Craft of Research, 2

Asking Questions, Finding Answers Recap: researchers look for “significant” questions Actually trying to pose and to solve a problem that s/he thinks others should recognize as worth solving Narrowing from idea to “researchable problem” isn’t easy. Try to identify subquestions. Recap: researchers look for “significant” questions Actually trying to pose and to solve a problem that s/he thinks others should recognize as worth solving Narrowing from idea to “researchable problem” isn’t easy. Try to identify subquestions.

From topics to questions When reading an article, see if you can fill in the blanks: The author is studying _______ because s/he wants to find out who/how/why ______, in order to understand how/why/what _____. When reading an article, see if you can fill in the blanks: The author is studying _______ because s/he wants to find out who/how/why ______, in order to understand how/why/what _____.

From questions to sources Look for these themes in the “Reflective Inquiry” slides Sources: – Librarians – General encyclopedia and dictionaries – Bibliographical guides – Card & online catalogues – Specialized enc., dict., & bibliographies – Guides to the literature. Look for these themes in the “Reflective Inquiry” slides Sources: – Librarians – General encyclopedia and dictionaries – Bibliographical guides – Card & online catalogues – Specialized enc., dict., & bibliographies – Guides to the literature.

From questions to sources Librarians Experts Other people Printed resources – Primary – Secondary – Tertiary Librarians Experts Other people Printed resources – Primary – Secondary – Tertiary

Using sources Be careful: make correct bilbiographic citations and accurate summaries/abstracts of the text Get the context right… Why? Be careful: make correct bilbiographic citations and accurate summaries/abstracts of the text Get the context right… Why?

Claims & Supporting them Researchers make claims, support them thru the literature, through their argumentation, and, esp. through the evidence. Researchers make claims, support them thru the literature, through their argumentation, and, esp. through the evidence.

Claims & Supporting them Good argumentation: – Notice the cause-and-effect (you claim x caused y because …) – Consider the reader’s questions (p. 89) Good argumentation: – Notice the cause-and-effect (you claim x caused y because …) – Consider the reader’s questions (p. 89)

Claims and Supporting them The Warrant – To explain why your data are relevant, you may have to articulate an element of your argument that is often left tacit. It shows why any particular body of data should count as evidence in support of your claim. Key to persuasion Great opportunity to mislead by accident or by design Is the warrant qualified ? Should it be?! Does the qualification affect interpretation? The Warrant – To explain why your data are relevant, you may have to articulate an element of your argument that is often left tacit. It shows why any particular body of data should count as evidence in support of your claim. Key to persuasion Great opportunity to mislead by accident or by design Is the warrant qualified ? Should it be?! Does the qualification affect interpretation?

Claims & evidence Substantive (facts) Contestable (your goal is to demonstrate, explain, not proclaim) Specific: that’s why the research problem is vital. Substantive (facts) Contestable (your goal is to demonstrate, explain, not proclaim) Specific: that’s why the research problem is vital.

Warrants What’s the quality of the warrant? – False – Unclear – Inappropriate – Inapplicable What’s the quality of the warrant? – False – Unclear – Inappropriate – Inapplicable

Qualifications Does the research qualify the claim? Is there a complete, accurate, fair explanation of … – Rebuttals Complete review of all relevant aspects of the problem? – Concessions: updated research on the problem? – Limiting conditions (generalizability) – Limiting scope (what’s being studied) Does the research qualify the claim? Is there a complete, accurate, fair explanation of … – Rebuttals Complete review of all relevant aspects of the problem? – Concessions: updated research on the problem? – Limiting conditions (generalizability) – Limiting scope (what’s being studied)

Preparing to Draft & Revise Before writing: assemble all the evidence, warrants, objections to rebut Preliminary interpretations & conclusion Alternative interpretations? Is the research question answered? Before writing: assemble all the evidence, warrants, objections to rebut Preliminary interpretations & conclusion Alternative interpretations? Is the research question answered?

Preparing to Draft & Revise Main points: – Are quotes, &c., accurate? – Is there a logical structure to the argument – Don’t be afraid to draft, revise, and revise again! – Because researchers construct an argument carefully, we can deconstruct the argument carefully, too. Main points: – Are quotes, &c., accurate? – Is there a logical structure to the argument – Don’t be afraid to draft, revise, and revise again! – Because researchers construct an argument carefully, we can deconstruct the argument carefully, too.

Ethics Plagiarism Fabrication of data Conflicts of interest Ethical treatment of subjects Science as self-correcting process – Peer review – Reviewers evaluate quality, validity, importance – Study replication Plagiarism Fabrication of data Conflicts of interest Ethical treatment of subjects Science as self-correcting process – Peer review – Reviewers evaluate quality, validity, importance – Study replication Students: can you provide real-world examples?