The Importance of Good Questions
A good research question:
• Defines the investigation
• Set boundaries
• Provides direction The Importance of Good Questions
A good research question:
• Defines the investigation
• Set boundaries
• Provides direction Defining your topic
If you are finding it a challenge to generate research
topic you can:
• Develop skills such as concept mapping My interests
• Religion , changing religions, Authority power,
and control, atheism
• Youth,suicide, sexuality
• Self esteem in young girls
• Environment... Sustainable development,
Community commitment, Community
awareness From interesting topics to
researchable questions
• Personal experience
• Theory
• Observation
• Contemporary issues Narrowing and
clarifying
• Narrowing, clarifying, and even redefining
your questions is essential to the research
process Cycles of research question development
• Ideas
• Reading
• Methods Good question checklist
• Is the question right for the field?
• Will the findings be considered significant?
• Will it make a contribution ?Checklist
• Is the question doable?
• Can information be collected in an attempt to
answer the question?
• Do I have to skills and expertise necessary to
access this information? If not, can the skills be
developed?
• Will I be able to get it all done within my time
constraints?
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Saturday, February 11, 2012
FAQs: Thesis Statements
Thesis Statement FAQ—Frequently Asked Questions
1.) Why do I need to include a thesis statement in my writing?ANSWER: Most Western academic writing involves using a thesis statement of some sort to state the piece of writing’s main idea—this is usually done early in the piece. Some types of writing such as fiction, poetry, and the like are not bound by this “rule,” but most serious academic papers (such as a history or psychology paper) would be—therefore you should write academic papers using some kind of a thesis statement. Building your paper around a good thesis statement is one powerful means of writing well. Many good writers know this fact—and they use it as a tool to make them more successful. Participating in the process of developing a thesis statement keeps these writers focused, organized, and thinking about their topic.
2.) What are some of the main things a good thesis statement does?
ANSWER: The thesis statement concisely states the central idea of the piece of writing. In college-style papers, thesis statements often make an assertion or a claim of some sort. Theses are also used to express the author’s purpose for writing and point of view. A thesis statement helps to provide direction and give structure to a piece of writing. As mentioned above, a good thesis also can help to keep the writer’s thoughts focused and organized.
*Key point: Most of one’s writing, then, is occupied in supporting the initial assertion found in the thesis statement.
3.) Where is the thesis statement located in a piece of writing?
ANSWER: As a rule, the thesis statement is placed at or near the end of the introductory (first) paragraph or somewhere very early on in the piece.
4.) What is the role of the thesis statement in terms of supporting evidence?
ANSWER: Thesis statements, much like topic sentences, are generalizations in need of support. It is the assertion within the thesis statement that you are supporting with your writing. Support can involve using examples, facts, research, anecdotes, etc.—whatever it takes to demonstrate your main assertion.
5.) Thesis Statement Analysis: Which of the following thesis statements is the better one? Find the assertion in the better statement.
A.) Cell phones’ are widely used by consumers the world over in a variety of different situations.
B.) Recent studies suggest that cell phones are dangerous to use when driving.
ANSWER: The better answer is Choice “B.” Here’s why: Choice “A” is purely factual, and is also a neutral statement—that is, it is without a value judgment; therefore it makes no assertion. Rather, it offers a series of facts, without an author’s perspective or point of view. Choice “B,” on the other hand, makes an assertion, that … “cell phones are dangerous to use when driving.” This writer has made a claim on an issue, rather than being neutral or just reporting facts. Remember, one of the big differences between high school “book report-style” writing and college writing is the distinction between simply reporting facts versus using the facts to support an assertion. Higher-level academic papers make an assertion, and then provide support for that assertion.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember—a good thesis statement should be the anchor of a well written piece, but it can also make the whole writing process go much more smoothly. If you prepare a good thesis statement and make strong connections in your writing to the main idea expressed in that thesis, you will be doing better than most writers immediately. And you will save yourself many hours of frustration and heartache.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
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