RESEARCH ESSAYS Research, Think, Write 1

Lecture Outline 1. Research Proposal Feedback 2. Thinking, Planning, and Research 3. Thinking, Writing, and Research 2

Research Proposal Feedback 3

What to do with comments?  There is not one path: different students in different stages  Too Broad – Look for hints!  Look for hints!  Clarify comments with your tutor  Look for hints! 4

Discussion is Key  Talk to your tutor  Understand their comments  Ask them for advice  Your tutor likes to see you going the extra mile 5

Example What would you do with this Research Proposal Feedback? [Insert here example research proposal feedback] 6

Rejected Research Questions What steps should you take if your research question was rejected? 7

Thinking, Planning, and Researching 8

Point of Proposal In what ways did the Research Proposal help you? Discuss this with the person sitting next to you. 9

Where are you?  Preliminary research question  Preliminary thesis statement  Chosen case study  Preliminary reading  Preliminary methodology  Preliminary table of contents /essay structure 10

Class Activity Write an introduction to your essay and discuss:  Where is the thesis statement (and what is the argument)?  What is the methodology?  What is the reasoning? 11

Introduction  DO:  Include your interpretation of, and approach to answering, the question.  Define any key terms.  Include your thesis statement.  DO NOT:  Simply repeat the question.  Having read your introduction I should be able to tell what the question was, how you have interpreted it, and what argument you are going to propose in order to answer it. 12

Thesis Statement  One sentence. Present your argument to the reader.  Answer the question asked of you.  It is a “road map” for the paper.  “When an assignment asks you to analyse, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and support it persuasively”.  Taken from the Politics Reading and Writing Guide. 13

Thinking, Writing and Research 14

Moving on from here.  There are two options…  A: Work hard without putting any thought in.  B: Think, work, finish early go for a drink.  Coding research.  Organising research.  Writing. Option C: Don’t think, Don’t work, drink and go to Bunga Bunga party. NB. This option is only available if you are a national president. 15

Conducting Research.  How Much? Enough to answer the question.  Organising research:  Identify themes.  Commonalities/differences.  Interpretations.  Simple coding.  Look for: Concepts / Definitions / Arguments / Evidence.  Each point will have a claim, a premise with support, and a conclusion. 16

What are the debates?  What are the contested concepts / arguments / issues?  Can we deconstruct the topic in terms of these debates?  Can we link authors in terms of which side they are on.  How do we slice and dice the topic? 17

How to think.  It is important to understand rather than simply regurgitate.  You need to re-order the information.  Break down the ideas.  Know what the author is trying to do. What is the relationship between you and the author? What are they attempting to do?  Books: These tend to be covering a greater number of points.  Journals: These tend to be far narrower. They are usually arguing one point or thesis. 18

Mind Mapping IF: The SL government hired EO in Then: There were democratic election in SL in 1996 Because: EO provided security and were the dominant fighting force. 19

What are you looking at. DV = f( IV 1, IV 2, IV 3, … IV n ) Relationship Causation? If you are seeking to explain the DV, which IVs are important. 20

Tight Focus DV = f(IV) Causation An essay with a narrow focus may look at how one factor was the most important. You then argue this against other explanations and variables. 21

Deconstruct the information. The State of the World: ω Identify Relevant Variables: IV 1, …IV n. Relevant Variables Irrelevant Variables Process End result Re-arrange your information and then think about what it is you are being asked to do. 22

Questions  Causes: Does A lead to B. DV=f(IV)  Does your input lead to your output? Explain the process by which it occurs.  Role: Did A lead to B because of C? Was C a part of the process? Was the involvement of C good or bad?  Evaluate: Advantages / disadvantages. What was the intention? Did the process produce the intended or the expected outcome, or where there unforeseen consequences? 23

Discussion: Quotes Vs Paraphrasing  Quotes should not be abused.  Paraphrasing is an extremely important skill.  Paraphrasing shows understanding. 24

Essay Plan: structure  What was the role of mercenaries in the Congo Crisis ?  Introduction  Congo: A history of the heart of darkness  Mercenaries: The role of hired guns in conflict  Mad Mike Hoare: Man, Mercenary, Legend  Analysis  Conclusion 25

Conclusion 26 A well thought-out essay will:  Have a pertinent research question.  Have a narrow scope.  Be logically structured, planned and organised.  Be immersed in the literature but still maintain its own argument.  Have an appropriate methodology.  Have a clear thesis statement that (i) relates to the question and (ii) is constantly referred back to.