the research paper: getting started. what is a research paper? sources your opinion
TRANSCRIPT
The Research Paper:
Getting Started
What is a research paper?
Sources Your opinion
What is a research paper?
No sources No credibilityNo documentation Plagiarism
What is a research paper?
Good sources Good paper
GI GO
Trash or treasure?
What is a research paper?
CSI effect is realnot proven
makes juries smarter lets guilty go free
How do I start?
What are they talking about?
What’s been said?What can I add?
Who’s talking?
What are they talking about?
Who’s talking?
I’ve done a controlled study
Cole & Dioso, as cited in Tyler, T. R. (2006, March 2). Viewing CSI and the threshold of guilt: Managing truth and justice in reality and fiction. The Yale Law Journal, 115, 1050-1072. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from http://www.yalelawjournal.org/pdf/115-5/Tyler.pdf
No study has found aCSI effect
CSI made me a better juror.
What about the personal?
Diaries Autobiographies Reflections Surveys
Journals Love letters Letters to editor Research papers
Poems Capstone project
Letters to vent Thesis
Dissertation
Express Feeling Share Information
Personal Academic
What I feel or think What is knownWhat is true for me What is generally true
What about the personal?
The obvious may change.
Suicide bombers must be crazy.
“What utter nonsense,” saysanthropologist
Scott Atran(2003, p. 21).
What about the personal?
Suicide bombers must be crazy.
Studies finding them sane include
Mersari, Hassan, Krueger, and
CIA (Atran, 2003).
Atran, S. (2003, October). The surprises of suicide terrorism. Discover, 24(10), 21-22.
The evidence may favor the other side.
What about the personal?
Limited experience vs. Expertise
My cousin hadADHD as a kid, but he outgrew it.
So kids with ADHD
don’t needmedication.
Symptoms persistinto adulthood
in 15 to 20 percent of cases.
(“The Course,” 2002).
The course of ADHD. (2002). RetrievedJune 8, 2008, from ADHDinfo Web site: http://adhdinfo.com/schoolpersonnel/courseofADHD.jsp
Sponsoredby Novartis
What about the personal?
Your bias vs. Objective results
Coming to classregularly will help
your grade.
Those who attendclass 95% of the time
are significantlylikely to earn an
A or B grade.(Snell & Meikes, 1995).
Snell, J., & Meikes, S. (1995). Student attendance and academic achievement: A research note. Journal of Instructional Psychology 22(2). Retrieved April 12, 2004, from Academic Search Elite database.
What do I think now?
Sources Your informed opinion
Do I agree?
Can I trust my sources?
Is this complete?
What can I add?
Prosecutors Say:Juries want
too much evidence
I say:Thesis
Defenders Say:Juries understand
our case better
Review the evidence and take a stand.
What can I add?
I say:Addiction therapy
is/is not a solution.
Anorexia, ecstasy activate same brain paths.
Approach the problem from a new angle.
Could addiction therapy help anorexics?
What can I add?
I say:The role of inflammation
in cancer….
Karin: cutting into tumors can lead
to cancer spread.
Notice a trend.
Others linked inflammation to
cancer.
What can I add?
Sunderland says:Reject Supernanny….
Children’s brainsare being studied.
Disagree, or prove an expert wrong.
Crying causescascade ofchemicals.
What can I add?
I say:Teach teens to weigh
consequences…
Teens’ frontal lobes aren’t
fully developed.
Develop a new application.
Their decision making is too
logical.
What can I add?
I say:Bicycle patrols are/are
not effective….
Clive policeadd bicycle
patrols.
Evaluate a professional practice.
What are the pros/cons?
What can I add?
I say:This is the truth….
Most peoplebelieve that….
Debunk a myth.
The evidenceshows that…
Originality = Critical thinking
Which is best? Why do things
happen this way? What would make
things better?
C or lower
Cri
tica
l thi
nki
ng
Bloom’s taxonomy
Conversation: What can I add?
• Answer a question—Do shows like CSI affect the way jurors react
to evidence?—Is the CSI effect good or bad?—Is the CSI effect real?—What is the best treatment for ADHD?
• Sort out conflicting opinions• Prove a myth (or an expert) wrong• Suggest a new approach or application• Update information
Conversation: Assignments
Explore professional literature.Form a tentative opinion.Find evidence for and against your opinion.Refine your opinion.Write your paper.
THEY
SAY
I
SAY
Kuhlthau’s Model of Research
Stage
Initiation
Selection
Exploration
Formulation
Collection
Presentation
Task
what do I do?
what’s my topic?
what’s out there?
what do I think?
what will I use?
how will I sharewhat I learn?
Feelings
uncertainty
optimism
confusion
clarity
confidence
satisfaction (or not)
Remember the writing process?It’s recursive
Plan Get ideas
Draft Get them on paper
Revise Make them better
Publish Share with others
Research can be Billy trail
Family Circus
Goal
Billy’s path
A research flowchart
Then there’s serendipity…
Look up schedule for Criminal Minds. Find profiler quiz.
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/criminal_minds/games.shtml
Wonder: can profilers be as fast and accurate as Gideon’s team?
Do some reading. Stumble over CSI effect….
How do I get started?
1. Find a topic.
2. Read about it.
3. Ask—Can I find enough information?—Will this hold my interest?
4. Explore other topics.
5. Choose the best.
What’s the “best” topic?
• Arguable
• Discussable
• Adds something to the conversation
What’s a starting place?
• http://word-crafter.net/CompII/ FindingaTopic.html
• magazines in your field or series (Opposing Viewpoints)
• an instructor, librarian, or expert in an interesting field
•your favorite news site