Wednesday, March 17, 2010
For over the weekend: Booth pages 31-83
Have you ever done research in the steps like the ones the writers propose in these pages? If so, how did it go and what was particularly frustrating or exciting about the steps and why? If you have never explored a topic in depth and/or moved from a topic to question, do you believe that these steps would have improved a research essay you’ve done in the past? If so, describe briefly what happened in that research writing and how the steps in Booth would have helped/improved the essay you wrote. If you don’t think they would have helped, discuss why not.
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I have done a major research project that required a 13-page paper in my junior year of high school, but I have never approached research in the way that the authors describe. I do think it would have helped greatly had I done so, because I honestly did not think of my project as anything more than something I was interested in and a grade that my teacher had to give me. The authors make valid points about how a research project should be thought of in regards to a wide variety of readers and why they may want or need your research. It would have been much easier to have that three step guide because I did feel very overwhelmed when trying to focus and decide on the direction my paper was taking. I think their methods result in a much more organized thought process, and therefore a much more organized research paper.
ReplyDeleteI have never done a research paper following the exact same steps as listed in the book though I have completed papers using bits of their advice. I think following the steps in Booth would have made the paper go a little more smoothly and possibly not be such a dreaded pain to hurry up and get over with. I think doing the index card style of research papers has made a lot of people really hate doing papers like this, because that is such a terribly boring and annoying hassle. I also think that before you get into college there is no reason for you to really write a paper past what your teacher and possibly classmates will read and get out of it because at that point you yourself are not necessarily a reliable source (I’m not, however, saying that it wouldn’t have been helpful to practice with these steps). There are certain subjects that I’ll read about where I’ll become a total nerd and be really excited to learn about, but with all of the other subjects I’m supposed to cram into my head, a lot of the interesting ones get lost. If the opportunity arises to write research papers about intriguing topics, students probably get a lot happier and breathe a sigh of relieve- but this is 9 times out of 10 not what happens. I think it’s interesting the steps and obstacles being created to insure privacy and respect for people subject to personal affiliations to research documents. I would think that a lot of people would feel misrepresented or embarrassed by the information printed about them, even if it’s not necessarily something to be ashamed of. These moral qualms will make the material available more factual in ways but rumors can still be important parts of someone’s life (even when they are ridiculous they show a more rounded picture of their life), and it’s kind of a shame they can’t really be added as easily anymore.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have had to do a good bit of extensive research for a paper before (including a 15 page paper about women in tattoo culture), I usually do not set any sort of rules or regulations for myself regarding how I go about doing the research. Most of the time, I end up going to LSU's library page, typing in keywords, and searching from there, and that usually gets me what I need. I'm also a big fan of Project Muse.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I always go from a broad topic to a more narrow one, especially if it is something I am really interested in. I have a big issue with digression, and this is usually the most important step in researching and writing for me. For instance, for my women in tattoo culture paper, it actually was not all on women and tattoos, which is a very broad topic. My main thesis was actually about how self-abuse among women related to women with excessive tattooing.
I definitely believe these steps would greatly help me out with my research and paper writing. And like I said before, although I am not a big fan of doing things methodically, that does not mean I would not benefit from doing so, and my research habits could definitely use some tweaking. My paper on women in tattoo culture definitely could have used this chapter. Like I said before, I tend to digress when I am writing/talking about something I am interested in, and that topic was definitely incredibly interesting.
I think I follow more of these steps than I realized. I feel like I usually just write down whatever comes to mind, but I do think about many of these things before I actually start writing. I think following more of these suggestions would probably help my writing skills, especially consulting sources other than the internet. I am guilty of abusing google while researching, and finding other resources is always beneficial. I also never write rough drafts as I always seem to do papers at the last minute, but having more time to reflect on my work would probably make the end result better.
ReplyDeleteThough I have worked on extensive research papers in my past academic careers, I had never sought to go about it in the way the paper suggests. I do, however, feel as though the author makes some terrific points and suggestions on how to go about the process. These tips and problem solving skills would not only be valid for the paper we have to write in here, but also very helpful for people who would like to go graduate school, in fact, one could apply many of the methods for their own dissertation. The policy of doing research to solve a current problem is definitely one for many to consider, so that one does not simply regurgitate what someone else has said, but rather takes what they said and try to apply it, even if it means looking at their work in a different perspective. The advice on finding sources is also very important, since that is sometimes what all of your research is based off of due to a number of possible reasons, and it can be quite difficult at times to find relevant source information. The section regarding looking for problems within the sources is also a point for everyone to take in, because it can help you analyze not only your own stance on a situation, but also you can use those source information to empower your own writings, to show people how through your research you’re correct, and not them. It’s often a habit of people to simply look at all the research that goes with what they are saying, and ignoring the ones that contradict it. I believe this limits your view on a particular subject and you should read both to widen your view.
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ReplyDeleteI have done research papers in the past that were rather extensive, but I don’t think it was really to the degree to which they were writing about in the book. I really liked how they described researching and writing a paper as zigzaggin down an unclear path in the woods through a fog, because that is basically how I feel when I start writing a paper. Especially before I know what I am going to write about. I think that in the past I was just grazing the surface for writing a paper. I did two major research papers in highschool and on the first one I didn’t apply myself nearly enough and I found that the consequences sucked. It was a lot of cramming the day before and that can’t ever really work when it comes to actually writing a proper research paper. On the second paper I did a lot more research and I made the note cards and I went to the library. I found it to actually be a lot more enjoyable the second time because I wasn’t stressing about writing my paper. It went a lot smoother. I think this time I’m going to enjoy it even more because I know I’m really going to enjoy writing the paper on whatever topic I choose because I’m the one choosing it. Unlike in the past, where my teachers assigned us topics. It’s really hard to write a 12 page essay on something you could care less about. I think the steps that they have provided in the reading are going to be very helpful. Even without a topic I can see that the exercises and the questions they ask are going to make it a lot easier to understand the route I want to take. Kind of like a jungle guide telling you what obstacles to watch out for.
ReplyDeleteI have completed several research assignments; however, I have not yet used the steps in the book. Although, I think the authors have given some great methods that would greatly improve my research papers by primarily changing my thought process when it comes to researching, writing, and taking the readers into consideration. The methods basically make me look at writing papers in a different perspective, because when I engage in writing a research paper I just try to get it over and done with as quickly as I possibly can because I am not really amused by reading or writing at all.
ReplyDeleteI begin by choosing a topic that really interests me, usually the ones that are easily comprehended. Then, I make an outline and begin writing for the teacher whom I like to think of as the one and only reader. Something that is extremely frustrating to me is the value of the length of a paper versus it's content.
Sources are very important when writing a research paper. The more sources that you include will determine the validity of the research in your paper. Internet sources are most widely used but are not always as correct as those of books and other printouts.
I have followed some of the steps to doing research like the writers propose, but never all of them. I want to say in high school we had like a 10-or something page research paper to do. The idea of writing a paper is frustrating itself; however, I agree with others that following these steps would have resulted in a smoother process, and surely a better research paper. Also, following the writers’ steps may actually make writing the paper and researching one’s topic interesting. I honestly have never written a paper because of mere enjoyment. I always write because of a teacher, or a standardized tests, or even a “why do you want to get in/participate….” on an application form. Even for all these instances, writing that paper was suicide. Jotting down my thoughts and findings will surely result in better papers. As others have stated, more sources allow for a more rounded and valid paper.
ReplyDeleteI have never written an extensive paper as talked about in the book and that we are working on in class now, but the book seems like it is going to be very helpful. Hopefully with the advice of the author I will do OK for my first real research paper. In high school we did do research papers but Wikipedia was descent enough research for me and it was accepted by most of my teachers. The points that the author gave are not things I usually do when writing although there was one that I am accustomed to doing. I do write every and anything that comes to mind. This is helpful in a way but after writing it all down its hard for me to organize it and find smooth transitions in between paragraphs and thing like that.
ReplyDeleteI have never done a research paper using the three steps described by the book. Usually when ever I had a research paper to do, I would just do it as quick as possible using my own technique, however, that did not exactly work out the best for me. Then again, in high school, I was never really good at writing research papers mainly because I could not follow the teacher’s methods. They were so long and tiring that I just could not follow, but I think that the three steps described in the book would have helped me so much!
ReplyDeleteUsing the steps presented in the book would have my high school career a bit easier. Almost immediately when I hear research paper and think about topics I pretty much head directly for google. Something I thought was particularly interesting was when the book talks about choosing a topic and what your readers expect from you. I often get very caught up when writing papers in my own thoughts and just reading a paper the way I’ve written it, and consequently I become completely satisfied with the result never considering how others view my work. I really enjoyed how the steps in chapter 3 amounted to a sort of working outline. Looking at them I imagine how just implementing those steps would’ve and still can make life much easier.
ReplyDeleteIn high school I remember it was always the usual intro, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion setup for every research paper I had to write. Though I wrote about a variety of topics, the identical layout was so typical and boring that it took away from the expressive aspects of the paper itself. Everything had to be condensed to fit a certain mold, so sometimes I was left having to filter out important facts because there simply was not room to cover every supporting detail, regardless of its importance. I like how the author discusses how the writer should keep in mind the audience who will be reading the paper, because one thing I've learned through school writing assignments is to always keep things interesting; if I'm bored out of my mind writing about some topic, or get to a point in my paper where I completely just forget what the heck I'm trying to argue, then the reader will likely be just as confused and bored as well. One thing I think that helps is to always starts papers with a quote, whether it be humorous or a shocking fact, it's a nice touch to get the reader excited as well as informed on what you're writing about. I like the way the book addresses the necessity of stimulating the reader's mind to keep their focus on the paper, because not only will it help you to stick to your topic while writing, but it will make your writing a lot less opaque.
ReplyDeleteI have not done research the same way in which the book suggests, although it does sound like the three step process would be a lot more effective and less time consuming. A lot of what I did in high school seemed to be a waste of time when it came to what our teachers referred to as “term papers”. We had to turn everything in over a month long process and there were around fifteen steps to the entire thing. The three steps would not only save time for the students, but also the grader would be able to have more time to focus on minor details that could affect the ending result The research paper I remember the most from high school was in my Civics class. I had to choose a political argument for my topic proposal, turn in my sources, then outline, rough draft, and so on. I felt as though my research was not sufficient enough to write a ten page paper about and I had trouble organizing my entire paper ultimately. The steps would have been great to ease the process.
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