So you have some sources and you have some writing to do. Naturally, you will toggle back and forth here a bit (you might have some sources, then you do some writing, then you find a need for more sources, and then you do more writing).
Now what? Get organized.
First, you have to keep your research question at the forefront of what you want to do here. Let it manage your attention and keep your focus on what you want to prioritize in reading through sources.
Second, you will want to immerse yourself in your sources so you know them really well. It will be clear in your writing if you have not done this, because you will just drop a quote here or there and write in a way that would leave an impression that you did not need the source at all. Don’t do that! Getting really deep into the sources you have will help you learn in impactful ways and it will help produce better writing.
Lean on your reading annotation skills! Take notes on things that jump out to you, note where you pause, look over your notes and compare notes against notes on other sources. What patterns or themes do you see? What are the connections among your sources? Mark those connections.
Third, evaluate the sources you have (another layer of evaluation after evaluating to include them in your project to begin with). Page 169 in our textbook has some great questions to ask to start doing this.
In a comment below, use one of three steps above to formulate a response. Choose one of the following tasks below to do in the comment below:
- Talk about how a source you have can help you address your research question in about 100 words.
- Share a reading annotation you made on one of your sources in about 100 words (e.g., you could share the quote and your note about that quote).
- Answer one of the questions on page 169 in the textbook about one of your sources in about 100 words.
After commenting below, click on the button to continue the module:
I’m currently reading a translation/analysis of Art of War. The book was published earlier this year, and takes into account recent events in politics and economics. It can definitely complement my research question because it uses examples, both current historic, to explain how the text remains relevant today. This book serves as the context for my research question. It will provide me with the knowledge to ask a more specific question. It will also help me narrow down my research topic.
One source I have for my research driven assignment has so far been able to provide a good base for my paper and it is able to address the points that I have about the effects of social media and technology. I was able to reword my question and the source is able to answer the question much easier than when compared to my original question which was too broad. I would have to find many more sources and the information was too much for the original question I proposed. The source was also able to introduce me into the topic and with studies being performed in the source, I am now able to find more information and it was able to open the door for similar sources conveying the same idea.
One source that I currently plan on using is “HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF RACIAL INEQUITY IN WASHINGTON, DC” by Kilolo Kijakazi. This will be an ideal source for my research question because it refers to a study that touches upon the racial inequality in DC. It will help me structure my argument that residents of DC face racial discrimination. The source is a statement made by a member of the Urban institute before the
Committee on Government Operations, Council of the District of Columbia.
I started to look at the “Facebook Journalism Project”, because of some news that I have read lately about it. The area I am most concerned about is the Third-Party Fact Checking program because while the website gives an appearance of being streamlined and transparent, this section is interesting to look at.
“When False, Altered, Partly False or Missing Context is selected by a fact-checking partner, we take action. Some of these actions may include:”
This phrasing alone means that a misinformation label is enough to make the statement true.
I found some articles written about it, including one from The Washington Post (left-leaning) and Fox Business (right-leaning). Both pointed out inconsistencies in policy application in different ways. Maybe this is worth exploring further.
My research question is technically 2 questions, one stating if meditation produces and physiological changes in the brain and the second one -depending on the outcome of the first one- if that implies improved learning skills. I know have been laying my eyes on more sources but one that I consider important is one done in 2008 in which they state that the study of transcendental meditation is still in its infancy but their findings in the study demonstrate positive outcomes related to my research question. Now, 12 years later, I can use this as a base for my argument since now I have a greater body of data related to the topic.
“Although the systematic study of meditation is still in its infancy, research has provided evidence for meditation-induced improvements in psychological and physiological well-being.”
As said before, this was in 2008 and I plan to use this and its chronological context as support for the rest of my claims and evidence that is going to come from more up-to-date research, or maybe I will be able to find even earlier studies on this topic but I see potential in paraphrasing this specific quote.
One study talks about the specific advantages of “mindfulness meditation” for college students like enhanced learning. I believe articles like this would be attractive to any other college student looking to manage stress and even boost their brain.
I have found a source that explains why those who are bilingual, tend to be hired in high-positioned jobs. This can help me express my research question because it states why bilingual individuals are needed for translating for clients that do not speak English well or not at all.
“A staff member who can serve as an interpreter or translator is invaluable. Language skills are also applicable in many advocacy jobs; immigration lawyers, for instance, often need to communicate with clients who may not speak English.”
In the United States, there are multiple cases of immigration and people who are from foreign countries getting a citizenship. People who are bilingual could benefit and be of more assistance to these people that do not speak English. I also believe that the United States is becoming the land where multiple languages are spoken, not just English.
One of the sources that I intend to use for my research on “The psychological impact of racial microaggressions on African American men in the United States” is the article “Racial Microaggressions Against Black Americans: Implications for Counseling” by Sue et al. The article is relevant I this case because it highlights how microaggressions are expressed in daily life in addition to explaining the effect that they have on African Americans. The article goes a step further to explain what can be done to help individuals handle disastrous psychological consequences of racism.
One of the sources I will use in my research is article titled “The Drug War is the New Jim Crow”. This source is great because it gives me on the statistics I need as well as laws put into place that relate to my topic. This is important because without facts my claim could sound like an uninformed opinion but these stats could definitely back up my claim. This source also looks at the issue in a chronological way and in a cause and effect manner.
The source “Recycling for Sustainability” answers my research question in many ways. It starts by addressing what recycling is at a wider scale. Then it goes into the benefits recycling has on our planet. After this it talks about how easy it is for every person to recycle and reduce their carbon footprint. This addresses my Research question which asks how household recycling can benefit us and our planet.
One of the sources I am using is titled “How Does the 2020 Stock Market Crash Compare With Others?” This article is relevant because it talks about what caused the stock market to crash this year and also talks about how it can be related to crashes in previous years. One thing it highlights is that investors got very scared about the future of many businesses when the pandemic began shutting thigs down. The result was that many people pulled out of the market, which caused many companies stocks to become undervalued.
I have not come up with a topic yet for my paper so have had a hard time deciding the sources/ prompt to use in order to complete the assignment. Although I do not have a dedicated idea quite yet for my paper, the sources I will use will help me address my research question by providing supporting information that will adhere to the prompt I am answering.