- \r\n \t
- General topic:<\/strong> special needs in a classroom<\/li>\r\n \t
- Limited topic:<\/strong> autistic students in a classroom setting<\/li>\r\n \t
- Specific focus:<\/strong> how technology can enhance learning for autistic students<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- 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
- 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
- \r\n \t
- 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
- 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
- Next, \u201canswer\u201d the main research question to create a 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
- \r\n \t
- Narrows the subject to the single point that readers should understand<\/li>\r\n \t
- Names the topic and makes a significant assertion about that topic<\/li>\r\n \t
- Conveys the purpose<\/li>\r\n \t
- Provides a preview of how the essay will be arranged (usually).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- Determine what kind of sources are best<\/strong> for your argument.\r\n
- \r\n \t
- 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
- 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
- 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
\r\nPractice: Research Questions and Working Thesis Statements<\/h3>\r\n1. Which of the following is the\u00a0better research question?\r\n
- \r\n \t
- How does trash pollute the environment?<\/li>\r\n \t
- What is the environmental impact of plastic water bottles?<\/li>\r\n \t
- What is the impact of bottled water on the environment?<\/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 good<\/strong> or bad:<\/strong>\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Man has had a major impact on the environment.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Marijuana use in Mishawaka, Indiana has been a problem for law enforcement since the 1970s.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Miley Cyrus is a horrible singer.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Profilers have played a necessary role in catching serial killers.<\/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 profiling,\u00a0that do not deal with the apprehension of serial killers, and\u00a0that deal only with the injustices of \"racial profiling.\"\u00a0A good working thesis statement saves you time and keeps you focused.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
![\"Gears](\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1213\/2016\/11\/16204405\/Research-process-8-gear-final.png\")
<\/p>\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.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Decide on the topic<\/strong>, or carefully consider the topic that has been assigned.<\/li>\n
- 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
- \n
- General topic:<\/strong> special needs in a classroom<\/li>\n
- Limited topic:<\/strong> autistic students in a classroom setting<\/li>\n
- Specific focus:<\/strong> how technology can enhance learning for autistic students<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- 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>\n
- 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
- \n
- Main question:<\/strong> Does the media stereotype women in such a way that women do not believe they can be leaders?<\/li>\n
- 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
- Next, \u201canswer\u201d the main research question to create a 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
- \n
- Narrows the subject to the single point that readers should understand<\/li>\n
- Names the topic and makes a significant assertion about that topic<\/li>\n
- Conveys the purpose<\/li>\n
- Provides a preview of how the essay will be arranged (usually).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
- Determine what kind of sources are best<\/strong> for your argument.\n
- \n
- 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
- 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>\n
- Write and edit your paper!<\/strong>\u00a0Lastly, you’ll incorporate the research into your own writing and properly cite your sources.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\nPractice: Research Questions and Working Thesis Statements<\/h3>\n
1. Which of the following is the\u00a0better research question?<\/p>\n
- \n
- How does trash pollute the environment?<\/li>\n
- What is the environmental impact of plastic water bottles?<\/li>\n
- What is the impact of bottled water on the environment?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nShow Answer<\/span><\/p>\nb. 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.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
2. Decide whether or not the following working thesis statements are good<\/strong> or bad:<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Man has had a major impact on the environment.<\/li>\n
- Marijuana use in Mishawaka, Indiana has been a problem for law enforcement since the 1970s.<\/li>\n
- Miley Cyrus is a horrible singer.<\/li>\n
- Profilers have played a necessary role in catching serial killers.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nShow Answer<\/span><\/p>\n\n
a. 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?<\/p>\n
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 “stretch” across a 10 page research paper? Not likely.<\/p>\n
c. 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.<\/p>\n
d. Good.\u00a0Using this statement for a paper allows you to skip over the sources\u00a0that do not deal with profiling,\u00a0that do not deal with the apprehension of serial killers, and\u00a0that deal only with the injustices of “racial profiling.”\u00a0A good working thesis statement saves you time and keeps you focused.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCC licensed content, Original<\/div>- Revision and Adaptation. Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. License<\/strong>: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li>
- The Research Process graphic. Authored by<\/strong>: Kim Louie for Lumen Learning. License<\/strong>: CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul>
CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div>- Organizing Your Research Plan, modified. Provided by<\/strong>: Boundless. Located at<\/strong>: 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>. Project<\/strong>: Boundless Writing. License<\/strong>: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li>
- Research steps. Provided by<\/strong>: Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Located at<\/strong>: http:\/\/researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu\/c.php?g=293170&p=1952201<\/a>. License<\/strong>: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li>
- Thesis statement information, Pot of Gold, Information Literacy Tutorial. Provided by<\/strong>: Notre Dame. Located at<\/strong>: http:\/\/library.nd.edu\/instruction\/potofgold\/investigating\/?page=10<\/a>. License<\/strong>: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/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. Authored by<\/strong>: Denise Snee, Kristin Houlton, and Nancy Heckel. Edited by Kimberly Jacobs.. Project<\/strong>: Research, Analysis, and Writing. License<\/strong>: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li>
- Research question example. Provided by<\/strong>: Duke University Libraries. Located at<\/strong>: http:\/\/guides.library.duke.edu\/c.php?g=289688&p=1930772<\/a>. License<\/strong>: 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":19,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Organizing Your Research Plan, modified\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Boundless\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.com\/writing\/textbooks\/boundless-writing-textbook\/the-research-process-2\/organizing-your-research-plan-262\/organizing-your-research-plan-51-1304\/\",\"project\":\"Boundless Writing\",\"license\":\"cc-by-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Research steps\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Jean and Alexander Heard Library\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu\/c.php?g=293170&p=1952201\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Thesis statement information, Pot of Gold, Information Literacy Tutorial\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Notre Dame\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/library.nd.edu\/instruction\/potofgold\/investigating\/?page=10\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"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\",\"author\":\"Denise Snee, Kristin Houlton, and Nancy Heckel. Edited by Kimberly Jacobs.\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"Research, Analysis, and Writing\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Research question example\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Duke University Libraries\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/guides.library.duke.edu\/c.php?g=289688&p=1930772\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Revision and Adaptation\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"The Research Process graphic\",\"author\":\"Kim Louie for Lumen Learning\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"\",\"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-1921","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":2029,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2304,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1921\/revisions\/2304"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/2029"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1921\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1921"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1921"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-englishcomp-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Research steps. Provided by<\/strong>: Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Located at<\/strong>: http:\/\/researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu\/c.php?g=293170&p=1952201<\/a>. License<\/strong>: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li>
- The Research Process graphic. Authored by<\/strong>: Kim Louie for Lumen Learning. License<\/strong>: CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul>
- Revision and Adaptation. Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. License<\/strong>: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li>
- Write and edit your paper!<\/strong>\u00a0Lastly, you’ll incorporate the research into your own writing and properly cite your sources.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- 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
- Limited topic:<\/strong> autistic students in a classroom setting<\/li>\n
- 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
- Decide on the topic<\/strong>, or carefully consider the topic that has been assigned.<\/li>\n
- 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
- 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
- Limited topic:<\/strong> autistic students in a classroom setting<\/li>\r\n \t