Assignment 2 is due next week.
We are now shifting from rhetorical analysis to research, the last of the three pillars of this course (literacy – rhetoric – research).
Here’s what you need to do this week (1 – 2 hours):
– Read from JTC:
> Intro to Section 5, by Seth Graves (pp. 145-147)
> “The Research Process,” by Seth Graves, Lucas Corcoran, and Kamal Belmihoub (pp. 148-149)
> “Organizing an Argument,” by Kate Eickmeyer (pp. 200-209)
– In the comments below, please answer the following questions:
1. How has been (or how are you planning) your research process for your final paper? Can you compare it with previous instances in which you have had to do academic research, for example in high school?
2. How do you organize an argument when you have to write an essay? Are you a planner (you pre-order your points before you write), or are you an improviser (you go with the flow and see where you thoughts take you)? Please write at least 3 sentences.
3. Can you relate to anything your classmates have answered? How? Try to comment on at least one person’s response.
Friday meeting:
– We’ll discuss the readings and your responses.
– I’ll walk you through a share-screen demo of how to do academic research for college papers, including how to use the Newman Library and databases like JSTOR).
– We’ll talk about why a mix of planning and improvising is a most secure approach to college papers.
– I’ll answer any questions.
I am planning my research to be concise and less complex. Now that I am in college, I have learned ways in which I can do my research better and more properly than what I use to do in high school. I didn’t make any effort when it came to research; I didn’t do it as well as I could do it now.
When I write my essay, honestly I try to organize my points or the topic I am going to talk about; before I actually write it, but also I improvise along the way. I feel like I don’t have a specific way of writing an argument because I flow with what I am being asked to write about.
I can definitely relate to how you said you need to make your research better and more proper. I definitely struggle with the same thing and for me putting more effort could definitely make my writing better.
I also approach writing the same way as you do. I like to plan what I want to say before writing the essay and plan to make my research concise as well.
1. For me I find myself struggling to decipher the difference between analysis and observation. In a lot of my previous work I may have kind of mixed the two. So finding a way to distinguish them was initially very difficult for me as I wasn’t entirely sure what I needed to do.
2. I believe when I am writing I am more of an improviser. Usually I will read the article(s) once and then begin writing as I constantly refer back to the article. If I try planning ahead or having a plan for writing I usually don’t end up using it and go back to improvising anyways.
I agree with Lucas because I personally believe improving is much easier for me when writing an essay. As well as I can relate to planning but ending up improvising in the end, anyways.
1. Observation is description or summary. You are not adding anything new, you are just rephrasing or retelling whateer your are analyzing. Analysis, however, is adding your own interpretation to the text. You are viewing it critically and assessing its effect on the reader.
2. That may be a case of coming up with the plan too quickly and not spending enough time on the brainstorming. We all do that, but that inevitably gets us stuck at some point in the essay. The plan should fit the thesis, and the only way to do that is really to do the thinking first (in your head, witout writing, and then taking notes). Once you firgure out clearly what you are trying to argue (aka. your thesis), you should be able to find the best way to support that thesis through subargumnets and counterarguments.
1. Honestly, I’m kind of struggling with planning my research paper. Since middle school I’ve had this problem where I constantly overthinking my work and this results in me believing that my topic isn’t good enough, or i’m not throughly explaining my opinion.
2. I am more of an improviser when it come to organizing my essay. This way of writing helps me because it allows me to not overthink as much, as well as be more motivated about my topic. The only thing I plan is my topic, but after that everything is more improvising, rewriting and proofreading.
I can relate you to when you say when you go with the flow to prevent overthinking. Nice statement!
1. I haven’t really been planning since I am more of a “just do it at the moment” type of guy. Like when I get on the assignment I Just focused on it until I’m done. So with the research just pick something and get it done.
2. I’m present the argument and then go from there. If I were to pick I would be an improviser since as before I do things on the moment. So then to prevent overthinking or maybe some burn out when brainstorming too many ideas
I relate to you in the sense that you present the argument or thesis and develop from there. I tend to do that depending on the assignment.
1. My research process definitely needs more work. I need to find more sources pertaining my topic. I’ve had moments in high school when I was doing research where I was struggling to find sources and additional information for my topic.
2. I think i am a bit of an organizer as well as an improviser. I do tend to organize my thoughts to an extent but at the same time I improvise and jot down whatever ideas that comes to my head on the paper. I think everybody is a hybrid of both.
I definitely agree with your 2nd answer because I as well am a “organizer and a improviser too”.
I also like to think of myself as a planner and an improviser when it comes to writing papers. I’m not too sure if my way of improvising is effective anymore so I’m actually trying to become more of a planner.
1. It has been a work in process because I tend to overthink a lot and make up different scenarios in my head.This has been going on since High School but I know that I will figure it all out and not wait last minute. This went on in my senior year in high school because I would plan for this.
2. I organize my argument by giving background information about it then claiming my argument then try to find a counter argument to help my case. I do this because like there’s always two sides to a story I must include the other side to prove that mine is more efficient. I would say I’m a planner but sometimes I do turn into a improviser.
1. For my research topic, on the topic of Bitcoin, I have found some articles that can enable me to analyze information about the current state of Bitcoin and connect it back to the topic of why China is trying to take disciplinary action on the crypto-industry. To compare it to high school, I’ve written many research essays so I am familiar with the essay format and I was able to utilize the resources provided for me to find articles from credible sources. Because of this, I would say the research process for this assignment is going smoothly for me so far.
2. I like to plan my points in note form for my argument when I am creating an outline for my essay which will later allow me to write my sentences cohesively. I’m not much of an improviser when it comes to essay writing because it may lead to me doubting what I want to say. If I stick with a plan for how I want to construct my essays by using an organizer, I would be able to write effectively without worry.
I agree with you in terms of creating an outline. I feel like I write more effectively and my argument is stronger when I plan out my essays.
Yes, definitely, having a plan removes a lot of worry and writer’s block issues!
I definitely relate to what you said about doubt, its also just easier to have something to refer to.
1.The planning of my research paper has been a bit slow. I’m having trouble finding the rights sources to tailor to my topic. In high school, I had the same problem when I was writing a research paper on eating disorders.
2.I’m more of a planner when it comes to writing essays because I feel like I have more control over the quality of the essay and the end result. I organize my arguments by first compiling my information and pieces of evidence. I then sort all this information into their respective paragraphs. Lastly, I see where the evidence fits best and add evidence wherever needed.
I relate to the part where you said youre more of a planner in writing essays because you have more control. I couldnt put that into words until you said it
I agree with your response to the second question because I believe that planning leads to a better end result
For my research paper I’m planning on finding multiple sources that tackle my topic. I would also try finding some articles that can oppose my topic to get an understanding. In high school I did a research paper on the importance on parenting. I had difficulty finding useful sources. Now looking back on it I found that I could have used better sources.
I plan on making an outline on how my paper should look. Where I would put certain evidence. And I would try to be as organized as possible. I’m also an improviser because I would add one or two more things that I think would fit.
1. My research process needs more work, I need to find more sources that relate to my topic. This relates to my high school experience because in my research process I always need to put more into finding the right sources to use.
2. I am more of a planner when it comes to writing essays. For me I feel like it is better to have at least 3 solid ideas to go off of then just write whatever comes to mind and flows. This way I know what to write about in my essay, what to revolve around, what idea to focus on and not lose track and ramble off about something else.
1. Planning has been a little difficult for me simply because I want to make sure I’m finding good, reliable sources to input into my research paper. There have been times in high-school where I’ve had trouble trying to find other sources that are able to connect back to my specific topic. I just want to make sure all the sources I provide connect back to my original source so that the paper has a natural flow to it.
2. I have never been a planner when it comes to writing papers but recently I’ve gotten into the habit of writing down what I want to include into each paragraph of my paper. This method actually helps me because now I have something to refer back to if I forget what I want to discuss in a particular paragraph. As I make my way through the paper, I check off what I’ve already discussed, which satisfies me for some reason. I improvised a lot in high-school and I honestly think my way of improvising won’t be effective in college, so I think I’ll make the shift from improviser to planner.
1.My research paper needs more sources to make it more solid, compare to before for this one planned things out didn’t just do it in the moment.
2. I am an improviser when it come to organizing my essay.I organize my thoughts but I tend to just write my thoughts and keep going from there.
1. My research process has been pretty similar to high school as I use articles in both instances to help me.
2. Definitely a planner I have my own outline for when I am writing and specific things I look for in an article. I can change it up if I see something else that fits but otherwise I plan ahead.
1. I do not really remember doing research for my essays in highschool but in highschool we would usually find the sources that we would use together. So the beginning process would be done together in class and our essays would be the part we did independently. It is different in college because it is more independent work for the essay.
2. I used to be an improviser because I would usually write the essay based on the ideas I had in my mind. My style was to go with the flow and then fix up the essay if I felt like the style of it was not right. In college I became a planner because it and it simpler to write essays in since I had my ideas for each paragraph planned out in bullet points. Instead of trying to recall the ideas for my essay from memory they are written on the paper which makes my writing more organized.