4.1.3: Plan
- Page ID
- 328978
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Plan your project.
Now it is time to sit down and figure out how you are going to complete this assignment. If you set up a roadmap for yourself, you will have enough time to do your research, organize your thoughts, draft your paper, and cite it. Doing this short step can give you more confidence and reduce the frustration of trying to write a paper in a few days or hours.
- Get out your planner or a calendar, and write down all the due dates your instructor has given you. This will give you a scope of what and when you need to do in shorter increments. If your instructor has not given mid-paper due dates, schedule them for yourself. Use the overview in the chapter introduction to give you ideas. If you can, be consistent and generous with the chunks of time you schedule.
- Mark the times you are not available to work on your paper. Include work, classes, activities, family time, recreation time, etc.
- Next, block out chunks of time to work on your paper. Make sure you have given yourself enough time to meet each of the due dates you or your instructor set up. Doing this will keep your timeframes short and the work will be more manageable. If you can, be consistent and generous with the chunks of time you schedule.
- If it helps, write down what you will do in each of those blocked off sections on your schedule.
You will find the little bit of time it takes to plan your work will quickly make up for itself. Planning your project like this is a good habit to continue. You will find it useful in your other classes and other areas of your life.
Discover metalanguage
Every discipline has its own vocabulary pertinent to that area. Conducting research is no different. As you work, you will encounter specialist terms that you need to know to research. Knowing research based metalanguage is helpful. Metalanguage is language about language, and different areas of study have their own language. For our purpose, we will identify words that will help you understand how to find and work with sources. For example, you’ll need to know what a search engine is to find sources online. According to Merriam Webster, a search engine is “computer software used to search data (such as text or a database) for specified information also: a site on the World Wide Web that uses such software.” In other words, a website or software used to find information.
Understanding the specified language of research will make you a more efficient researcher. If you know what a subject heading is, for example, you know you can look there to help you narrow your topic or find other areas of that topic you might want to consider. Knowing what Boolean Operators can help you refine your search so you get more specific results.
Some of the words you should understand are:
- Keyword
- Boolean Operators
- Subject heading
- Primary sources
- Secondary source
- Databases
- Academic Journal
- Scholarly Article
- Peer reviewed
- Abstract
- Annotated bibliography
- DOI
- Permalink
- Plagiarism
- Search engines
- Web directories
- Media/multimedia
- Web page/web site
There are many more, but these are ones you’ll run across most often. Keep this list nearby to reference when needed. If you run across a new word that you don’t understand, add it to your list. You’ll need to do a keyword search in your search engine.
Use this webpage to write definitions to the words above. Library and Research Vocabulary from Santa Fe College Library. You will also find more information with the definitions.
Works Cited
"Research Vocabulary." Research 101, Lawrence W Tyree Library LibGuides, Santa Fe College, Santa Fe, New Mexico,
https://www.sfcollege.edu/library, https://sfcollege.libguides.com/research101/vocabulary/
“Search engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/search%20engine,