{"id":25,"date":"2015-05-27T17:46:35","date_gmt":"2015-05-27T17:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=25"},"modified":"2016-05-31T18:08:08","modified_gmt":"2016-05-31T18:08:08","slug":"research-and-other-types-of-source-based-writing","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/chapter\/research-and-other-types-of-source-based-writing\/","title":{"raw":"Research and Other Types of Source-based Writing","rendered":"Research and Other Types of Source-based Writing"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>CAUTION:<\/strong> <\/span>\u00a0The fact that we don\u2019t have quite enough different words to express all possible variations of information-gathering tasks has created an area of potential confusion for students writing research papers for English classes.\u00a0 The following paragraph is designed to clear that up, so please read it carefully.<\/div>\r\nSome high school and first-year college writing courses use the term \u201cresearch paper\u201d or <img class=\"alignright wp-image-211 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/593\/2015\/05\/21174405\/internet-cafe-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a man using a computer in an internet cafe\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\u201cresearch writing\u201d to apply to any situation in which students use information from an outside source in writing a paper. The logic behind this is that if the writer has to go find information from a source, that action of going and finding information is similar to research, so it is convenient to call that kind of writing task a \u201cresearch paper.\u201d However, it is\u00a0only true research if it starts from a QUESTION to which the writer genuinely doesn\u2019t know the answer and if the writer then develops or builds the answer to the question through gathering and processing information.\r\n\r\nTo help keep that difference in mind, this module will use \"<strong>research<\/strong>\" to refer to the goal-directed process of gathering information and building the answer to a research question, and \"<strong>source-based writing<\/strong>\" to refer to the many other types of information gathering and source-based writing one might do.\r\n\r\nOne important indicator of the difference between research and other source-based writing tasks is when in the process you develop the thesis (main point) of your paper.\u00a0 In a research <img class=\"alignleft wp-image-212 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/593\/2015\/05\/21174406\/question-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Black and white photo of a young man sitting in front of a City Information booth, so that the question mark sign is positioned directly over his head like a thought balloon.\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/>project, you begin with a question, gather the data from which you will derive or build the answer to the question, build the answer, and then state your answer in a single sentence.\u00a0 This one-sentence statement of your answer to your research question then becomes your thesis statement and serves as the main point of your paper.\u00a0 In the research writing process, therefore, stating your thesis happens at the pivot point between research and writing (so roughly half or two thirds of the way through the project, depending on the amount of time spent gathering and processing information).\r\n\r\nAny assignment for which you begin by developing your thesis and then go out and gather information to support it is indeed be a source-based writing assignment, but it is not technically research because it begins from the answer instead of the question.\r\n\r\nBeing aware of this distinction is essential to your successful completion of both research projects and other source-based writing tasks.\u00a0 The work processes that lead to efficiency and success with research projects are very different from the work processes you may have used successfully for other types of source-based papers.\u00a0 Both offer valuable learning experiences, but it is important to understand which type of assignment you are being asked to do so that you can adjust your expectations accordingly.\r\n\r\nThink of the most recent writing project you have done that required sources.\u00a0 Based on this definition, was it a research project or a source-based writing project?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>CAUTION:<\/strong> <\/span>\u00a0The fact that we don\u2019t have quite enough different words to express all possible variations of information-gathering tasks has created an area of potential confusion for students writing research papers for English classes.\u00a0 The following paragraph is designed to clear that up, so please read it carefully.<\/div>\n<p>Some high school and first-year college writing courses use the term \u201cresearch paper\u201d or <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-211 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/593\/2015\/05\/21174405\/internet-cafe-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a man using a computer in an internet cafe\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\u201cresearch writing\u201d to apply to any situation in which students use information from an outside source in writing a paper. The logic behind this is that if the writer has to go find information from a source, that action of going and finding information is similar to research, so it is convenient to call that kind of writing task a \u201cresearch paper.\u201d However, it is\u00a0only true research if it starts from a QUESTION to which the writer genuinely doesn\u2019t know the answer and if the writer then develops or builds the answer to the question through gathering and processing information.<\/p>\n<p>To help keep that difference in mind, this module will use &#8220;<strong>research<\/strong>&#8221; to refer to the goal-directed process of gathering information and building the answer to a research question, and &#8220;<strong>source-based writing<\/strong>&#8221; to refer to the many other types of information gathering and source-based writing one might do.<\/p>\n<p>One important indicator of the difference between research and other source-based writing tasks is when in the process you develop the thesis (main point) of your paper.\u00a0 In a research <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-212 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/593\/2015\/05\/21174406\/question-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Black and white photo of a young man sitting in front of a City Information booth, so that the question mark sign is positioned directly over his head like a thought balloon.\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/>project, you begin with a question, gather the data from which you will derive or build the answer to the question, build the answer, and then state your answer in a single sentence.\u00a0 This one-sentence statement of your answer to your research question then becomes your thesis statement and serves as the main point of your paper.\u00a0 In the research writing process, therefore, stating your thesis happens at the pivot point between research and writing (so roughly half or two thirds of the way through the project, depending on the amount of time spent gathering and processing information).<\/p>\n<p>Any assignment for which you begin by developing your thesis and then go out and gather information to support it is indeed be a source-based writing assignment, but it is not technically research because it begins from the answer instead of the question.<\/p>\n<p>Being aware of this distinction is essential to your successful completion of both research projects and other source-based writing tasks.\u00a0 The work processes that lead to efficiency and success with research projects are very different from the work processes you may have used successfully for other types of source-based papers.\u00a0 Both offer valuable learning experiences, but it is important to understand which type of assignment you are being asked to do so that you can adjust your expectations accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>Think of the most recent writing project you have done that required sources.\u00a0 Based on this definition, was it a research project or a source-based writing project?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\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-25\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Composition II. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Janet Zepernick. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Pittsburg State University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pittstate.edu\/\">http:\/\/www.pittstate.edu\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of man using computer. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: World Bank Photo Collection. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/cvL28d\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/cvL28d<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives <\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of man with question mark. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Seth Capitulo. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/fnN1SJ\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/fnN1SJ<\/a>. <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>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":277,"menu_order":4,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Composition II\",\"author\":\"Janet Zepernick\",\"organization\":\"Pittsburg State University\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.pittstate.edu\/\",\"project\":\"Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of man using computer\",\"author\":\"World Bank Photo Collection\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/cvL28d\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-nd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of man with question mark\",\"author\":\"Seth Capitulo\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/fnN1SJ\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-25","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":189,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/25","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/277"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/25\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":534,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/25\/revisions\/534"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/189"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/25\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=25"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=25"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishcomp2kscopexmaster\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=25"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}