What is academic research? How can it enrich my proposed project?
Today we will meet in disciplinary groups or proposal focus groups. (Advisors, please be prepared to direct students to new locales and take attendance using the spreadsheet.) Disciplinary groups will be focused on getting to know one another's questions and project ideas as well as kicking off academic research. Proposal focus groups will meet with either Addie (Treehouse), Kim (Writing Room), or Beckah (Cafeteria) to finish or revise proposals.
DO NOW: Find disciplinary or proposal focus group and check in. Get ready to learn by opening proposal document or email draft on Chromebook. Review driving question. Locate this blog and bookmark it! (Advisors, verify that you have access to each proposal.)
GATHERING: Choose an object from the room as a metaphor for introducing your project and question to the group.
(Example: My project is like a jellyfish preserved in a jar, because I will be starting my project by looking at multiple perspectives on a single event in history, then dissecting it to determine how the parts and purposes contribute to current events. I will interpret my understanding into a 3D installation that...)DO NEXT: Word. Phrase. Sentence. Read the Academic Research Page and the introduction paragraph for the research section of the Research and Annotation Guide. (Below) Select a word, phrase, and sentence that best resonates with your developing understanding of Academic Research. Record and share these.
INTRODUCTION to ACADEMIC RESEARCH: Before searching can begin, it is important to identify search terms and disciplines. We know that we cannot simply put our driving questions into Google and expect to be reasonably satisfied with the response.
STEP 0 >> Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Get excited about your project, and only that.
STEP 1 >> Organize yourself so that you can see your open, closed, and driving questions. You may add to them today, as you begin reading.
STEP 2 >> Identify search terms and academic disciplines that are relevant to your topic and questions. (For example, you may be looking at biology...but more specifically zoology.)
STEP 3 >> Identify relevant resources from the list Addie provides in the Research and Annotation Guide.
STEP 4 >> When you are ready to dig in, commit to a resource. I suggest starting with Digital Commons Network for some mind-blowing perspectives.
STEP 5 >> Identify one viable source...It is on or near topic. It has a credible author. It has substance.
STEP 6 >> Print, download, copy/paste, or whatever you need to do to take ownership of the text. Read it. Reread it to understand.
STEP 7 >> Begin responding to the Annotation Questions and documenting your responses.
REFLECTION: Document and share the steps taken and obstacles.
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Reminders:
- Driving Question Workshop due to LA Folder
- Annotated Bibliography due February 20th
