Chapter 3 of the Bedford Researcher is titled "Developing Your Research Question and Proposal". These are important steps because it directs your efforts in creating a plan, searching for sources, and collecting information. It is the foundation for developing your position or main point of the issue you choose.
Developing your research question requires many aspects to consider. You will need to focus on your specific issue by asking different variations of your question trying to narrow down your focus while keeping track of the different variables that are required to write your paper. An analysis of your topic and it's requirements should show your understanding of your writing situation. While doing research and honing your research question, you may find that the insights you have gained from the information you have gathered will affect the stand you choose to take. It is not uncommon to have to make adjustments as you go about refining your final question. You will narrow the scope of your research as more information is collected and your understanding and views are challenged.
Creating a research proposal, or formal presentation of your planned research, can be a useful tool in gathering your thoughts and ideas to help guide you in organizing your information and explaining how included information is relevant to your finished project. The sources you choose is important as well as the information you choose to include in your research project. Used as an outline, a research proposal can be a useful tool in writing a well thought out, concise paper.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
The Bedford Researcher Chapter 5 Summary
This chapter entitled "Evaluating Resources" guides the student in the factors that should be used in to check for relevance, evidence, the author, the publisher, timeliness (the publishing date), comprehensiveness, and genre of the information collected for use in researching a topic. It gives information to help determine if the sources will help accomplish your goals. It lists guidelines for evaluating sources so you can choose the most meaningful material that will help your paper by supporting your arguments.
All types of sources should be evaluated using criteria that has been discussed in previous sections of the book. The second section of the chapter talks about evaluating relevance and credibility of digital sources and the relevance and accuracy of field sources. Incorporating information that is relevant is very important. There are numerous data bases online where you will encounter interesting information that will not necessarily help to prove your case. While it would be tempting to add these tidbits of information, you need to take into consideration if the information will help strengthen your writing or confuse your readers by filling valuable space with unnecessary irrelevant issues. Some sources are more reliable than others and you will have to discern which sources can be trusted.
All types of sources should be evaluated using criteria that has been discussed in previous sections of the book. The second section of the chapter talks about evaluating relevance and credibility of digital sources and the relevance and accuracy of field sources. Incorporating information that is relevant is very important. There are numerous data bases online where you will encounter interesting information that will not necessarily help to prove your case. While it would be tempting to add these tidbits of information, you need to take into consideration if the information will help strengthen your writing or confuse your readers by filling valuable space with unnecessary irrelevant issues. Some sources are more reliable than others and you will have to discern which sources can be trusted.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Evaluate a Website on My Topic.
I chose the subject of Manic Depression for the subject of my final paper. In this in class lab, I have to answer questions to complete a tutorial on page 90 from The Bedford Researcher using my website as my topic.
The website I have chosen after doing a google search using the key words "manic depression" was http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/bipolar-disorder-manic-depression.
1. In
checking the domain and seeing that it is a .com, its purpose is business.
2. Checking
the Title Bar, the site’s purpose is to educate. The publisher has
relevance.
3. WebMD
is a legitimate source that covers many topics within the medical world.
4. The
article was reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on February 01, 2012.
5. The
article was mainly text without illustrations relating to the subject matter.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
The Bedford Researcher Chapter 4 Summary
This section covers the topic of reading critically. It includes many valuable tactics on getting started on a research paper. Starting with a research question, work with sources for collecting information, come up with a thesis statement to enhance the paper, and document your sources. Critical reading helps with formulating judgments as to what information being researched is relevant to your stance on the position of the issues regarding the topic that you have chosen. It helps to shift your focus and begin to develop a strong position statement. While critical reading, you will attempt to determine what sources are reliable. These techniques will help to provide a convincing argument and help effectively present your information. Any supporting evidence provided will help illustrate your points.
Effectively organizing and formatting your document towards your audience while considering the requirements and limitations involved will be your guide as you form opinions. Challenge what you read to form your own conclusions. Interact with your sources while actively reading. This practice will help while you take notes on the information presented that you will use to support your understanding and stance on your topic. Your sources are important. You will need to make an accurate analysis of the information you are researching. Choose credible sources.
As you read, analyze and interpret the evidence. First skim the material to access the usefulness and relevance of the content. Then take a second pass to identify promising sections. Lastly, if the source is found to be valuable, reread important passages to gain a better understanding of the material. This will enable you to refine and support your argument.
Effectively organizing and formatting your document towards your audience while considering the requirements and limitations involved will be your guide as you form opinions. Challenge what you read to form your own conclusions. Interact with your sources while actively reading. This practice will help while you take notes on the information presented that you will use to support your understanding and stance on your topic. Your sources are important. You will need to make an accurate analysis of the information you are researching. Choose credible sources.
As you read, analyze and interpret the evidence. First skim the material to access the usefulness and relevance of the content. Then take a second pass to identify promising sections. Lastly, if the source is found to be valuable, reread important passages to gain a better understanding of the material. This will enable you to refine and support your argument.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
The Bedford Researcher Chapter 2 Summary
Chapter 2 of the Bedford Researcher concentrates on exploring and focusing on the topic of choice of a research paper by gaining a general understanding of the issues within a topic. Setting the groundwork guides your efforts towards gaining a comprehensive understanding of the task for your research.
The first section begins by exploring the topic chosen to create a plan. It entails discussing the topic with others to conduct observations. It also encompasses finding and reviewing possible sources for material in numerous places such as the library in books, articles in scholarly journals, articles in trade and other professional journals, articles in magazines and newspapers, theses and dissertations, microfilm and microfiche and other sources including maps, videotapes, audiotapes, CD-ROMs and DVDs. This section discusses the pros and cons of each source and where to find them. It also gives some direction on how to effectively use these materials.
Later, the chapter gives advice on how to focus on a specific issue and gives examples on how you can organize your resources to gather the information you have compiled in an effective matter. The process will help to access the importance and relevance of the issues to help identify personal connections between the sources and your own interests. Choosing an issue with the strongest points that interest you helps keep you focus as you write your paper.
The first section begins by exploring the topic chosen to create a plan. It entails discussing the topic with others to conduct observations. It also encompasses finding and reviewing possible sources for material in numerous places such as the library in books, articles in scholarly journals, articles in trade and other professional journals, articles in magazines and newspapers, theses and dissertations, microfilm and microfiche and other sources including maps, videotapes, audiotapes, CD-ROMs and DVDs. This section discusses the pros and cons of each source and where to find them. It also gives some direction on how to effectively use these materials.
Later, the chapter gives advice on how to focus on a specific issue and gives examples on how you can organize your resources to gather the information you have compiled in an effective matter. The process will help to access the importance and relevance of the issues to help identify personal connections between the sources and your own interests. Choosing an issue with the strongest points that interest you helps keep you focus as you write your paper.
The Bedford Researcher Chapter 1 Summary
Chapter 1 of the Bedford Researcher is a wonderful resource in trying to start the process of coming up with ideas for a research paper. It gives suggestions about coming up with the right topic using different processes.
The first chapter begins with a section entitled, "How can I research and write with confidence?" The chapter has a lot of good ideas in guiding the writer to finding a good topic in which he or she will have enough information and resources to write whatever style of paper that is required. There are many styles to consider when taking your subject and audience into consideration. It can be a challenge deciding how to use information after searching though different databases that fit the parameters required to produce the final paper. Collecting information and developing it in an organized matter is of upmost importance.
The second section of the chapter, "How can I choose an appropriate topic?" concentrates on analyzing the guidelines and audience of the paper. It suggests ways to generate ideas in choosing an appropriate topic. This is a critical area because the type of document you are writing and your audience has a major effect on what you choose to write and how you should go about it. The requirements of the paper need to be kept into consideration also. You want to make sure that what you produce is appropriate.
The first chapter begins with a section entitled, "How can I research and write with confidence?" The chapter has a lot of good ideas in guiding the writer to finding a good topic in which he or she will have enough information and resources to write whatever style of paper that is required. There are many styles to consider when taking your subject and audience into consideration. It can be a challenge deciding how to use information after searching though different databases that fit the parameters required to produce the final paper. Collecting information and developing it in an organized matter is of upmost importance.
The second section of the chapter, "How can I choose an appropriate topic?" concentrates on analyzing the guidelines and audience of the paper. It suggests ways to generate ideas in choosing an appropriate topic. This is a critical area because the type of document you are writing and your audience has a major effect on what you choose to write and how you should go about it. The requirements of the paper need to be kept into consideration also. You want to make sure that what you produce is appropriate.
Sample Research Paper
As we start our new quarter in English 102 we are preparing to write a formal MLA research paper. As an exercise during our first day of class, we read sample research paper "Reinstating Compulsory Conscription" written by Carol Rivers for her English 101 class with Dr. Chrzanowski on July 12, 2009 from the Jefferson State University of New York. After reading the paper, the class split up in groups of two or three people to discuss the contents of the paper. We compared it to the requirements of our formal paper that will be due at the end our quarter. We then discussed our findings as a class.
We agreed that the sample paper was 3000+ words in length which was sufficient to meet our requirements. We thought that the citations within the body of the paper were not as clear as we would have liked them to be. There were long sentences throughout the paper as if the author tried too hard to sound smart, which made it boring and hard to understand. Transition phrases where confusing to the organization of the paper. Signal phrases were employed somewhat. More signal phrases citing resources would have made the paper stronger. Although a large number of sources were employed, the majority of the class believed that some sources cited did not seem as credible as others. Some examples were years older than others or from sources that seemed weak in our opinion, such as one from the "National High School Debate Topic...".
The writer reiterated the same things over and over. There were many holes in the paper that did not seem to be filled. The paper was written looking at both sides of the debate. Though fact based, picking apart the topic made the paper seem biased. The paper seemed emotional. It failed to make a sound argument as a persuasive paper.
While it is not the best example as a paper, there is enough information included to receive a grade to pass the class.
We agreed that the sample paper was 3000+ words in length which was sufficient to meet our requirements. We thought that the citations within the body of the paper were not as clear as we would have liked them to be. There were long sentences throughout the paper as if the author tried too hard to sound smart, which made it boring and hard to understand. Transition phrases where confusing to the organization of the paper. Signal phrases were employed somewhat. More signal phrases citing resources would have made the paper stronger. Although a large number of sources were employed, the majority of the class believed that some sources cited did not seem as credible as others. Some examples were years older than others or from sources that seemed weak in our opinion, such as one from the "National High School Debate Topic...".
The writer reiterated the same things over and over. There were many holes in the paper that did not seem to be filled. The paper was written looking at both sides of the debate. Though fact based, picking apart the topic made the paper seem biased. The paper seemed emotional. It failed to make a sound argument as a persuasive paper.
While it is not the best example as a paper, there is enough information included to receive a grade to pass the class.
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