Writer’s Journal #10

Writer’s Journal #10

Background

Deciding on a broad research approach for a project can sometimes be daunting or confusing, and researchers may initially choose to progress immediately to secondary research to see what others have said on their topic. However, this can miss some opportunities that may be afforded by some basic primary research.

Purpose

In this journal entry, you will do some reflection on your research project’s rhetorical situation and how it might be explored through primary research. Later in this module, you will be conducting some primary research, and this early reflection may help to shape the direction of that research.

Skills and Outcomes

• Summarizing the rhetorical situation of a larger research project (Rhetorical Knowledge; Critical Thinking, Reading, and Composing)
• Differentiating the hypothetical utility of three primary research modalities for a larger research project (Critical Thinking, Reading, and Composing; Processes)

Habits of Mind Practiced

• Openness
• Flexibility
• Metacognition

Tasks

• Your journal entry should summarize the rhetorical situation of your larger, course-long research project. Who is your audience? What is the context of your work? What is your purpose (what are you trying to achieve)?
• Your journal entry should also reflect on the potential usefulness of the different types of primary research for your larger research project. (NOTE: you will be learning more about these primary research modes soon–this task is just to get you thinking about these modes now).
  • How might direct observation be useful for your larger project? What could you observe to gain insight about your work?
  • How might interviewing be helpful for your larger project? Who could/would you interview?
  • How might conducting a survey be helpful for your larger project? Who would you survey? What might you try to learn through a survey?

*NOTE: There are many different ways to approach these tasks, but you should aim to be as thorough as possible in your response (approximately 500 words is a good target length).

Criteria for Success

In each Writer’s Journal, you should:

• clearly address each question or task;
• employ many details, examples, and explanations in answering each question or task; and,
• create an internally organized text, employing sentences (or notes where applicable) that clearly relate to one another.