Hello again everyone I hope your finding your topic even more fruitful than you originally thought. By now you may have already done some research and Kudos to you! your ahead of the game. however whether you have or haven't started your research this next exercise should expand your horizons even further. Have you found it hard to narrow down your sources? after all "torture" is such a broad topic your bound to get millions of hits. I have found it incredibly helpful to make a list of keywords on your topic, starting broad and narrowing each word down to something more specific. In fact for tonight's exercise that's exactly the first step
Step 1- develop and try new keywords and combinations to narrow down your search results.
Take my rough inquiry question regarding skateboarding for example: How has the way society views skateboarding changed and why do some places pass laws to not allow it?
Start by pulling three keywords together: Skateboarding Laws Society- now break those down into synonyms or variations of the terms: Extreme sports Rules Community
Athletes/pros Regulations Stereotypes
Step 2: Sometimes different search engines will understand terms differently and therefore return different results. Try searching several engines at the same time using different variations of your search terms. Don't forget to save your results
Step 3: Time to do a little exploring. Noodletools can be an incredible tool and advantage to an online researcher! visit www.noodletools.com, there you will find a link titled " Choose the Best Search" follow that link and you will come to a page with a list of search engines both generic and specialized. Every handful or so of search engines are grouped into certain criteria's depending on what you might be searching for. Try as many as you can and as before don't forget to save all of your results.
I hope this has helped you narrow down your topic and find some new detailed information about it. Thanks for playing along and as always...
Explore on!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Proposal what!?
Most of us might be thinking "oh no anything but the proposal" but don't fret too much its actually easier than you may assume. In fact this is probably the smallest but most important part of the writing process. the way you craft your proposal can strongly influence the entirety of your paper and even its success. Lets do another short exercise that might help you get this started. Simple but effective outlines are always the way to go.
Start with your inquiry question. Whats that you ask? In its most basic form an inquiry question is simply any additional interests or discoveries you want to make and how that will help you awnser your research question. The topic I am choosing will be the history of skateboarding and how it has affected society today.
1. How has skateboarding grown to become a professional sport but still banned in some places?
Now we must understand our primary purpose. Why have you chosen this topic? What is your claims or thesis? Argue for your topic.
2. I have chosen this topic because I believe skateboarding has grown due to its largely community based nature. Skateboarding has been influential in how many businesses run and even in the creation of jobs through skate shops and parks. Society has become accustomed to seeing skateboards in the streets why is that?
Finally, to understand the topic completely we must understand any prior beliefs, assumptions or preconceptions we have about our topic. Start to develop that "working knowledge" of your topic.
3. Skateboarding Is a fun way to connect with people and pass the time
Skateboards do not harm property by any means and should be allowed anywhere
This is the basic outline of your research proposal. Now that you know exactly what you want to research and how go for it! No matter your topic the information out there is abounding.
Explore on!
Start with your inquiry question. Whats that you ask? In its most basic form an inquiry question is simply any additional interests or discoveries you want to make and how that will help you awnser your research question. The topic I am choosing will be the history of skateboarding and how it has affected society today.
1. How has skateboarding grown to become a professional sport but still banned in some places?
Now we must understand our primary purpose. Why have you chosen this topic? What is your claims or thesis? Argue for your topic.
2. I have chosen this topic because I believe skateboarding has grown due to its largely community based nature. Skateboarding has been influential in how many businesses run and even in the creation of jobs through skate shops and parks. Society has become accustomed to seeing skateboards in the streets why is that?
Finally, to understand the topic completely we must understand any prior beliefs, assumptions or preconceptions we have about our topic. Start to develop that "working knowledge" of your topic.
3. Skateboarding Is a fun way to connect with people and pass the time
Skateboards do not harm property by any means and should be allowed anywhere
This is the basic outline of your research proposal. Now that you know exactly what you want to research and how go for it! No matter your topic the information out there is abounding.
Explore on!
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Building an interest inventory
"I'm just not interested enough in anything to write a research paper about it" If I had a nickel for every time I heard that phrase I would be a very wealthy man. When you stop and think about it though finding a topic your interested in can be a task of epic proportions in facet its what turns most people away from learning something new. Whether it be writers block or just plain confusion I have developed a short exercise to get the juices flowing. All you'll need is a piece of paper, a pen, and your thinkers. ill go through the process and then you give a try. you might just learn something new. We start by putting the following words into columns . Now under each title brainstorm words or phrases that come to mind when you hear these words. Maybe its something you want to learn or something you already understand. Don't worry if the columns seem small. you can always return to them and add more. Some words or phrases may even overlap categories.
Places: Earth, Mexico, Japan, The Great Wall of China, Niagara Falls, Bahamas, Disney world, NASA space station
Trends Drinking coffee, Rap music, concerts, Goth, "planet awareness", recycling, animal protection, social media, smoking, Designer clothing, celebrity photographs
Things cars, watches, bracelets, money, hats, shoes, books, computers, School supplies, Food, skateboards, IPods
Technologies IPods, computers, televisions, radios, microwaves, lights, refrigerators, heaters, headphones, cell phones
People President Obama, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, George Washington, martin Luther king Jr, Charles Darwin, Stephen King, Constantine, Hayley Williams, Johnny Depp, Tim burton, Einstein
Controversies same sex marriages, Marijuana, fossil fuels, creation vs evolution, woman's rights, steroids, Justice system, Wars, economy, political parties, racism, religious freedom, Death penalty, Gun rights,
History Declaration of independence, Holocaust, World War 1, World War 2, Cold war, Vietnam War, Iraq War, Aztecs, Formation of language, Why were the ancient wonders built?, Who fired the first shot of the Civil War?
Jobs Doctor, Lawyer, teacher, minister, pastor, librarian, nurse, TV host, garbage man, post man
Habits chewing gum, whistling, drinking coffee, laughing loudly, hair twirling, habit vs superstition
Hobbies singing, playing guitar, skateboarding, writing, dancing, reading, acting in theatre
That was step one, and don't be discouraged the hard part is over, Now we come to the second part, Peruse your list again and ask yourself this question is there anything here that raises questions? something I wouldn't mind researching? Circle that word.
That's it for step 2! and now the final part. Start developing questions about what you chose, write as many as comes to mind. I chose Einstein and here is what I came up with.
Who was Einstein?
How and where did he live?
Did he have any family?
Why is he famous?
Are any of his ideas correct or proven true?
How did he die?
is it true that he was truthfully a genius?
How did religious views tie into his ideas
Does he have any books or written resources?
I hope this strategy has sparked something deep down inside, Remember, this list is always open. Add and take away from it as you lease. Over time it will grow and show you what you find truly fascinating. That is the start of a great research paper and a wonderful opportunity to learn something new.
Explore on!
Places: Earth, Mexico, Japan, The Great Wall of China, Niagara Falls, Bahamas, Disney world, NASA space station
Trends Drinking coffee, Rap music, concerts, Goth, "planet awareness", recycling, animal protection, social media, smoking, Designer clothing, celebrity photographs
Things cars, watches, bracelets, money, hats, shoes, books, computers, School supplies, Food, skateboards, IPods
Technologies IPods, computers, televisions, radios, microwaves, lights, refrigerators, heaters, headphones, cell phones
People President Obama, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, George Washington, martin Luther king Jr, Charles Darwin, Stephen King, Constantine, Hayley Williams, Johnny Depp, Tim burton, Einstein
Controversies same sex marriages, Marijuana, fossil fuels, creation vs evolution, woman's rights, steroids, Justice system, Wars, economy, political parties, racism, religious freedom, Death penalty, Gun rights,
History Declaration of independence, Holocaust, World War 1, World War 2, Cold war, Vietnam War, Iraq War, Aztecs, Formation of language, Why were the ancient wonders built?, Who fired the first shot of the Civil War?
Jobs Doctor, Lawyer, teacher, minister, pastor, librarian, nurse, TV host, garbage man, post man
Habits chewing gum, whistling, drinking coffee, laughing loudly, hair twirling, habit vs superstition
Hobbies singing, playing guitar, skateboarding, writing, dancing, reading, acting in theatre
That was step one, and don't be discouraged the hard part is over, Now we come to the second part, Peruse your list again and ask yourself this question is there anything here that raises questions? something I wouldn't mind researching? Circle that word.
That's it for step 2! and now the final part. Start developing questions about what you chose, write as many as comes to mind. I chose Einstein and here is what I came up with.
Who was Einstein?
How and where did he live?
Did he have any family?
Why is he famous?
Are any of his ideas correct or proven true?
How did he die?
is it true that he was truthfully a genius?
How did religious views tie into his ideas
Does he have any books or written resources?
I hope this strategy has sparked something deep down inside, Remember, this list is always open. Add and take away from it as you lease. Over time it will grow and show you what you find truly fascinating. That is the start of a great research paper and a wonderful opportunity to learn something new.
Explore on!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Rethinking the Research Paper
To understand our world! that statement packs quite the load believe me I know. 7 billion people, hundreds of political opinions, thousands of religions, and a countless number of fascinating facts and 'tid' bits of knowledge. With all that In mind how in Gods green earth can we possibly understand all of it!? My brain is seizing up just thinking about it. But wait! before you join me in the endless void of intellectual burnout I may have a solution to fix all our problems. Brace yourselves, for what I am about to propose has been called crazy, purely mental even! One word...Research.
In todays world I like to call a "well oiled machine of instant information uploads" we assume if it doesn't appear on the first page of Google or that "dude" down the street who you talk to during his daily dog walking's doesn't know that it must not exist. The incredible reality of it all is in this vast world we live in there is so much to learn and ponder. One hour a day exploring a topic that peaks your interest or even simply ten minutes in the morning to peruse your local paper may just blow your mind. Who knows what you'l be asking that trustworthy dog walker tomorrow. Now that your intellectual fire is stoked what do you do with all that stored up information ready to burst? Well, The answer is simple, let it burst!
A brilliant teacher of mine in my small town high school once told me "write for the sake of words and all for those who want to hear them". This statement hit me like a load of bricks and in my amazement engraved itself into my very soul. So, I did just that, I sat down with a mind full of goodies and I thought, thought how can I pull all this together and format it perfectly. Quickly I would find the information would slip away and the desire to write it would fade into the void. Now I realize, I was doing it wrong. In school most of us were taught to think before we pick up the pens but what if we tried letting the words lead us instead of leading the words? Let the thoughts write themselves. Fast-writing, as its commonly called and weirdly enough it works! Just write for the sake of the words. So all this sounds great on print right? but fear of the mere enormity of the task probably has you quivering? Asking how formal should this be? should it sound dry? should I have opinions in my essay? the answer to all of these is fear not! and let it be you! Unless your reading this as a Harvard grad in Law you don't have to sound like a Harvard grad. Most of us, by far the majority really, are just average Joes. College majors maybe or just everyday workers with bright ideas and the drive to learn. The fact of the matter is that's okay. Be yourself and let the words flow. They will show your readers all they need to know. If your opinionated give us your opinions on the truck load of information spilling out on paper. After all that's what great conversations start with isn't it? We all can be intellectuals and aspiring scholars. All it takes is the passion for understanding the world around us and the courage to face the fiery fear of the research paper.
Explore on!
In todays world I like to call a "well oiled machine of instant information uploads" we assume if it doesn't appear on the first page of Google or that "dude" down the street who you talk to during his daily dog walking's doesn't know that it must not exist. The incredible reality of it all is in this vast world we live in there is so much to learn and ponder. One hour a day exploring a topic that peaks your interest or even simply ten minutes in the morning to peruse your local paper may just blow your mind. Who knows what you'l be asking that trustworthy dog walker tomorrow. Now that your intellectual fire is stoked what do you do with all that stored up information ready to burst? Well, The answer is simple, let it burst!
A brilliant teacher of mine in my small town high school once told me "write for the sake of words and all for those who want to hear them". This statement hit me like a load of bricks and in my amazement engraved itself into my very soul. So, I did just that, I sat down with a mind full of goodies and I thought, thought how can I pull all this together and format it perfectly. Quickly I would find the information would slip away and the desire to write it would fade into the void. Now I realize, I was doing it wrong. In school most of us were taught to think before we pick up the pens but what if we tried letting the words lead us instead of leading the words? Let the thoughts write themselves. Fast-writing, as its commonly called and weirdly enough it works! Just write for the sake of the words. So all this sounds great on print right? but fear of the mere enormity of the task probably has you quivering? Asking how formal should this be? should it sound dry? should I have opinions in my essay? the answer to all of these is fear not! and let it be you! Unless your reading this as a Harvard grad in Law you don't have to sound like a Harvard grad. Most of us, by far the majority really, are just average Joes. College majors maybe or just everyday workers with bright ideas and the drive to learn. The fact of the matter is that's okay. Be yourself and let the words flow. They will show your readers all they need to know. If your opinionated give us your opinions on the truck load of information spilling out on paper. After all that's what great conversations start with isn't it? We all can be intellectuals and aspiring scholars. All it takes is the passion for understanding the world around us and the courage to face the fiery fear of the research paper.
Explore on!
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