Notes About Reasearch

• Research is the world's biggest industry
• Research reported in writing is the source of what we most believe
• Research is different than opinion
• It's ok to be skeptical of the research that you read...
• What is research?
• Broad terms -- we "do" research whenever we gather information to answer a question that solves a problem
• Writing Up Research
• Remember
• Understand
• To test your thinking
• Why a Formal Report?
• Satisfy demands imposed by a community of people competent in a given field
• You demand more from yourself when it is to be distributed to others
• Embody the shared values of a learning community
• Connecting with your reader
• Research is a conversation...
• Research can be like a bad classroom experience...
• You must think of your reader as someone who doesn't know it but needs to and yourself as someone who will give her reason to want to know it
• I've Found Some New and Interesting Information...
• These facts will help you do something to solve a problem you care about.
• Even if you don't have the audience right now, you must write as if you do. You must present yourself as interested in, even enthusiastic about wanting to share something new
• Their more common role is that of scholars who help their research community simply understand something better
• Wayne C. Booth;Gregory G. Colomb;Joseph M. Williams.The Craft of Research,Third Edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing (pp. 18-19). Kindle Edition.
• Three Roles of the Researcher
• I have information for you...
• I can help you fix a problem...
• I can help you understand something better...
• Understanding the Audience
• You must understand what they want...
• You meet your end of the bargain when you share whatever would interest them
• You are concerned with your particular community of readers, with their interests and expectations, with improving their understanding, based on the best evidence you can find
• Checklist...
• Who will read my report?
• What do they expect me to do?
• How much can I expect them to know?
• How will readers respond to the solution in my main claim?

Free Write-Best Experience of Research

I have written several research papers throughout my years in school, but my best piece of research was about school bullying. I am very passionate about ending bullying in schools, which is one reason why I can say that paper was my best piece of research. Another reason was because there was and still is so much material on the subject. Because of all the available material, it was like I had already put together a paper.

Free Write-Describe Video Gaming

• Both sides can be right
• Playing pro social games-demonstrated helpful 
• Violent video games-improved perception, aggressive behavior
• Amount of video gaming and tension-video game addiction
• Parents set limits-powerful protective cover for kids

The research done looked at both the positive and negative aspects of gaming. There was also different types of tests done, including clinical studies.

Free Write-Analyze Favorite Cookie

My favorite cookie is the really soft sugar cookies sold in grocery stores, with the many different colored frostings. I love how soft the actually cookie part is and the sweetness of the frosting. The frosting melts in your mouth. During the holidays, these cookies are decorated accordingly. For Christmas, the frosting is green with red sprinkles. For Halloween, the frosting is orange with black sprinkles.

Free Write-Video of My Life

The main focus of the video would be my love for my family. They mean so much to me and take up most of my focus in life. I have a big family, so getting together for the holidays or birthdays is the best feeling in the world. Over the years my family has continued to expand, with a new step dad and step mom, and all the siblings that come along with them. Also, not only do I have my immediate family, but I also have the friends closest to me that I would call family.

I want this to be what I grow up focusing on. When I have my own family--kids, a husband, grandkids--I will be so happy.

Five Greatest Stressors

1. Fitting in
2. Getting work done on time
3. Living with other people
4. Being away from family
5. Lack of sleep

Free Write-Video of a College Student

The first thing that comes to mind about a college student is the workload. I think there would be a lot of pictures about the stress of classes and work. Another thing I can see in a video about a college student is drinking, unfortunately. We are not of legal age yet, but that doesn't stop it from happening. There would be scenes from dorm rooms with alcohol on the desks. Another thing would be friends. This is the time in life where you make your lifelong friends, at least that is what I hear. All of the students live together and get to know everything about each other, good and bad. This can create problems, though, if you can't get along with someone, like your roommate. Another scene would probably be fighting with roommates or just friends in general.

Free Write-Listening

When you go into a conversation not listening, you aren't as engaged about what is being talked about. There is no excitement or passion. When you go into a conversation listening and understanding what the other person is saying, you're more aware of the subject. Personally, when I know that the conversation is about something I am interested in, I am so much more into the conversation. I like what is being talked about, and therefore I listen more intently.

Free Write-What Bucket Are You In?

This is a tough answer. I know the right thing to say would be that I am in the second bucket, where I've put all of my big, important rocks in first and then filled around those with the smaller rocks. But truthfully, I find myself spending more time with the first bucket. I fill my time with things that are not as important, not leaving enough room for the big, important rocks. This isn't how it is all the time. I will sometimes have times where I am in the second bucket, where I have put everything important in first and then worried about the littler rocks. This is probably true at the beginning of a school year or job, where I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. Once time goes on and it's not the beginning anymore, I start gravitating towards the first bucket.