Starting with the Mermin reading on writing about physics from 10/8, we have been talking about research as a way to think about making knowledge. The literacy narrative and rhetorical analysis also make knowledge–you examined personal experience and a text to learn more about those things and the world. However, research is usually more systematic–at the very least, it will typically incorporate (more formally, anyway) other voices and expertise besides yourself.
Below is a quick gloss on where we’ve been so far:
Writing can make knowledge. Taking the time to look at what you know and what other people know, and trying to put that together with language in the form of writing, can give you a chance to look at what you know as you read it over. You start to learn things as writing can be a medium to think and refine thinking. It also provides limits–there is only so much you can access through talkin and writing. Yet, in those limits, we are forced to be creative to have something to say; the constraint itself can create pressure to exert something new.
Finding and Evaluating Sources. We talked about methods for finding information: where to go (e.g., popular search engines, library databases), how to search places for information (e.g., using keywords, Boolean operators), using reverse citation (e.g., looking at a reference list of a source for more sources, looking at Wikipedia for more sources, using Google Scholar to click on “cited by”). We also talked about questions to ask yourself as you evaluate sources, with the Reflective Annotated Bibliography entry we did in the Process Document due at the end of October as practice for this (e.g., who wrote it, what measures does the publication do to ensure quality, what is the reputation of the publisher).
Developing a Research Question. We talked about how Stasis Theory can help us think about the kind of question we want to ask. We also talked about making direct, focused, concise, complex, and arguable questions that can generate sophisticated research and response.
Disciplinary Home and Documentation Style. Related to Finding and Evaluating Sources and Developing a Research Question, we also talked about the range of evidence and disciplinary approaches that can be useful for addressing a research question as well as how to standardize it with a documentation style. That standardization is importantly rhetorical and can help you think through the priorities of making knowledge in any disciplinary way of knowing.
Claims, Evidence, and Linking Claims to Evidence. As an extension from the Rhetorical Analysis unit, we again returned to the importance of making direct and arguable claims, providing evidence to support those claims, and commenting on that evidence to make it apparent how and why the claim is linked to that evidence. In research-driven writing, the kinds of evidence you look at will need a clear and direct linking to claims so readers can quickly ascertain (as quickly as possible, at least) how your argument does or does not relate to larger conversations in your discipline.
In a comment below, spend about 100 words or so applying one of the topics above to something specific you are currently working on for your Research-Driven Writing Project. Provide as many specifics as possible (e.g., a recent source you found that you are looking at and some explanation of how it could relate to addressing your research question).
After commenting, click the button below to continue:
Writing can make knowledge.
For my research topic, I wanted to write about an ancient text, Art of War. I am interested in this text because I am a big fan of shows and movies featuring battles and military strategies. I wanted to learn more about the minds of the generals who used the text to enhance their troops. I feel that not only will I learn through researching, but I will also learn when I use my research to support my claim. I feel that the practice of integrating what I have learned to what I already know will be an educating experience.
Finding and Evaluating Sources
When I first began thinking about what I would write about for my research driven project, the main part was the sources. In High School, I wrote a couple research papers and we were taught about how to use databases which were able to help me in this course and this assignment. The keyword aspect of finding sources is crucial to getting adequate sources that can ease the process of a long research assignment. We cannot use google for an important assignment as a source because we are supposed to find something with more credible writers. The Baruch database is useful and has helped me to find many sources that I have the choice to choose from and they each have sufficient information that will make my paper easier to write.
Finding and Evaluating Sources.
My topic is subjective, so in addition to researching what news organizations are reporting, it would also be good to look at the background of organizations such as PolitiFact. They are actually part of a larger network, “The International Fact-Checking Network”. This reminded me of FAIR, “Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting”. Determining objective truth and lies is very relevant to the topic, so I could devote a section to covering these media criticism organizations.
Developing a Research Question
My original question was about analyzing the effect of political architecture on public policy. I was able to narrow it down to the effects of the National Mall on public policy in DC. However, I think the question needs to be more clear. Therefore, I am working on collecting information to create a thesis and then form a question based on the thesis. For example, the National Mall has negatively impacted minorities in DC due to problematic policies – How does the National Mall impact residents of DC?
For my topic, luckily, there seems to be a broad amount of studies from where to choose from. It could also be seen as a downside since I have more possible sources to evaluate. But once correctly filtered, there are only a few sources that focus on the area of my topic I’m mostly interested in. Other partial ones I can use to strengthen my argument since my research question first talks about physiology and later on connects it to psychology – which again, could be an advantage or a downside.
Finding and Evaluating Source
I am currently in the process of evaluating and figuring out which sources will work best for my research question and my argument. The databases provided by Baruch have been easy to navigate and quite helpful. After reading over all these articles about how to use and choose sources, I have taken into consideration that I have to be careful when picking the sources I am going to utilize in my writing.
Finding an Evaluating Sources
The topic about finding and evaluating sources is the most ideal in this case because the topic that I intend to focus on requires extensive research to accomplish. I am supposed to find sources that describe how racism is perpetrated in ways that are more subtle than they are explicit and so I believe that I will need to find as well as evaluate a good number of sources to come up with the information I need.
Linking Claims to Evidence
As of now I am simply researching the topic and seeing what I can find out about it. I am basically figuring what sources I want to use and how I want to talk about the topic. What I am having trouble doing finding a claim and evidence to match it. To me, what I have seems more of a report. I am just reciting information but I feel like there isn’t a real claim. Once I figure out what my claim is I also need to think of information as it related to my claim not just as it relates to the topic as a whole.
Finding and Evaluating Sources
Since what I am researching is somewhat speculative, I will need to make sure that the authors of the different sources that I’ll be looking at are credible. The hard part about this is that there are many different ways to measure someone’s credibility. Right now, I just have to base what people say off of the accuracy of things they have said previously.
Finding and evaluating sources:
My topic contains information that many people may write an opinion and not back it up with facts. I have to be careful and stay away from this. I can do so by checking and doing research into my sources. Additionally it is important to see who edited it and what my source was published for.