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How to Start Research Step 1 Task Definition

How to Start Research Step 1 Task Definition. What is Research?. Research is the process of gathering facts and evidence on a topic . Primary Research Secondary Do you know the difference?. Primary Research. involves generating new ideas and information on your own Examples include:

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How to Start Research Step 1 Task Definition

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  1. How to Start Research Step 1 Task Definition

  2. What is Research? • Research is the process of gathering facts and evidence on a topic. • Primary Research • Secondary Do you know the difference?

  3. Primary Research • involves generating new ideas and information on your own Examples include: • conducting a experiment and recording the results. • Searching through documents to discover more information on your family tree.

  4. Secondary Research • Gathering and analyzing the results of other people’s primary research • You will be using books, articles written on your topic, interviews etc.

  5. Research • Your research paper is similar to • Book Report • Composition • Essay • It makes a point and supports it with evidence

  6. Research Involves These Skills • Reading • Writing • Note Taking • Organization and Planning • Thinking Clearly

  7. Dividing the Research into Steps • If you break a research paper into steps you will see that it is not too difficult.

  8. Steps Used in the Research Process • Step 1 Task Definition • Determine your SUBJECT (Big) • Narrow it down to a TOPIC (Smaller) • Narrow further to a THESIS (Smallest)

  9. Starting with your SUBJECT • Is a broad area of interest, such as African American history • Make sure you have a genuine interest in the subject • Often topics which you can relate to your life or the lives of those you know

  10. Subject Cont. • How can you pick a subject? • Watch public television for ideas • Read a magazine • Go on the internet and look up a good background article • Walk through the library • Look in textbook table of contents

  11. Understanding the Limits of the Assignment and Resources • Is a topic too complicated for you? • Do you have the resources available to conduct the research? • How much time will you have to conduct the research? • What does my teacher expect? • Length of the paper?

  12. Going from SUBJECT to TOPIC • List questions about your subject that you would like to find the answers to • Brainstorm ideas with friends and family • Read several articles or different sections in a book on your subject • ..\Defining_Your_Topic.wmv

  13. Once you think you have a topic keep in mind… • 1. The topic should be interesting • 2. Are there resources available on your topic? • 3. Your topic should be significant • 4. The topic should be objective (not a personal prejudice) • 5. Topic should be able to have an angle (NOT a book report) • 6. Topic should be narrowed down so it is researchable (No HISTORY)

  14. What is a Thesis • Is the main idea of your research and the driving force behind any research you do… • Narrows down your topic so you no long have as much work to do • Represents an angle/slant/point of view you will prove with the research you found

  15. Thesis • Is a great way to help the reader know what information is appropriate and not appropriate when taking notes. • Is NOT an indisputable fact • Is NOT a personal prejudice Neither of these can be proven with research

  16. Indisputable Fact • Eating too much fast food will cause you to gain weight.

  17. Personal Prejudice • I think tattoos are disgusting!

  18. Look at this example • You start with the very BIG subject of the far east • Why can’t you do research on this?

  19. The Far East is too big so… • You narrow your research a little further down to Japan but what… • Culture • Food • Religion • People • Government • Sports • medicine

  20. You Narrow Down Further to… • Sports: Baseball is popular there but too much like our own culture so… • Types • Baseball • Ping-bong • Golf • Hey what about Sumo Wrestling?

  21. You read a good background article and discover • In Japan, Sumo Wrestling is a popular sport and has been around for centuries. It is a highly ritualized sport. • Weight, Size, and Strength are the greatest attributes. • Wrestlers are trained on a special weight gaining diet with some weighing more than 300 pounds.

  22. OK Sumo Wrestling Now What? • Time to ask some questions • What are the rules? • Who are the athletes? • Why do they weigh so much? • Where and when did the sport start? • How is the culture of Japan represented in the sport?

  23. Asking Questions • Allows you to focus on a specific topic • Rituals of sumo wrestling • Far East • Japan • Sports • Sumo Wrestling • The Rituals of Sumo Wrestling

  24. What Will You Prove? Sumo wrestling reflects Japanese culture and traditions Or I think Sumo wrestling is stupid

  25. The Salem Witch Trials • While viewing the clip on the Salem Witch Trials think of a good thesis statement if this was your research topic and you wanted to change it into a thesis. • ..\Researching_the_Salem_Witch_Project.asf

  26. Practice Writing a Thesis Statement • After viewing the video, discuss possible thesis statements. • Too Narrow • Too Broad • Properly Focused

  27. Your Homework Tonight • Go home tonight and locate at least 3 possible subjects you are interested in narrowing down to a topic for our next class. Bring in a background article.

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