Research Blog #2

In this blog, you'll build on Blog 1, particularly what you wrote for Step 3. You only have two blogs left before you are expected to offer potential answers to your research question, so keep that in mind while researching and stay on topic!

Just like in the last blog, you'll want to look at several sources and then settle on two sources that you found most useful. Do they answer new questions for you? Can you understand them? Are you finding sources that are moving you closer to an answer to your research question? Then, you need to make sure these are reliable sources (that you've verified by looking at other sources). 

Step 0:

Before you begin, think of some of the things you need to know (that you do not already know) before you can answer you research question. You should look back at your answers to Step 3 in Blog 1. Then, do some research on the library webpage (Links to an external site.) or on Google or Google Scholar until you find sources that answer your questions a) in a way you can understand and b) that help you understand the larger conversation better. This is your 2nd out of 3 blogs, so you want to use this blog to get pretty close to answering your question. 

Remember: you might see your blog posts as polished written texts with your instructor as the audience.You want to persuade your instructor that you are exploring effectively by demonstrating intellectual curiosity, rhetorical reading and an open mind. You will want to show that you are learning something new about your topic with each new blog post, and will ultimately want to show how the process has impacted your understanding of the issue and the focus of your research project. You'll also want to revise your post so that it is well written and easy to follow. 

Step 1:

Look back at your answers to Step 3 in Blog 1. How did you use that information to inform this search? If you set out to answer questions that weren't addressed in your answers in Blog 1, explain why and justify how it is related to your research question.  

Step 2: 

Post your research question. Below that, post a link to each source (I’m looking for 2 sources).  Then, below each link, include the following information with each one of your sources:

• Include a brief summary for each source that highlights the most important things you learned about your topic from that source. This should be a thorough explanation that shows that you read the source–and reveals why you are interested in this topic. Please remember to follow the correct structure for summaries. See page 440 in your textbook or this page. 
• Justify why this was a useful source for answering your research question. If it doesn't answer your question, justify why you chose it. 
• What aspect(s) of the problem/issue/topic does this source seem to focus on most? What kinds of information does this source not discuss?
• What new, surprising, or unexpected information came up in this source? (This can be information that was in response to your questions, or information unrelated to your questions.)

Note: Within your answers above, include at least one quote from the source with an in-text citation in MLA format. (Refer to this resource if you need help remembering how to do this.

Actions) When thinking about what to quote, select a sentence or two that seems significant to this source and connects to what you are saying in this summary.

Step 3: 

Reflect on your next steps. After you’ve answered the questions above for each of those sources, post a summary of what you feel you understand about your topic, what you are confused about, what questions you still have. You might also discuss:

• What do you understand (overall) about your research question and its potential answers? 
• What questions do you have now that you did not have before? For example, we usually break our research question up into smaller questions we have that we need the answers to before we can answer the research question. What questions do you need to answer still before you can fully answer your research question? 
• If you were going to explain this topic to someone, what are the parts you would be less confident explaining? 

Step 4:

After you have posted, respond to two classmates.  I recommend that you respond to the information that they are most interested in researching next and/or what aspect of the problem they are most interested in focusing on. Try to provide helpful feedback that helps them narrow their focus–and generate questions for research for their next blog. Pay particular attention to their research question. If it's not clear how these sources answer that question, help your classmate get back on track. Your response should be at least 200 words long.

Here's how you'll be graded: 

• Response (5 points): Does the student include thorough and detailed responses to each prompt, including source summaries that effectively address every part of the assignment.
• Source connections (4 points): Does the student effectively show how the source addresses their questions, impacts their thinking, and shapes their research trajectory and focus? Do they draw connections between sources?
• Source Citation: (2 points): Is it always clear which ideas are coming from the student and which are coming from the source? Does the student effectively indicate the source’s ideas with appropriate in-text citations, effective paraphrasing and/or quotation? 
• Further Research (2 points): Does the student discuss questions for further research?
• Comments (2 points): Does the student thoroughly and specifically respond to two peer’s posts, using the commenting instructions provided by the instructor?