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Research and You

Join the Research and You symposium to learn about the impacts of the internet on research, how to find and use quality sources, and how different forms of media shape us as writers. Get hands-on experience using smartphones for research and share your findings with the group!

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Research and You

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  1. Research and You Rebekah McAuliffe Writer’s Symposium sponsored by Karen’s Book Barn April 13, 2017

  2. I can… • State the who, what, where, when, why, and how of research • Describe the impacts of the Internet on research and the quality of the sources we find and use • Share how the consumption of different forms of media shape us as writers

  3. Activity • Get out your smartphones! • Pick a topic, any topic—it doesn’t have to be about writing • Spend five to ten minutes looking up facts about your topic

  4. Sharing Time! • Share your facts! • Who conducted the research? Who created the source? • What were you researching? What sources did you use? • Where did you find these sources? • When did you do this, and for how long? • Why did you pick this topic? Go beyond, “This is for my book, screenplay, etc.” • How did you find this information? How do you know these websites, articles, etc. were trustworthy? • Obviously, research takes more than 10 minutes, but this is a start

  5. Intro to Research • Merriam-Webster defines research in three ways: • Careful or diligent search • studious inquiry or examination, especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws • the collecting of information about a particular subject

  6. Intro to Research • Research is an important process in writing • The goal of this workshop is to determine the who, what, where, when, why, and how of this definition, and its relationship to writing

  7. The ‘Why’ • Why do we as writers conduct research? • Gives you and your work a sense of credibility • Makes your work more believable • Especially true if writing historical fiction • Gives you as a writer a knowledge base to work from • Documents your work

  8. The ‘Who’ • Who conducts the research? • Depends on what you’re creating • For nonfiction, documentaries, etc., you can pay someone, but they cost money • Most of the time, it’s you

  9. The ‘Who’ • Who created the source? • Think about the author and their credibility • Primary vs. secondary sources • Primary Sources:original documents and objects which were created at the time under study • Letters, speeches • Artifacts • Secondary Sources: documents and objects created after and about the time under study by someone who did not experience it first hand • Biographies • Encyclopedias • Both are important, but generally consider primary sources more trustworthy

  10. The ‘What’ • What do you research? • Whatever is relevant to your topic, story, etc. • Follow the lead, but be careful to not fall into the rabbit hole • Info-dumping on the reader will just turn them off completely from your work • Info-dumping: dropping loads of exposition in giant blocks on your reader

  11. The ‘What’ • What can you do to prevent info-dumping? • Sprinkle elements of your research across your book or series through dialogue, imagery, etc. • Some very popular series publish guides or reader’s companions to go alongside the series • The Simarillionby J.R.R. Tolkien • Sometimes you just have to accept that you won’t get to use everything you find • “Know more than you need to know so you know what you need to know, don’cha know?” – Mr. Exner, my high school biology teacher

  12. The ‘Where’ • Where can I find good, trustworthy sources? • The library is your best friend • Conduct interviews with those who have knowledge or have first-hand experience with the time period, event, subject, etc. • College professors, veterans, the elderly, etc. • If you live near a university, you can go to their library and access their databases to find scholarly articles, government documents, etc.

  13. The ‘When’ • When should I conduct my research? • Ideally, before you begin your first draft, as part of the pre-writing process • How long should I spend conducting research? • Goes back to following the lead, but staying away from the rabbit hole • My personal rule of thumb: no more than six to eight months • You are a writer, not a researcher • If you’re writing about current events, it’s always a race against time • Stay relevant • For sci-fi and fantasy, you research mostly for inspiration, world-building

  14. The Internet • Remember what your parents told you: DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE INTERNET • Beware of emotionally driven click-bait articles • Fact check with multiple articles, court documents, interviews, etc. • Rule of Thumb • At least 5 articles cover the same topic • At least 3 reputable sources (scholarly journals, official government documents, primary sources, etc.) • All on varying points on the political spectrum

  15. Think About It! • Think about you and your writing. How do different forms of media contribute to your style and the genres you are drawn to? Who or what inspires you? • Authors • Movies • TV shows • Video games • Etc.

  16. Media and Inspiration • You don’t have to read all non-fiction to conduct research for writing • Read works by other authors that are in the same genre as the one you are writing in • What is the style? • What are some popular tropes in the genre? • What do readers expect? • Your writing style is influenced by the world around you • You become a better writer by consuming other forms of media

  17. In Conclusion… • Research is an important part of writing, but don’t let it consume you • Fact check your sources • Be knowledgeable about different kinds of sources • The Internet is a vast place, but beware—not everyone there has your best interests at heart • You become a better creator by being a consumer of media

  18. Sources • Library of Congress. (n.d.). Using Primary Sources. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/ • Primary Source Village. (2006). A Definition of Secondary Source. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://www.library.illinois.edu/village/primarysource/mod1/pg2.htm • Research. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research

  19. Thanks for Coming! • Here’s how to get in touch with me! • Facebook: Rebekah McAuliffe • Twitter: @rebekahm_author • Instagram: @rebekahm_author • Website: www.rebekahmcauliffe.wordpress.com • Email: rbkhmclff6287@gmail.com

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