developing a good research question (for project #4)

Developing a GoodResearch Question

(for Project #4)

Deliverables for Project #4

Individual Research Paper:

1. A short (~3-4 pages) singlespaced research paper that investigates a question related to the main topic of the course

2. A short oral presentation (~5 minutes) based on that paper, delivered to the class asynchronously using PowerPoint slides (with audio)

Research Questions

Q1: How are digital technologies — such as the Internet, the World Wide Web, cell phones, wireless technology, etc. — changing the way we write and communicate with each other and the way we learn?

Q: How have recent developments in digital technology changed, for better or for worse, how you communicate, how you learn and access information, and/or how you interact with others?

Q: Is Wikipedia a reliable and valid resource? Should students use it in academic and professional contexts?

What is a “good” research question?

• One that asks a genuine, researchable question- Bad: Are businesses using telepresence? (yes-no question, nowhere to go with this)- OK: What is telepresence? (informative/descriptive paper or report)- Good: Should businesses invest in telepresence systems? (argumentative paper leading to thesis or recommendation)

• One that matters to you and to some audience —> it addresses a real issue or problem, it is of recent interest

• One that is specific (narrow) enough to be treated fully in a short paper

• Focus must be on a digital communication technology


TOO LARGE• How are digital technologies changing business

communication practices? (e.g., the way that business reports are produced, delivered, read; how team work and collaboration happen; what counts as effective, high-quality work in a digital business environment)

MORE FOCUSED • Can businesses use blogs effectively for internal and external

communications? • Can businesses use blogs effectively as a way to communicate

with clients and customers? • Can businesses use wikis [or telepresence] effectively for

internal communications?


TOO LARGE• How are digital technologies changing our communication

practices?

MORE FOCUSED • Is the Internet making students writing worse?• How are social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace

changing our relationships with friends and family? • How is the Internet affecting cross-cultural communications?

Are cultural differences and values starting to become erased?

• Can video games or virtual worlds be effective learning environments?

• Do men and women use social networking sites differently?


TOO LARGE • How are digital technologies changing our

writing/composing practices — for better, for worse?

MORE FOCUSED• Are blogs and other online media leading to the

deterioration of writing?

• Do cell phones, text messaging, twittering have a positive or negative effect on writing ability?

What is a “good” research paper?

• It addresses a genuine question of interest, relevance, and importance to you and to some professional audience

• It is based on solid, credible information written by experts and professionals (e.g., credible research sources, scholarly or peer-reviewed material, information collected through systematic methodology, established expert in given area) —> and it shows this via citations and references

• It is thorough, providing sufficient information, analysis, and discussion that the reader can make an independent judgment —> which is why research papers are longer!

• It provides a thesis, claim, or recommendation that is defended through use of evidence —> in essence, an answer to the question

• It addresses or rebuts competing claims

Credibility of sources: Criteria• Factuality, Accuracy, Truthfulness

• Solid Research Basis —> knowledgeable, well-informed, expert, based on systematic inquiry and data collection

• Editorial Oversight/Peer Review

• Bias- not per se "bad," but you need to be aware of it

• Currency (up to date or out of date?)- old is not necessarily bad, but you need to be

aware of it, particularly with digital technology topics (big difference between 2006 and 2008)

What is a “working bibliography”?

A list of sources — titled References in APA format — that you’ve collected that are relevant to your guiding question, some of which you're read, some of which you haven't (but intend to).

• Include at least FOUR scholarly, credible sources in your list, in addition to some popular sources

• List your sources in appropriate APA format for References

Professional Databases

MSU Getting Started Guide: Business

http://guides.lib.msu.edu/rqs.phtml?subject_id=94

MSU Getting Started Guide: Education


MSU Getting Started Guide: Medicine


MSU Getting Started Guide: International Studies


Due by Friday, July 3rd

• Your guiding research question for Project #4

• Your working bibliography for Project #4

—> about 8-12 sources total, including at least FOUR scholarly sources

—> in correct APA format for References

• Put your question and sources in an ANGEL email and send it to the entire class

—> NOT as an attached document!

summary

reactionor analysis

citation

Developing a GoodResearch Question

(for Project #4)

developing a good research question (for project #4)

Documents