This I believe

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RR #5

Chapter six discusses the idea of reading rhetorically. In other words, reading and not just taking what is said at face value. This is because research articles, like all other writing forms, have more in between the lines than what is initially obvious. This is not necessarily content, rather it is context. Much of what we can interpret from our sources is deeper than face value. Different things are written by different people and for different audiences. Being critically aware of this fact only makes our sources stronger. For this reason it is critical to verify the sources we choose. The book lists a few steps one should take to keep track of everything as well.

I think the biggest advantage for me in this chapter was the elaboration on paraphrasing. I know that when I write papers where I am supposed to include source material, I often forget when I should use a direct quote or a paraphrase. And how to cite said citations. It is a complicated process and I'm glad the book took some time to explain it. This was one of the parts of the book that I knew I would have to come back to when I write my paper.

RR #4

The main focus of this chapter is conducting primary research. This deals with what sources the researcher will use. A lot of times, we do secondary research without even noticing it. However, there are times when primary research will be absolutely necessary. For example: if I were to ask why there are different parking zones at Ball State. I would probably need to interview someone to get the information I seek. It's a good thing the book goes over interviews as well. Like any guide to conducting an interview, the book says to be prepared with questions ahead of time.

I think that the most important information in this chapter was the IMRAD acronym. Introduction, Methodology, Results, Analysis, and Discussion. If a researcher follows these steps, their presentation will come off as more clear and concise. As far as what will help me for this class and future college classes, I think IMRAD will do nicely. I like being able to follow structure and that is exactly what it gives me. A big theme of this chapter was finding your own sources and gathering your own data. To do this effectively in the future, which I'm sure I'll have to do, I should utilize IMRAD.

In Class Writing 1

Primary Question: Is there a reason people think vaccinations cause Autism? Do they in fact or do they not?
Secondary Questions:
Who: Who is the victim here?
What: What is the actual problem? What contributions to autism do vaccinations make?
When: When would a correlation between autism and vaccinations become apparent?

RR #2

Chapter three makes the argument that as humans, we inherently have a need to communicate with each other. The book calls this kairos. The book elaborates on this theory by saying it is necessary for the author to research a topic that he/she thinks is interesting. If they do not, the research project is sure to suffer. Another point made by the book is that the topic must not only be interesting to the author, but it must also be current and not hackneyed. This ensures that the author has some impact on the researched topic.

As far as what was most important to me in this chapter, I would definitely have to say that the advice on picking an interesting topic was the most helpful. The way I see it, if it is that factor that makes the largest difference it should be one of my top priorities. Without reading this chapter I would have simple picked the first topic I'd seen. I did not realize how much consideration should be put into choosing a relevant topic.

RR #1

The gist of the first chapter is: we already know how to research even if we don't think we do. The book gives various real-world examples of research and makes the point that both formal and informal research are done in the same way. Humans have always had, and will always have, questions. And those questions need to be answered. Whether we are researching another planet or another recipe, the process is essentially the same. The only difference is, most college research, simply because of the fact that it is formal, can seem more daunting. 

The second chapter starts out by busting some research myths about the linearity of the research process. It then goes on to rather hypocritically present a step-by-step process of how to conduct formal research and write a paper. I'll admit the book points out that certain steps in the process can be omitted or rearranged, and the book points out ways people make mistakes in each step. The best point I have taken away from this week's reading is that the process itself is entirely situational and instead of adhering to any certain procedure, one must adapt to a research project in order to answer the question as best they can.