After the thesis statement is written, no matter what style of writing you are attempting, it is critical to support the statement. A thesis without evidence is worthless as a position statement. The thesis statement usually holds several reasons to support your stance on the issue. These reasons are the basis of all the supporting paragraph in the paper. At least that is how I structure my papers. Each reason placed in my thesis statements has their own specific paragraph to detail their supporting evidence. The book describes the different types of evidence needed.
1. Reflective Documents (blogs/academic essays)- expect focus on a specific subject.
2. Informative Documents (reports, essays and articles)- Expect help in understanding an issue.
3. Analytical Documents (newspaper articles)- Expect a straightforward and logical presentation of the information.
4. Evaluative Documents (movie/media reviews and progress reports)- Expect a reasonable judgment based an a set of pre-selected criteria.
5. Argumentative Documents (argumentative essays, opinion columns, and blogs)- Expect a set of reasons for accepting your argument.
After evidence is selected to fit the situations listed above the choice must be made on how to appeal to the specific type of reader that the paper will be aimed at. You can appeal to authority, to a set of values, or to a character. Logic is also a trait to be considered when writing.
A recommendation is made in the final paragraphs to question and analyze your work to make sure their are no faults in your judgement.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Chapter 11
The premise of this chapters opening statement is that a position statement has already been formed. A position statement is the initial response to your research question after the first phase of information gathering. The use of the position statement to sift through possible sources and steer the search in a more roused direction is clear. The purpose of the position statement now seems to involve the thesis statement. According the the book the position statement an be used to review the meaning that you are trying to convey through your thesis. Reviewing the position statement is recommend because it can hold the position that you held on your chosen issue when it was written. Your stance on the issue may have changed while reviewing sources so a glance at your notes is seen as a wise course. There is a call to take a look at how your purpose may have changed. An particularly influential source or piece of information may have changed your stance on the issue you choose. The reader still remains relevant, and the book asks you to keep their opinions in mind as you continue. Several pages follow which describe how to draft a thesis statement.
There is a need expressed to find the most relevant information/sources that are linked to your issue. After this done a free write to help draft a thesis can help to isolate important phrases and key words. After one sentence is written keep writing. Having more then one draft available can help, phrasing a sentence now way as apposed to another can help shape a paragraph.
There is a need expressed to find the most relevant information/sources that are linked to your issue. After this done a free write to help draft a thesis can help to isolate important phrases and key words. After one sentence is written keep writing. Having more then one draft available can help, phrasing a sentence now way as apposed to another can help shape a paragraph.
Chapter 10
Searching for Information with Field Research Methods.
An impressive title but one that could have been simplified, "How To Use Field Research Methods". At least it appears simpler to me. The way the method is explained is a little more complicated. It explains that published sources may not cover the range of information needed to write your paper. Also these sources are written form another persons perspective, that can alter the readers understanding of the information and it's source. An issue that is closed or finished, such as a event in history, may have set opinions in the academic community. The sources may come from only one viewpoint which limits the way your paper can be written.
The book recommends using surveys and interview to help collect information. There is a paragraph to help decide whether or not to conduct an interview. Finding the right person to question can provide valuable information and viewpoints. Based on your research question and the kind of information needed the decision of who to interview can be influential. The right person could provide the shift in perspective needed to solidify your point. There are further points made on how to record the interview, whither with a recorder or by manual notes. There is even a suggestion to arrive early and review your question. A professional air and smooth delivery of question can help set the person interviewed at ease.
The section on surveys is quite extensive. It begins with a discussion of who to survey, a divers population is best. You can use either a random selection, choosing names out of a existing list. Carefully refining the questions is highly recommended as well as choosing how to distribute the survey. Some methods include:
1. A email
2. A website
3. A social networking site such as Facebook or Twitter
4. A paper survey
An impressive title but one that could have been simplified, "How To Use Field Research Methods". At least it appears simpler to me. The way the method is explained is a little more complicated. It explains that published sources may not cover the range of information needed to write your paper. Also these sources are written form another persons perspective, that can alter the readers understanding of the information and it's source. An issue that is closed or finished, such as a event in history, may have set opinions in the academic community. The sources may come from only one viewpoint which limits the way your paper can be written.
The book recommends using surveys and interview to help collect information. There is a paragraph to help decide whether or not to conduct an interview. Finding the right person to question can provide valuable information and viewpoints. Based on your research question and the kind of information needed the decision of who to interview can be influential. The right person could provide the shift in perspective needed to solidify your point. There are further points made on how to record the interview, whither with a recorder or by manual notes. There is even a suggestion to arrive early and review your question. A professional air and smooth delivery of question can help set the person interviewed at ease.
The section on surveys is quite extensive. It begins with a discussion of who to survey, a divers population is best. You can use either a random selection, choosing names out of a existing list. Carefully refining the questions is highly recommended as well as choosing how to distribute the survey. Some methods include:
1. A email
2. A website
3. A social networking site such as Facebook or Twitter
4. A paper survey
Chapter 7
The entire chapter focuses on plagiarism and how to avoid it. It compares the distinction between intentional and unintentional plagiarism. It is described as intellectual dishonesty, apparently in the mind of the author, there is a clear distinction. The whole idea of plagiarism comes from the idea of "property" and "copyright", the belief that an idea can belong to someone just as much as a physical object. Some methods of unintentional plagiarism include:
1. Neglecting to surround a quotation with quotation marks
2. Not distinguishing between your own idea and idea taken from another source.
3. Forgetting to list the source of a quotation from a text, or even a piece of evidence rephrased.
Intentional plagiarism has heavier consequences and is, at least according to the book, less common. The book includes some of the methods used. I presume that they are included to help us avoid them, rather then the other way around.
1. "Patchwork Writing", stitching together two or more passages with out acknowledging sources
2. Fake citations to mislead the reader about the true source of the information
3. Copying an entire document and introducing as your own work (By far the stupidest method in my opinion)
4. Purchasing the document and claiming it as your own. (It seems like this falls under #3 but I'm just a lowly english student)
1. Neglecting to surround a quotation with quotation marks
2. Not distinguishing between your own idea and idea taken from another source.
3. Forgetting to list the source of a quotation from a text, or even a piece of evidence rephrased.
Intentional plagiarism has heavier consequences and is, at least according to the book, less common. The book includes some of the methods used. I presume that they are included to help us avoid them, rather then the other way around.
1. "Patchwork Writing", stitching together two or more passages with out acknowledging sources
2. Fake citations to mislead the reader about the true source of the information
3. Copying an entire document and introducing as your own work (By far the stupidest method in my opinion)
4. Purchasing the document and claiming it as your own. (It seems like this falls under #3 but I'm just a lowly english student)
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Research Question
What is honesty? To many the word has a simple meaning, tell
the truth. As a narrow definition it serves well, when children ask what it
means this is the answer given. Telling the truth is well and good, a lifestyle
choice well worth pursuing but the definition is far more complex. This project
is my attempt to pin down what honesty means to people of all walks of life. I particularly
want to emphasis it’s effects on relationships, both with your family/friends
and in the business world. Honesty is not truth or even the antithesis
to lies and dishonesty. Honesty is a trait searched for in every one we meet.
It is admired, sought after and according to many it was dropped off a cliff at
the dawn of time. Well perhaps I exaggerated, it may have been walking along a cliff
side of its own volition and fell off while admiring the view. I rather doubt
that explanation. It is linked to integrity, and honor. There are many cultures
around the world where a man’s word is as good as gold. A man who lied lost his reputation, a fact that remains true today. A lie can fracture a business contract, break hearts and end friendships. While my project will seek to define honesty I hope also to help the reader fully understand its merits, and faults.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Chapter 6
After the exhaustive effort put forth in Chapter 3 that was intended to narrow our research question we now have to deal with the aftermath. The aftermath in this case is one that is dreaded by all, note taking. Now this may seem like a easily conquered foe but you are wrong. Your imminent defeat is unavoidable. This is due to the massive amounts of information you have to sift through and that requires notes. The book has 9 1/2 pages to deal with this portion of your writing project so I will list them here:
1. Written notes- handwritten in a notebook or in margins of printed work
2.Copying and pasting important information from websites and databases.
3. Downloading digital sources onto your computer, phone or external drive.
4. Emailing links and excerpts from digital sources so you can save them later on your own computer.
5. Use your phone to take notes, turn on a voice recorder app to take verbal notes as you read as well as To-Do lists to manage progress on a your search.
6. bedfordresearcher.com can be used to save bibliographic information, aka document the source of the information including name of source, date accessed and when published.
7. BACK-UP YOUR FILES!
The book certainly did not capitalize the sentence but to me the importance of saving your work cannot be emphasized enough. Unfortunately this means I can never used the "My computer crashed" excuse as a reason for my missing homework. Do you think I could pull of "My dog ate my homework"? It has actually worked for me before, then again that was a substitute.
1. Written notes- handwritten in a notebook or in margins of printed work
2.Copying and pasting important information from websites and databases.
3. Downloading digital sources onto your computer, phone or external drive.
4. Emailing links and excerpts from digital sources so you can save them later on your own computer.
5. Use your phone to take notes, turn on a voice recorder app to take verbal notes as you read as well as To-Do lists to manage progress on a your search.
6. bedfordresearcher.com can be used to save bibliographic information, aka document the source of the information including name of source, date accessed and when published.
7. BACK-UP YOUR FILES!
The book certainly did not capitalize the sentence but to me the importance of saving your work cannot be emphasized enough. Unfortunately this means I can never used the "My computer crashed" excuse as a reason for my missing homework. Do you think I could pull of "My dog ate my homework"? It has actually worked for me before, then again that was a substitute.
Chapter 3
The focus of this chapter is on developing your research question and adapting it to the writing situation. Writing an essay for instance would require a different focus then writing an article for a newspaper or magazine. There is a brief mention of the effect that a quick sweep of sources and conversations with other s can have on your research question. The textbook then asks us three questions:
1. Has what you have learned changed your understanding of your writing situation?
2. What do you want to learn next?
3. How strongly has your initial understanding of your exploration of your topic?
With the choice of your issue out of the way now the focus needs to be on choosing a research question specific to that issue. Come up with several questions and then take them for a test drive. Write an introductory paragraph with each one and see how well it adapts itself to answering your question. Once you have chosen the question that works the best narrow it just a little more. Thebook gives this example:
"What is behind the increase popularity in women's sports?"
That question is distilled into the following,
"What has led to the increased popularity of women's sports in colleges and universities?"
By restricting the field of inquiry to women's sports at the collegiate athletic level the resulting paper will be less broad.
1. Has what you have learned changed your understanding of your writing situation?
2. What do you want to learn next?
3. How strongly has your initial understanding of your exploration of your topic?
With the choice of your issue out of the way now the focus needs to be on choosing a research question specific to that issue. Come up with several questions and then take them for a test drive. Write an introductory paragraph with each one and see how well it adapts itself to answering your question. Once you have chosen the question that works the best narrow it just a little more. Thebook gives this example:
"What is behind the increase popularity in women's sports?"
That question is distilled into the following,
"What has led to the increased popularity of women's sports in colleges and universities?"
By restricting the field of inquiry to women's sports at the collegiate athletic level the resulting paper will be less broad.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Chapter 4
Chapter four spends the first paragraph detailing the distinction between critical reading and evaluating the reading. Critical reading is the process of questioning the source and thinking about it's meaning. The process is meant to focus attention on the how reliably a source presents information. The next section deals with the use of a research question to focus attention on your chosen issue and narrow the search field. When the search field is narrowed it allows you to focus on the information most helpful in answering your question. The position you take on your chosen research question, which side you take on the issue, is a partial answer. Having a stance on the issue you are discussing makes it easier to decide which information is relevant.
The book recommends a free write on your issue to have a statement that describes your position. While it is too broad to use as a thesis, not to mention, to long, but it helps to find sources. The reader is advised to "read with an attitude" or to approach each source with your writing situation at the forefront. Every source will be looked at differently as you make more process into your paper. The book also stresses the importance of keeping the interests and beliefs of your readers in mind. The right phrasing on an issue can change the readers mind on the issue just the wrong words could cement their previous opinion.
You are advised in the closing pages how to analyze sources. You are told to take notes and to identify each source as primary or secondary. A primary source would have more value as evidence because it has not been filtered while a secondary source could carry less bias.
The book recommends a free write on your issue to have a statement that describes your position. While it is too broad to use as a thesis, not to mention, to long, but it helps to find sources. The reader is advised to "read with an attitude" or to approach each source with your writing situation at the forefront. Every source will be looked at differently as you make more process into your paper. The book also stresses the importance of keeping the interests and beliefs of your readers in mind. The right phrasing on an issue can change the readers mind on the issue just the wrong words could cement their previous opinion.
You are advised in the closing pages how to analyze sources. You are told to take notes and to identify each source as primary or secondary. A primary source would have more value as evidence because it has not been filtered while a secondary source could carry less bias.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Chapter 2
This chapter describes the next step in the process of writing a research paper, exploring and then focusing your topic. The book describes it as attending a public meeting about a new development and listening to the differing opinions. By listening to all the different, "conversations" about your chosen topic you can form a clearer picture of the different opinions. Creating a plan to research your chosen topic includes a list of people to talk to esp. people who have a previous understanding of the topic. Also suggested is listing places to observe where you can learn about your topic. For example if your topic was politics you could spend some time at a city council meeting. Even making a list of resources to review before beginning your information search can be helpful to save time.
Do not be afraid to go to others to discuss your ideas and ask for their opinions. Any opinion can be helpful, even one that is drastically different then your own.
Do not be afraid to go to others to discuss your ideas and ask for their opinions. Any opinion can be helpful, even one that is drastically different then your own.
Chapter 1
The main message of this chapter seems to be on motivation and understanding the format that your are writing in. One issue that is stressed is the focus on confidence and "a personal investment" in the writing project. This resonated with me because that is something I have always followed. Whenever I write, whither it is for school or something personal, it always helps me to write about something I enjoy or am passionate about. Otherwise, I am NOT going to write. I will procrastinate until the last possible moment. Later one in the chapter, under "Take Ownership of Your Project", the author explains that even if you are not invested in the topic of your project you can make it more compelling by looking for links in between your interests and your writing projects. There are a couple paragraphs on sources. They go into intense detail to describe the importance of documenting sources and keeping track of which sources you use. A research log is recommended to record sources. This can come in the form of a notebook, a voice or tape recorder, or simply notes taken on your phone or computer.
Website Tutorial
1. The domain name of the website is http://www.youtube.com. I picked a random site so stick with me and I'll try to improve. The ".com" designates YouTube as a business which qualifies as you can display, purchase, and sell content on the site including advertisements.
2. The sites purpose is to serve as a forum for video sharing, the site's publisher is the YouTube Corp. and it's relevance is very real. Uncountable numbers of individuals visit the site each day.
3. The publisher of the site is not an individual as any user with an account can access the site to upload and edit content. Because of this fact the amount of data collected on YouTube's "publishers" is a global effort. YouTube has millions of new subscribers each day.
4. When I think about a timeline for this site I am tempted to quote Doctor Who. Well, what the heck.
"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually — from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint — it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly... timey-wimey... stuff."
- Doctor Who, "Blink"
Youtube's content is forever changing as is clear by the website's diversity. The last modified date, or the "big ball of wibbly-wobbley...timey-wimey stuff", would look a bit like the United States debt counter. Yes we actually have one, the numbers change so fast it gives me a headache. Sadly the numbers are not going down.
5. The effect the site could have on my paper is enormous. The shear number of documentaries, first person accounts, and news reports available would provide more then enough evidence for any topic.
6. The website YouTube was created in 2005, is available in 61 languages and is copyrighted (C) 2014
2. The sites purpose is to serve as a forum for video sharing, the site's publisher is the YouTube Corp. and it's relevance is very real. Uncountable numbers of individuals visit the site each day.
3. The publisher of the site is not an individual as any user with an account can access the site to upload and edit content. Because of this fact the amount of data collected on YouTube's "publishers" is a global effort. YouTube has millions of new subscribers each day.
4. When I think about a timeline for this site I am tempted to quote Doctor Who. Well, what the heck.
"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually — from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint — it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly... timey-wimey... stuff."
- Doctor Who, "Blink"
Youtube's content is forever changing as is clear by the website's diversity. The last modified date, or the "big ball of wibbly-wobbley...timey-wimey stuff", would look a bit like the United States debt counter. Yes we actually have one, the numbers change so fast it gives me a headache. Sadly the numbers are not going down.
5. The effect the site could have on my paper is enormous. The shear number of documentaries, first person accounts, and news reports available would provide more then enough evidence for any topic.
6. The website YouTube was created in 2005, is available in 61 languages and is copyrighted (C) 2014
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