{"id":1225,"date":"2020-03-13T14:45:04","date_gmt":"2020-03-13T14:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/irsc-english\/chapter\/text-preliminary-research-strategies\/"},"modified":"2020-11-09T17:23:35","modified_gmt":"2020-11-09T17:23:35","slug":"the-research-process","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/irsc-english\/chapter\/the-research-process\/","title":{"raw":"The Research Process","rendered":"The Research Process"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Evaluate\u00a0preliminary research strategies (developing a research plan, basic online searching, using Google)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1348 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/07\/30190538\/Research-process-8-gear-final.png\" alt=\"Gears showing the research process: define the topic, narrow the topic, gather background information, create a research question, develop a working thesis statement, find and evaluate sources, cite sources, and write the paper.\" width=\"5528\" height=\"2694\" \/>\r\n\r\nThe research process is not a linear process in which you must complete step one before moving on to step two or three. You don't need to put off\u00a0writing your paper until you've gathered all of your sources, in fact, you may want to start writing as soon as possible and adjust your search, thesis statement, and writing as you continue to work through the research process. For that reason, consider the following research process as a guideline to follow as your work through your paper. You can (and should!) revisit the steps as many times as needed to create a finished product.\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Decide on the topic<\/strong>, or carefully consider the topic that has been assigned.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Narrow the topic<\/strong> in order to narrow search parameters.\u00a0When you go to a professional sports event, concert, or event at a large venue, your ticket has three items on it: the section, the row, and the seat number. You go in that specific order to pinpoint where you are supposed to sit. Similarly, when you decide on a topic, you often start large and must narrow the focus; you move from general subject, to a more limited topic, to a specific focus or issue.The reader does not want a cursory look at the topic; she wants to walk away with some newfound knowledge and deeper understanding of the issue. For that, details are essential. For example, suppose you want to explore the topic of autism. You might move from:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>General topic:<\/strong> special needs in a classroom<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Limited topic:<\/strong> autistic students in a classroom setting<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Specific focus:<\/strong> how technology can enhance learning for autistic students<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do background research<\/strong>, or pre-research.\u00a0Begin by figuring out what you know about the topic, and then fill in any gaps you may have on the basics by looking at more general sources. This is a place where general Google searches, Wikipedia, or another encyclopedia-style source will be most useful. Once you know the basics of the topic, start investigating that basic information for potential sources of conflict. Does there seem to be disagreement about particular aspects of the topic? For instance, if you're looking at a Civil War battle, are there any parts of the battle that historians seem to argue about? Perhaps some point to one figure's failing as a reason for a loss, and some point instead to another figure's spectacular success as a reason his side won?<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Create a research question.\u00a0<\/strong>Once you have narrowed your topic so that is manageable, it is time to generate research questions about your topic. Create thought-provoking, open-ended questions, ones that encourage debate. Decide which question addresses the issue that concerns you\u2014that will be your main research question. Secondary questions will address the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the issue. As an example:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Main question:<\/strong> Does the media stereotype women in such a way that women do not believe they can be leaders?<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Secondary questions:<\/strong> How can more women get involved in politics? Why aren\u2019t more women involved in politics? What role do media play in discouraging women from being involved? How many women are involved in politics at a state or national level? How long do they typically stay in politics, and for what reasons do they leave?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Next, \u201canswer\u201d the main research question to create a <strong>working thesis statement<\/strong>. The thesis statement is a single sentence that identifies the topic and shows the direction of the paper while simultaneously allowing the reader to glean the writer\u2019s stance on that topic.\u00a0A working thesis performs four main functions:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Narrows the subject to the single point that readers should understand<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Names the topic and makes a significant assertion about that topic<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Conveys the purpose<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Provides a preview of how the essay will be arranged (usually).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Determine what kind of sources are best<\/strong> for your argument.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>How many sources will you need? How long should your paper be? Will you need primary or secondary sources? Where will you find the best information?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Create a bibliography<\/strong> as you gather and reference sources. Make sure you are using credible\u00a0and relevant sources. It's always a good idea to utilize reference management programs like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote so you can keep track of your research and citations while you are working and searching, instead of waiting until the end.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Write and edit your paper!<\/strong>\u00a0Lastly, you'll incorporate the research into your own writing and properly cite your sources.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Practice: Research Questions and Working Thesis Statements<\/h3>\r\n1. Which of the following is the\u00a0better research question?\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\r\n \t<li>How does trash pollute the environment?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What is the environmental impact of plastic water bottles?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What is the impact of bottled water on the environment?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"317480\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"317480\"]b. This choice is specific and searchable. \"How does trash pollute the environment?\" is much too vague and broad, and \"What is the impact of bottled water on the environment?\" is an okay question, but it doesn't specify the type of bottled water.[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n2. Decide whether or not the following working thesis statements are <strong>good<\/strong> or <strong>bad:<\/strong>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\r\n \t<li>Man has had a major impact on the environment.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Marijuana use in Mishawaka, Indiana has been a problem for law enforcement since the 1970s.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Miley Cyrus is a horrible singer.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Criminal profilers, who research and\u00a0compile information from crimes to create profiles of suspects, have played a necessary role in catching serial killers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"170610\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"170610\"]\r\n\r\na. Bad. This statement is way too vague and broad. What constitutes \"major impact\"? What aspects of the environment are we talking about? What century are we talking about?\r\n\r\nb. Bad.\u00a0Even if it is true, it is too local and narrow to be supported with national or scholarly research.\u00a0Sources would probably be limited to local newspaper articles and personal interviews.\u00a0Can you make those sources \"stretch\" across a 10 page research paper? Not likely.\r\n\r\nc. Bad, because the statement is largely an unfocused opinion.\u00a0What exactly is \"horrible\"?\u00a0How does Miley Cyrus fall into that category?\u00a0Do you think there are many books or research articles that could support this topic? Probably not.\r\n\r\nd. Good.\u00a0Using this statement for a paper allows you to skip over the sources\u00a0that do not deal with criminal profiling. For example, you can focus on the sources that deal with the apprehension of serial killers, and ignore references to other types of profiling, like racial profiling.\u00a0<strong>A good working thesis statement saves you time and keeps you focused.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nDuring this module, we'll examine the research writing process through the example of Marvin, a student at Any University who gets advice from an online professor on writing his research paper. You'll read bits and pieces of their dialogue throughout the module and come to understand how the research writing process can be compared to <strong><em>walking<\/em><\/strong>, <strong><em>talking<\/em>, <em>cooking<\/em><\/strong>, and <strong><em>eating<\/em><\/strong>. In the following dialogue, consider the professor's recommendations to Marvin about how to think more deeply about his assignment and what type of angle to take for his paper. Just like Martin, you should begin your research by thinking about the importance of your topic and what about it you find interesting. It also helps to talk with someone about your paper, whether that be a friend, family member, classmate, teaching assistant, librarian, or professor.\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>Getting Started<\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Marvin, a college student at Any University, sits down at his computer.<\/i><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><i>\u00a0<\/i><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><i>He logs in to the \u201cOnline Professor,\u201d an interactive advice site for students. After setting up a chat, he begins tapping the keys. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Hi. I\u2019m a student in the physician assistant program. The major paper for my health and environment class is due in five weeks, and I need some advice. The professor says the paper has to be 6\u20138 pages, and I have to cite and document my sources. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Congratulations on getting started early! Tell me a bit about your assignment. What\u2019s the purpose? Who\u2019s it intended for? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Well, the professor said it should talk about a health problem caused by water pollution and suggest ways to solve it. We\u2019ve read some articles, plus my professor gave us statistics on groundwater contamination in different areas. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: What\u2019s been most interesting so far? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I\u2019m amazed at how much water pollution there is. It seems like it would be healthier to drink bottled water, but the plastic bottles hurt the environment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Who else might be interested in this? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Lots of people are worried about bad water. I might even get questions about it from my clients once I finish my program. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: OK. So what information do you need to make a good recommendation? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Marvin thinks for a moment. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I don\u2019t know much about the health problems caused by contaminated drinking water. Whether the tap water is safe depends on where you live, I guess. The professors talked about arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh, but what about the water in the U.S.? For my paper, maybe I should focus on a particular location? I also need to find out more about what companies do to make sure bottled water is pure. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Good! Now that you know what you need to learn, you can start looking for sources. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: When my professors talk about sources, they usually mean books or articles about my topic. Is that what you mean? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Books and articles do make good sources, but you might think about sources more generally as \u201cforms of meaning you use to make new meaning.\u201d It\u2019s like your bottled water. The water exists already in some location but is processed by the company before it goes to the consumer. Similarly, a source provides information and knowledge that you process to produce new meaning, which other people can then use to make their own meaning. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>A bit confused, Marvin scratches his head. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I thought I knew what a source was, but now I\u2019m not so sure. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Think about it. Sources of meaning are literally everywhere\u2014for example, your own observations or experiences, the content of other people\u2019s brains, visuals and graphics, experiment results, TV and radio broadcasts, and written texts. And, there are many ways to make new meaning from sources. You can give an oral presentation, design a web page, paint a picture, or, as in your case, write a paper. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I get it. But how do I decide which sources to use for my paper? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: It depends on the meaning you want to make, which is why it\u2019s <i>so <\/i>important to figure out the purpose of your paper and who will read it. You might think about using sources as <i>walking, talking, cooking, and eating. <\/i>These aren\u2019t the only possible metaphors, but they do capture some important things about using sources. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Hey! I thought we were talking about writing! <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: We are, but these metaphors can shed some light on writing with sources. Let\u2019s start with the first one: <i>walking. <\/i>To use sources well, you first have to go where they are. What if you were writing an article on student clubs for the school newspaper? Where would you go for information? <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I\u2019d probably walk down to the Student Activities office and get some brochures about student clubs. Then I\u2019d attend a few club meetings and maybe interview the club leaders and some members about their club activities. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: OK, so you\u2019d <strong><i>walk <\/i><\/strong>to where you could find relevant information for your article. That\u2019s what I mean by <i><strong>walking<\/strong>. <\/i>You have to get to the sources you need. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Wait a minute. For the article on student clubs, maybe I could save some walking. Maybe the list of clubs and the club descriptions are on the Student Activities web page. That\u2019d save me a trip. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Yes, the Internet has cut down on the amount of physical walking you need to do to find sources. Before the Internet, you had to either travel to a source\u2019s physical location, or bring that source to your location. Think about your project on bottled water. To get information about the quality of a city\u2019s tap water in the 1950s, you would have had to figure out who\u2019d have that information, then call or write to request a copy or <strong><i>walk <\/i><\/strong>to wherever the information was stored. Today, if you type \u201clocal water quality\u201d into Google, the Environmental Protection Agency page comes up as one of the first hits. Its home page links to water quality reports for local areas. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Marvin pauses for a second before responding, thinking he\u2019s found a good short cut for his paper.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><em>To be continued. . .<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Evaluate\u00a0preliminary research strategies (developing a research plan, basic online searching, using Google)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1348 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/07\/30190538\/Research-process-8-gear-final.png\" alt=\"Gears showing the research process: define the topic, narrow the topic, gather background information, create a research question, develop a working thesis statement, find and evaluate sources, cite sources, and write the paper.\" width=\"5528\" height=\"2694\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The research process is not a linear process in which you must complete step one before moving on to step two or three. You don&#8217;t need to put off\u00a0writing your paper until you&#8217;ve gathered all of your sources, in fact, you may want to start writing as soon as possible and adjust your search, thesis statement, and writing as you continue to work through the research process. For that reason, consider the following research process as a guideline to follow as your work through your paper. You can (and should!) revisit the steps as many times as needed to create a finished product.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Decide on the topic<\/strong>, or carefully consider the topic that has been assigned.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Narrow the topic<\/strong> in order to narrow search parameters.\u00a0When you go to a professional sports event, concert, or event at a large venue, your ticket has three items on it: the section, the row, and the seat number. You go in that specific order to pinpoint where you are supposed to sit. Similarly, when you decide on a topic, you often start large and must narrow the focus; you move from general subject, to a more limited topic, to a specific focus or issue.The reader does not want a cursory look at the topic; she wants to walk away with some newfound knowledge and deeper understanding of the issue. For that, details are essential. For example, suppose you want to explore the topic of autism. You might move from:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>General topic:<\/strong> special needs in a classroom<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limited topic:<\/strong> autistic students in a classroom setting<\/li>\n<li><strong>Specific focus:<\/strong> how technology can enhance learning for autistic students<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do background research<\/strong>, or pre-research.\u00a0Begin by figuring out what you know about the topic, and then fill in any gaps you may have on the basics by looking at more general sources. This is a place where general Google searches, Wikipedia, or another encyclopedia-style source will be most useful. Once you know the basics of the topic, start investigating that basic information for potential sources of conflict. Does there seem to be disagreement about particular aspects of the topic? For instance, if you&#8217;re looking at a Civil War battle, are there any parts of the battle that historians seem to argue about? Perhaps some point to one figure&#8217;s failing as a reason for a loss, and some point instead to another figure&#8217;s spectacular success as a reason his side won?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create a research question.\u00a0<\/strong>Once you have narrowed your topic so that is manageable, it is time to generate research questions about your topic. Create thought-provoking, open-ended questions, ones that encourage debate. Decide which question addresses the issue that concerns you\u2014that will be your main research question. Secondary questions will address the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the issue. As an example:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Main question:<\/strong> Does the media stereotype women in such a way that women do not believe they can be leaders?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Secondary questions:<\/strong> How can more women get involved in politics? Why aren\u2019t more women involved in politics? What role do media play in discouraging women from being involved? How many women are involved in politics at a state or national level? How long do they typically stay in politics, and for what reasons do they leave?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Next, \u201canswer\u201d the main research question to create a <strong>working thesis statement<\/strong>. The thesis statement is a single sentence that identifies the topic and shows the direction of the paper while simultaneously allowing the reader to glean the writer\u2019s stance on that topic.\u00a0A working thesis performs four main functions:\n<ol>\n<li>Narrows the subject to the single point that readers should understand<\/li>\n<li>Names the topic and makes a significant assertion about that topic<\/li>\n<li>Conveys the purpose<\/li>\n<li>Provides a preview of how the essay will be arranged (usually).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Determine what kind of sources are best<\/strong> for your argument.\n<ul>\n<li>How many sources will you need? How long should your paper be? Will you need primary or secondary sources? Where will you find the best information?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create a bibliography<\/strong> as you gather and reference sources. Make sure you are using credible\u00a0and relevant sources. It&#8217;s always a good idea to utilize reference management programs like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote so you can keep track of your research and citations while you are working and searching, instead of waiting until the end.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Write and edit your paper!<\/strong>\u00a0Lastly, you&#8217;ll incorporate the research into your own writing and properly cite your sources.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Practice: Research Questions and Working Thesis Statements<\/h3>\n<p>1. Which of the following is the\u00a0better research question?<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>How does trash pollute the environment?<\/li>\n<li>What is the environmental impact of plastic water bottles?<\/li>\n<li>What is the impact of bottled water on the environment?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q317480\">Show Answer<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q317480\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">b. This choice is specific and searchable. &#8220;How does trash pollute the environment?&#8221; is much too vague and broad, and &#8220;What is the impact of bottled water on the environment?&#8221; is an okay question, but it doesn&#8217;t specify the type of bottled water.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>2. Decide whether or not the following working thesis statements are <strong>good<\/strong> or <strong>bad:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>Man has had a major impact on the environment.<\/li>\n<li>Marijuana use in Mishawaka, Indiana has been a problem for law enforcement since the 1970s.<\/li>\n<li>Miley Cyrus is a horrible singer.<\/li>\n<li>Criminal profilers, who research and\u00a0compile information from crimes to create profiles of suspects, have played a necessary role in catching serial killers.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q170610\">Show Answer<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q170610\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">\n<p>a. Bad. This statement is way too vague and broad. What constitutes &#8220;major impact&#8221;? What aspects of the environment are we talking about? What century are we talking about?<\/p>\n<p>b. Bad.\u00a0Even if it is true, it is too local and narrow to be supported with national or scholarly research.\u00a0Sources would probably be limited to local newspaper articles and personal interviews.\u00a0Can you make those sources &#8220;stretch&#8221; across a 10 page research paper? Not likely.<\/p>\n<p>c. Bad, because the statement is largely an unfocused opinion.\u00a0What exactly is &#8220;horrible&#8221;?\u00a0How does Miley Cyrus fall into that category?\u00a0Do you think there are many books or research articles that could support this topic? Probably not.<\/p>\n<p>d. Good.\u00a0Using this statement for a paper allows you to skip over the sources\u00a0that do not deal with criminal profiling. For example, you can focus on the sources that deal with the apprehension of serial killers, and ignore references to other types of profiling, like racial profiling.\u00a0<strong>A good working thesis statement saves you time and keeps you focused.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>During this module, we&#8217;ll examine the research writing process through the example of Marvin, a student at Any University who gets advice from an online professor on writing his research paper. You&#8217;ll read bits and pieces of their dialogue throughout the module and come to understand how the research writing process can be compared to <strong><em>walking<\/em><\/strong>, <strong><em>talking<\/em>, <em>cooking<\/em><\/strong>, and <strong><em>eating<\/em><\/strong>. In the following dialogue, consider the professor&#8217;s recommendations to Marvin about how to think more deeply about his assignment and what type of angle to take for his paper. Just like Martin, you should begin your research by thinking about the importance of your topic and what about it you find interesting. It also helps to talk with someone about your paper, whether that be a friend, family member, classmate, teaching assistant, librarian, or professor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>Getting Started<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Marvin, a college student at Any University, sits down at his computer.<\/i><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><i>\u00a0<\/i><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><i>He logs in to the \u201cOnline Professor,\u201d an interactive advice site for students. After setting up a chat, he begins tapping the keys. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Hi. I\u2019m a student in the physician assistant program. The major paper for my health and environment class is due in five weeks, and I need some advice. The professor says the paper has to be 6\u20138 pages, and I have to cite and document my sources. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Congratulations on getting started early! Tell me a bit about your assignment. What\u2019s the purpose? Who\u2019s it intended for? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Well, the professor said it should talk about a health problem caused by water pollution and suggest ways to solve it. We\u2019ve read some articles, plus my professor gave us statistics on groundwater contamination in different areas. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: What\u2019s been most interesting so far? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I\u2019m amazed at how much water pollution there is. It seems like it would be healthier to drink bottled water, but the plastic bottles hurt the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Who else might be interested in this? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Lots of people are worried about bad water. I might even get questions about it from my clients once I finish my program. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: OK. So what information do you need to make a good recommendation? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Marvin thinks for a moment. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I don\u2019t know much about the health problems caused by contaminated drinking water. Whether the tap water is safe depends on where you live, I guess. The professors talked about arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh, but what about the water in the U.S.? For my paper, maybe I should focus on a particular location? I also need to find out more about what companies do to make sure bottled water is pure. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Good! Now that you know what you need to learn, you can start looking for sources. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: When my professors talk about sources, they usually mean books or articles about my topic. Is that what you mean? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Books and articles do make good sources, but you might think about sources more generally as \u201cforms of meaning you use to make new meaning.\u201d It\u2019s like your bottled water. The water exists already in some location but is processed by the company before it goes to the consumer. Similarly, a source provides information and knowledge that you process to produce new meaning, which other people can then use to make their own meaning. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>A bit confused, Marvin scratches his head. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I thought I knew what a source was, but now I\u2019m not so sure. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Think about it. Sources of meaning are literally everywhere\u2014for example, your own observations or experiences, the content of other people\u2019s brains, visuals and graphics, experiment results, TV and radio broadcasts, and written texts. And, there are many ways to make new meaning from sources. You can give an oral presentation, design a web page, paint a picture, or, as in your case, write a paper. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I get it. But how do I decide which sources to use for my paper? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: It depends on the meaning you want to make, which is why it\u2019s <i>so <\/i>important to figure out the purpose of your paper and who will read it. You might think about using sources as <i>walking, talking, cooking, and eating. <\/i>These aren\u2019t the only possible metaphors, but they do capture some important things about using sources. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Hey! I thought we were talking about writing! <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: We are, but these metaphors can shed some light on writing with sources. Let\u2019s start with the first one: <i>walking. <\/i>To use sources well, you first have to go where they are. What if you were writing an article on student clubs for the school newspaper? Where would you go for information? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: I\u2019d probably walk down to the Student Activities office and get some brochures about student clubs. Then I\u2019d attend a few club meetings and maybe interview the club leaders and some members about their club activities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: OK, so you\u2019d <strong><i>walk <\/i><\/strong>to where you could find relevant information for your article. That\u2019s what I mean by <i><strong>walking<\/strong>. <\/i>You have to get to the sources you need. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">Marvin: Wait a minute. For the article on student clubs, maybe I could save some walking. Maybe the list of clubs and the club descriptions are on the Student Activities web page. That\u2019d save me a trip. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 hanging-indent\"><span class=\"s1\">O-Prof: Yes, the Internet has cut down on the amount of physical walking you need to do to find sources. Before the Internet, you had to either travel to a source\u2019s physical location, or bring that source to your location. Think about your project on bottled water. To get information about the quality of a city\u2019s tap water in the 1950s, you would have had to figure out who\u2019d have that information, then call or write to request a copy or <strong><i>walk <\/i><\/strong>to wherever the information was stored. Today, if you type \u201clocal water quality\u201d into Google, the Environmental Protection Agency page comes up as one of the first hits. Its home page links to water quality reports for local areas. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Marvin pauses for a second before responding, thinking he\u2019s found a good short cut for his paper.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em>To be continued. . .<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1225\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Revision and Adaptation. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>The Research Process graphic. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Kim Louie for Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Modification, adaptation, and original content. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Walk, Talk, Cook, Eat: A Guide to Using Sources. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Cynthia R. Haller. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.saylor.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/writing-spaces-readings-on-writing-vol-2.pdf\">http:\/\/www.saylor.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/writing-spaces-readings-on-writing-vol-2.pdf<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing Vol. 2. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Organizing Your Research Plan, modified. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Boundless. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boundless.com\/writing\/textbooks\/boundless-writing-textbook\/the-research-process-2\/organizing-your-research-plan-262\/organizing-your-research-plan-51-1304\/\">https:\/\/www.boundless.com\/writing\/textbooks\/boundless-writing-textbook\/the-research-process-2\/organizing-your-research-plan-262\/organizing-your-research-plan-51-1304\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Boundless Writing. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Research steps. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Jean and Alexander Heard Library. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu\/c.php?g=293170&#038;p=1952201\">http:\/\/researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu\/c.php?g=293170&#038;p=1952201<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Thesis statement information, Pot of Gold, Information Literacy Tutorial. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Notre Dame. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/library.nd.edu\/instruction\/potofgold\/investigating\/?page=10\">http:\/\/library.nd.edu\/instruction\/potofgold\/investigating\/?page=10<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Steps 2-4 in the Research Process come from Chapter 1: Writing and Research in the Academic Sphere and Chapter 2: Research Proposals and Thesis Statements. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Denise Snee, Kristin Houlton, and Nancy Heckel. Edited by Kimberly Jacobs.. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/Research,%20Analysis,%20and%20Writing\">http:\/\/Research,%20Analysis,%20and%20Writing<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Research question example. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Duke University Libraries. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/guides.library.duke.edu\/c.php?g=289688&#038;p=1930772\">http:\/\/guides.library.duke.edu\/c.php?g=289688&#038;p=1930772<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":29,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Walk, Talk, Cook, Eat: A Guide to Using Sources\",\"author\":\"Cynthia R. 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