1. Unit 2 Research Proposal Tentative Schedule Week 6 2/19-Intro to research proposals & primary research Week 7 2/24-Interviews & Observations 2/26-Surveys & Short Research Proposal Peer review Minor Essay 2- Short Research Proposal Due Week 8 3/3-Research proposal subsections 3/5-Peer review & debates Research Proposal Final Draft- Due 3/6 by midnight

2. Today’s Goals Finish up debate planning activity (from Friday) Discuss methods and strategies for conducting interviews and observations Discuss requirements of purpose statements in research proposal writing

3. Group Activity: Debate Planning In your unit 2 groups Brainstorm ideas for how to structure your group’s debate as well as ideas for the content of your team’s speaking points 1. Generate at least 4 solid supporting reasons you could use for your argument (utilize each rhetorical appeal at least once) 2. What kind of data will you look for to support each of these main points? Who will be responsible for finding this data? 3. What kind of organization/order will your group use for its presentation? Will you follow a set order or respond to the content of your opposing team? 4. Will your group have an appointed leader or make decisions as a group? Who will this leader or ruling body be?

4. Research Proposal Overview Title page Abstract (100 words or less) Identify research question, research methods, & most important points of research Statement of Purpose (usually 100+ words. Often the second longest section of the essay) State research question and hypothesis Convince readers why the research is necessary Statement of Qualification (approximately 100 words but may be longer) Explain why you are qualified to conduct this research Mention qualifications as well related personal experiences Literature Review (200+ words. Often the longest section of the essay) Briefly sum up the secondary sources you are using and how they are relevant to your research Methods (approximately 100 words) Name your primary research method and explain your general strategy for it (i.e. what do you hope to find) References The APA version of a Works Cited page Appendix Usually includes supplementary information The appendix for our research proposals will include detailed information about your primary research (such as interview, questions surveys, or observation goals)

5. Statement of Purpose Goals: State research question (focused, determinate) State hypothesis: what do you anticipate the results of your research will show? Convince readers why your research is necessary Suggestions: often the second longest section of your essay (after the literature review) Should utilize an attention grabbing strategy to explain why the research is important and necessary (logos is most commonly used here but pathos will work for certain topics) Economy of information is not as important here as in the abstract. Feel free to explain yourself in detail and defend your position or the purpose of your research Citations and secondary source information can be used here (especially helpful for logos)

6. Example Purpose Statement “The primary purpose of this research is to explore the effects of video games on the minds of minors. With the United States’ technology improving quite rapidly throughout the years, violent video games are at a closer reach to children now than ever. In fact, over 183 million Americans report playing one or more hours of video games a day (TED, 2012). That is more than half the population of the country. The concern is, are violent video games actually capable of causing behavioral issues in these young gamers? According to Kaplan (2012), “high exposure to […] video games can lead to changes in brain function” (p. 11) which includes showing aggression towards others. By viewing these graphic images and partaking in virtual killing, desensitization occurs and kids are no longer phased by violence. Although this research primarily focuses on violent video games found in the United States, it is noteworthy to know that this is a problem that goes far outside of this country, and that violent video games also seem to be affected minors across the world; Kaplan (2012) states that these places include “Japan, Singapore, Germany, [and] Portugal” (p.8). This has clearly become a global issue. By not allowing kids to play violent video games until they reach a certain level of maturity, or by reducing the time spent playing will diminish the risk of them developing behavioral problems. This research needs to be conducted for the well-being of young people, to help parents choose games that are appropriate for their children instead of thwarting their mental development with video games. It is anticipated that results will show and fortify the connection between violent behavior and playing video games.

7. Journal Entry 17 Focus: Draft Statement of Purpose Take a few minutes to begin drafting the statement of purpose for your research proposal (or at least the ideas that you will use for it). You may wish to consider? What is your research question? (remember to keep this focused and determinate, as we discussed last class) What do you expect to find as a result of your research? This will become your hypothesis and should be stated in the Purpose Statement Why is your research so important? Who will benefit from it? This is likely the question you should spend the most time on as it will take up the most content of the Purpose Statement You may also wish to consider what types of background information you can use to support this

8. Interviews Advantages Disadvantages Strongest ethos of all the research methods Allows for a variety of quotes that can be incorporated into your essay Best research method for showing expert opinion or view Excellent practice for social science/media majors Arguably the most time consuming of the research methods Interviewing unqualified subjects or asking poorly formed questions will be extremely counterproductive (more so than other research methods) Produces so much material that deciding which quotes to use can often be difficult Forming questions for interviews can often be more difficult than surveys

9. Interview Method Requirements Interview at least five subjects, who should be appropriate to your inquiry and requirements, in separate interviews Ask each interviewee at least 10 questions You may have some questions that you ask all interviewees, but some questions will have to be tailored to each specific subject Must use at least one quote from each person interviewed (in the informative article) Interviewees should usually be experts in the field or subjects who can speak with personal experience Provide a transcript or recording of your interviews Use proper interview citation:

10. Interviews-Procedure Before the interview Consider your purpose Learn about your subject Formulate your questions Gather your supplies During the interview Manage your time Be courteous Take notes Be flexible After the interview Review notes/results soon after Note: the more professional and prepared you are for your interview, the more seriously your subjects will respond (A&B p.282-284)

11. Interview Citations MLA In-text citation: (Anderson) Works Cited citation Anderson, Nicholas. Personal Interview. 20 Oct. 2014. APA In-text citation: (N. Anderson, personal communication, October 20, 2014) References: APA does not include interviews in the reference section, only in its in-text citations

12. Creating Interview Questions You may want a few (2-3 at most) background questions to find out about your subject and to get them comfortable speaking before proceeding into your main questions Your main questions should be open ended enough to allow your subjects sufficient freedom to answer as they see fit Should be focused enough to keep your subjects on topic If your subject gets off topic, that is ok! Sometimes the best information will come from this. Do not rush your subject or force them back on topic before they are ready Do not ask leading or determinate questions. You do not want yes/no answers, and you do not want to color your subjects’ perceptions of your expectations Do not discuss your hypothesis or goal with the subject ahead of time. You should only tell them your general topic

13. Creating Interview Questions You should include at least one “Danger of death” question These questions do not have to literally ask someone about a time they died, but they should ask the subject something they feel a deep, personal connection to Danger of death questions are the best way to get your subjects comfortable, speaking openly, and sometimes providing the best information

14. Group Activity-Interview Brainstorm In your unit 2 groups Create 5 sample interview questions that you could use to learn more about a specific topic (you may use one of the topics of your group members or select a research question below). Additionally, be prepared to tell the class: 1. Who will you interview with these questions? Why does this person/group of people constitute good interview subjects? 2. What do you expect to find? 3. What kind of background research on the subjects can you do before this interview? Sample topics: What is the main cause of students failing courses in college? How do politicians use rhetorical appeals and persuasive strategies during political debates? What are the main stressors that college students have to deal with? Does fraternity enrollment have an effect on academic success? Is it more academically advantageous for students to live on or off campus? How might the college/education system in the US differ from the system in other countries? How do environmental conditions affect students’ study habits?

15. Methods Section Should explain any and all methodologies you intend to use in your research Focus on what primary research you will conduct; it is already assumed that you will find background secondary research information Your primary method should be one or more of the three previously mentioned (interview, observation, or surveys). For each primary method: Indicate whom you will be interviewing or surveying or what setting/activity you will be observing Explain what, specifically, you will be attempting to find out from your primary research. This can include questions you intend to ask or what you will be looking for in observations Note: you should not list every question here, only the most important ones for your research and what sorts of connections between questions you will look for

16. Observations Advantages Disadvantages Allows you to gain firsthand experiences with the setting or topic you are investigating Arguably the most professional/scientific of the research methods we have covered May allow access to subjects’ ‘natural’ behavior while many subjects will lie on surveys Observer’s paradox will automatically bring all results into question Research method that is most sensitive to research bias; you must work diligently to remain objective Obtaining permission for observations can be difficult; many potential subjects will be reluctant

17. Observer’s Paradox The observation of an event or experiment is influenced by the presence of the observer/investigator A term coined by the sociolinguist William Labov How might this affect your strategies for conducting observations?

18. Observation Research Requirements Find an appropriate setting or condition for observation that is appropriate to your topic and research question Conduct at least 2 observation sessions totaling 1 hour or more each Use a dual column research log technique Use a small notebook that you bring with you In the left column, write down observations of occurrences in a completely objective and descriptive way In the right column, attempt to interpret those occurrences, looking for why a particular action may have taken place and how it relates to your research Keeping your physical observations and interpretations separate in this way can help you remain objective in your observations Provide a copy of your observation notes (detailed and with the dual column technique) and recordings

19. Observation Steps/Strategies 1. Determine purpose and research question 2. Make arrangements ahead of time. Do not record people without their permission 3. Take clear, usable notes while observing; the dual column technique with observation/interpretation is required for our methodology 4. Go through notes soon afterwards: fill in gaps, elaborate

20. Observation Examples Topic: Violence in video games Ex setting 1: FIU Piano room Observe students’ behavior as they play video games with one another in the piano room, keeping a look out for what games they are playing (especially if there is violence in the game) and whether there is violence or aggressive behavior between the participants Ex setting 2: Arcade (owner permission required) Observe arcade patrons’ behavior as they play video games with one another, keeping a look out for aggressive behavior as well as which types of arcade games incite it Politician’s use of rhetorical appeals Ex setting 1: Recorded political debate on youtube Ex setting 2: City Hall meeting In each different venue, special attention is paid to the words and actions of the current speaker as well as how the audience reacts to their rhetorical effects. For any parts that seem effective, the observer will attempt to interpret how ethos, pathos, logos, and angle of vision are used

21. Group Activity 2: Observation Brainstorm In your unit 2 groups Select 3 example informative article topics. If possible, these should be topics from your group members. However, if your group members’ topics seem incompatible with this type of research, feel free to use one of the examples below 1. For each topic, select one setting that could be observed in order to gain firsthand knowledge of it 2. For each setting, select two things you would be on the look out for in terms of actions or occurrences Sample topics: How do politicians use rhetorical appeals and persuasive strategies during political debates? What are the main stressors that college students have to deal with? Does fraternity enrollment have an effect on academic success? Is it more academically advantageous for students to live on or off campus? How might the college/education system in the US differ from the system in other countries? How do environmental conditions affect students’ study habits?

22. Homework Read A&B p.282-286 Journal Entry 18 Focus: RP Source Evaluation 1 Find the first source you will be using for your research proposal (a peer reviewed article) Read and analyze the first source you will be using for your Research Proposal. Sum up the argument it makes in the journal entry as well as the most important or convincing facts in the article. Then reflect on how that article has changed your perspective. General suggestion: focus on logos for all RP source evaluations Journal Entry 19 Focus: RP Source Evaluation 2 Find the first source you will be using for your research proposal (a peer reviewed article) Read and analyze the first source you will be using for your Research Proposal. Sum up the argument it makes in the journal entry as well as the most important or convincing facts in the article. Then reflect on how that article has changed your perspective. General suggestion: focus on logos for all RP source evaluations