Research: learning and discovering to solve problems Generating ideas This is the invention and/or prereading step of the writing process Brainstorm a list of potential problems and ask yourself the following about each of them: How does the problem affect people’s lives? Is it controversial? Why hasn’t the problem been solved? What is the goal of the project? Keep in mind that people know how to find information when they need it, so just “informing” you audience usually isn’t a sufficient goal. How will your project serve a problem-solving purpose? What can you contribute that has not already been said or is not already known? What personal knowledge do you have about the problem, and how will that knowledge apply to your research goal? What audience do you have in mind for your paper, essay, or report? What legitimate opposing view or counterarguments can your readers possibly bring up?

Researching: Learning and discovering to solve problems The search within You have a better chance of coming up with a decent research problem if you look within your own life before you look outside it Think about the issues or problems that you’ve written about in previous assignments for this class Think about problems related to your education, past and present – homeschooling, standardized testing, college access, loans, and grade inflation. These are problems that you know something about and are relevant to many other people. Think about problems related to your field or career interests Think about problems related to your personal life – your family, upbringing, identity, or health. Other possibilities include: strict or overly protective parents, adolescent delinquency, undocumented families, depression, or learning disabilities. Millions of other people also struggle with these problems, so they merit further research and analysis as society works toward solutions!

Researching: Learning and discovering to Solve problems Research sources If you cannot think of a problem related to your life, look toward the news and current events. Good sources include: The New York Times The Atlantic The Guardian The Economist Vice The Huffington Post

The Proposal This project calls for a researched report that supports a position on an issue or problem that it is important to you. The goal of your project is to investigate and try to solve the problem using factual information and objective analysis. Remember, good research incorporates the best available information and takes info consideration opposing views and perspectives that may not be aligned with your initial convictions or assumptions

The Proposal 1. the main issue or problem 2. the research goal: central question (or questions), the provisional thesis or main argument 3. reasons for selecting this issue 4. intended audience and reader-relevance 5. Research methods and sources

Developing and implementing a research plan Identify your audience Define your purpose and goal Write a provisional thesis Develop research questions Determine your research sources Create a schedule

Conducting Research Primary research Secondary research Using information you gather firsthand Interviews, surveys, observations, original documents (letters, photographs, memoirs, etc.) Secondary research Based on work other people have done, usually published in books or articles

Conducting research Primary research pros and cons Pros cons Brings your research to life Takes time to prepare and conduct Gives it more humans dimensions Interviews need to be scheduled in advance Gets your away from your desk Surveys have to be created and then analyzed, plus it takes time to get responses Results of primary research are unpredictable

Conducting research Primary research pros and cons For theses reasons, DO NOT rely exclusively on primary research, use secondary sources as well Preliminary research Use to find out if enough quality sources are available to move your project forward Does not need to be thorough Its purpose is to give you an overview of available sources you can start to collect and examine Great places to start: CQ Researcher Google Scholar Science.gov Libraryofcongress.gov Harold Washington Library

Conducting research Guess primary or secondary Personal interviews Surveys, questionnaires, focus groups primary Scholarly books, journal articles, critical reviews Secondary Site visits and observations Magazine articles secondary Business studies Online discussion boards

Conducting research Wikipedia Often considered a questionable source Entries can be written or changed by anyone Information may oversimplified, inaccurate or spotty On the other hand … Accessible and easy to use Entries are timely Entries on almost any topic imaginable A good place to PRELIMINARY research To start collecting background information, dates initial perspectives, and potential references and material

Preliminary research tasks Do some preliminary research for your topic After learning a bit more about your topic, identify: At least one problem, controversy, or question Compile a list of FIVE secondary sources that you could use to begin your research project (MLA style) (see MLA style guide in your blog)

Writing a rough draft Managing your time Taking detailed notes See timetable in class blog Get started right away Write and research at the same time Taking detailed notes Consolidate your notes somewhere you will not lose work! Google drive, one drive, or YOUR BLOG!

Formal organization and proportions Research papers are broke down into two essential parts: 1. the opening, or introduction which presents the research problem and the central thesis, argument, or solution 2. the thesis support – in other words, the evidence and analysis that supports the central thesis, argument, or solution The opening or introduction is a blueprint for the whole paper and should present the problems and the thesis argument that the rest of the paper will support

Writing the opening If you’ve chosen a topic that you care about, then you know enough about it to go ahead and write the descriptions of the problem or issue as you being conducting research. As you research, go back and add examples and statistics to strengthen your argument You may not know your exact thesis until you finish your paper For now, a questions driving your research OR a provisional argument can serve as your thesis When you finish, you will replace this with either an answer to your question or a more qualified claims

Writing the opening You need to gain your readers attention and trust. Your thesis should do more than state the obvious. Ask yourself the following about your final thesis statement: Does it present an argument or offer a solution to the research problem? Does the argument or solution need to be defended, proven, or supported? Are there valid counterarguments to consider? Is the thesis interesting? Does it present an idea that is new or surprising? Does it give an intelligent reader something to think about and a reason to continue reading? Is the wording clear? Is the thesis specific enough o be supported in a paper, or is it too broad – more of book- length topic?

Building to climax You can begin to draft your thesis support as you are doing research You can organize the support to a logical sequence during the evaluation and revision stage

Addressing counterarguments and opposing views Consider addressing opposing views at the beginning of your support section

Documentation This means identifying your sources of information and telling your readers where they can find them. This serves to both give credit to your sources and leave a trail of information for readers

documentation To cite: No need to cite: Information that you summarize or paraphrase Birth and death dates Direct quotations Writing that certain landmarks are famous if they are indeed famous Statistics, charts, graphs, maps, drawings Commonly known recipes or consistencies Audiovisual information – documentaries, videos, podcasts, photographs, and so on Information obtained firsthand from other peope

Tags, lead-ins, and signal phrases Examples: In an interview on 60 Minutes, former President Bill Clinton admitted that __________ According to Penn Kimball, the FBI report concluded that he was “too clever” to be caught holding a Communist Party card. As Supreme Court Justice Scalia observes, _________________. Publishers Weekly calls the book a “provocative reassessment.”