11.2: The Classroom Lecture and Activity

Classroom Lecture and Activity: 

SLO-Conduct inquiry-based research by formulating research questions, identifying a variety of sources (e.g., utilizing internet and library resources, such as scholarly sources), and evaluating and integrating sources into writing, including using sources as evidence in researched arguments. 

THERE ARE NO BAD TOPICS

One of the most important parts about research to remember is that not only are there no stupid questions, but there are no stupid topics. If you think about it, without strange questions, we wouldn't have the niche fields of study that we have today. For instance, think about the first person that asked, "What are those particles I see in the air when the light shines a certain way?" Research is also often a reflection of the researcher. This means thinking about the world around you and the impacts on the people and places around you. Sometimes you might start with topics you are familiar with like topics that come from a hobby or a career path. You might even start with topics that you are surrounded by. This means that you will be starting with some background knowledge about the topic. On the other hand, you might brainstorm topics that you are interested in, but maybe don’t know a lot about it. Even if you don’t have experience with a  topic, it is still possible to add it to a list of possible topics. At the beginning of your research process, you should keep and open mind. One pitfall that many students fall into is trying to choose  atopic that their teacher will like or one that really serious but that they have no real interest in. For most 102 courses you will be spending the rest the semester with your chosen topic, so making this initial decision is important.

 

Making lists and Asking questions

To get started, you are going to make an interest inventory. This is a list of all the things you are curious about. No topics are off limits. This is just to get your ideas out in the open.

Interest Inventory Example
Baking  Music Ceramics Architecture Literature Gardening Building Hardware Software, apps, the internet Cars Education Acting	Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Black Lives Matter Movement Civil Rights Movement Domestic Violence Drug Abuse Culture and Ethnicities Sub Cultures Orphans Environment Agriculture Health

 

Next, you are going to take one of those topics and turn it into a list of ten questions. The purpose of this is to get you in the habit of asking questions: research as inquiry. Create the questions as a form of free writing. The questions should be a mixture of open ended and close ended questions.

List 1 Music

1. Is there a type of music associated with Chicago? 2. Why are some types of music associated with certain races? 3. What is the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation when it comes to adopting a musical genre? 4. Why aren't there more female rappers and hip hop artist? 5. Is there any woman from Chicago that has made a big impact in the music industry? 6. Why is it hard for women musicians' albums to go platinum after 45? 7. How many music programs are located in CPS schools on the south side? 8. Which women musicians do little black girls have to look up to besides Beyonce? 9. Who is the woman version of Chance the Rapper? 10. How does gender inequality play out in the music industry?

 

Then, you are going to do this four more times, for a total of 5 lists. Please feel free to do more if you haven't found a topic you like once you get to the fifth list.

Think about any preliminary research that you can do to help you choose.

Assessment Tool  (Completion of tasks. Engaging in the writing process)

Created 5 lists or more? Yes No

Has at least 10 questions for each topic? Yes No

Questions are a mixture of open ended and closed ended? Yes No