Objectives
Today we will
* agree on the narrowed topic we will tackle for our GRP.
* research for an organization or policy maker to investigate for the GRP
* choose an organization or policy maker for the GRP.
1. Review: What have we done so far?
Take a look at the handout you received last Monday.
2. The narrowed topic for the GRP is:
voting sheet
3. a. Now that we have a manageable topic, we need an organization/policy maker that has tried to solve or reduce this problem. Individually, conduct a quick research on this area. Check reliability of organization, policies and solutions it has proposed, etc. Use the handout provided on Monday.
b. Get in groups of three and present your organization to your peers. Explain why you think it is a good choice for research. Listen to the proposals from your classmates, evaluate their organizations. As a group, choose one of the organizations. Write it down on the Google doc, make sure you write your names on the proposal. You will be asked to tell us why do you thing that is a good organization to investigate
4. Beginning the search for sources:
a. Individually first, conduct a quick research for ACADEMIC sources on the subtopic you are assigned (problem background, organization, solutions proposed by the organization). Evaluate the source according to validity and reliability. Check the document for this on the class website.
Homework
1. Research for an organization for your IRP. Check the solutions this institution has proposed to solve the problem you have decided to investigate. Upload your organization and a tentative solution you plan to investigate. Due date: Thursday, March 1, 12:00 midnight.
2. For the GRP. Go on the Googledoc and study the different options for organizations. Vote for TWO organizations. Write why you chose each. Thursday, March 1, 12:00 midnight.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Day 18: Narrowing the topic for the GRP
Objectives:
* To discuss the narrowing of of a topic
* To choose the narrowed topic for the GRP
* To choose the organization we will analyze for the GRP.
1. These are the suggestions you made for a narrowed topic and organization for the GRP.
tips for narrowing a topic
narrowed topic
Let's vote on a tentative narrowed topic.
2. In groups of three we will look for information on
a. background information
b. organizations
c. solutions given to the problem
3. Now we need to decide the organization we are going to investigate. Take a look at the handout Guidelines for the Guided Research Paper. Go to the websites of the organizations proposed and answer the questions.
4. We need to decide what solution to the problem this organization has devised we are going to analyze and evaluate.
In your folder GRP, open a new folder where you write:
a. the narrowed topic
b. the organization
c. a tentative solution to analyze/evaluate
Homework:
1. For the GRP, go to the Googledoc we worked on in class today and go over the proposed narrowed topics again. Choose two, you can choose your own of course. Write them down and upload this on Dropbox by Tuesday 29, at 6:00 PM.
2. Narrow the topic for your IRP. Use the same procedure we have used for GRP. Upload it on Dropbox by Wednesday, March 1, 8:00 AM.
* To discuss the narrowing of of a topic
* To choose the narrowed topic for the GRP
* To choose the organization we will analyze for the GRP.
1. These are the suggestions you made for a narrowed topic and organization for the GRP.
tips for narrowing a topic
narrowed topic
Let's vote on a tentative narrowed topic.
2. In groups of three we will look for information on
a. background information
b. organizations
c. solutions given to the problem
3. Now we need to decide the organization we are going to investigate. Take a look at the handout Guidelines for the Guided Research Paper. Go to the websites of the organizations proposed and answer the questions.
4. We need to decide what solution to the problem this organization has devised we are going to analyze and evaluate.
In your folder GRP, open a new folder where you write:
a. the narrowed topic
b. the organization
c. a tentative solution to analyze/evaluate
Homework:
1. For the GRP, go to the Googledoc we worked on in class today and go over the proposed narrowed topics again. Choose two, you can choose your own of course. Write them down and upload this on Dropbox by Tuesday 29, at 6:00 PM.
2. Narrow the topic for your IRP. Use the same procedure we have used for GRP. Upload it on Dropbox by Wednesday, March 1, 8:00 AM.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Day 17: Purpose, Audience, and Tone
Objectives:
* To narrow our chosen topic for the GRP
* To choose the audience (organization) for our GRP
CONSIDERING AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
First, read the Audience and Purpose Discussion handout. Next, get together with one of your classmates and discuss the questions in pairs. Consider these two writing samples from the same student, Fatimeh Ghazi (Egypt), but with different audiences. One was written to a friend back home and the other was written for a class on social relations. Look how the emphasis changes depending on the author's relationship with the audience.
1. Consider the following differences between the two: vocabulary, examples used, sentence structure, use of pronouns, specifics mentioned, organization, tone.
2. What did the writer include in the first example that she left out in the second? Why?
3. What did she include in the second that she left out in the first? Why?
II. Important to remember:
Every paper needs a purpose and an audience. The audience needs to be decided early, before writing the first draft. Are you writing for the Ministry of Education of you country? for the government agency in charge of dealing with your particular topic?
For the Guided Research Paper we are going to choose an organization, analyze one of its solutions to the problem and then write our paper having the organization as our audience.
In pairs, google a couple of organizations that have tried to give a solution to the GRP problem. Each pair should submit at least one organization or policy maker and two or three solutions that the organization/policy maker is working on to address the problem preferably with their own detailed website.
Guidelines for the GRP
Homework:
1. Go to Dropbox and upload your suggestion on a narrowed topic for homelessness. Write the name of the organization you propose and its website email address. This is due Saturday at 12:00 midnight.
2. If your topic was approved, start your pre-research and proceed to narrow it to a manageable size. Next, conduct a research for an organization/policy maker whose solutions you can analyze. Follow the same guidelines we did today for the GRP.
Once you have this information, create a new folder on Dropbox and label it:
Sources:
Faivre, S. and Rosado, C. (2012). Audience and Purpose. ESL 115 TA Resources.
http://esl115ta.blogspot.com/2012/02/audience-purpose.html
* To narrow our chosen topic for the GRP
* To choose the audience (organization) for our GRP
CONSIDERING AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
First, read the Audience and Purpose Discussion handout. Next, get together with one of your classmates and discuss the questions in pairs. Consider these two writing samples from the same student, Fatimeh Ghazi (Egypt), but with different audiences. One was written to a friend back home and the other was written for a class on social relations. Look how the emphasis changes depending on the author's relationship with the audience.
1. Consider the following differences between the two: vocabulary, examples used, sentence structure, use of pronouns, specifics mentioned, organization, tone.
2. What did the writer include in the first example that she left out in the second? Why?
3. What did she include in the second that she left out in the first? Why?
II. Important to remember:
Every paper needs a purpose and an audience. The audience needs to be decided early, before writing the first draft. Are you writing for the Ministry of Education of you country? for the government agency in charge of dealing with your particular topic?
For the Guided Research Paper we are going to choose an organization, analyze one of its solutions to the problem and then write our paper having the organization as our audience.
In pairs, google a couple of organizations that have tried to give a solution to the GRP problem. Each pair should submit at least one organization or policy maker and two or three solutions that the organization/policy maker is working on to address the problem preferably with their own detailed website.
Guidelines for the GRP
Homework:
1. Go to Dropbox and upload your suggestion on a narrowed topic for homelessness. Write the name of the organization you propose and its website email address. This is due Saturday at 12:00 midnight.
2. If your topic was approved, start your pre-research and proceed to narrow it to a manageable size. Next, conduct a research for an organization/policy maker whose solutions you can analyze. Follow the same guidelines we did today for the GRP.
Once you have this information, create a new folder on Dropbox and label it:
IRP_topic and organization
Upload it by next class (Monday, Feb. 27).
Sources:
Faivre, S. and Rosado, C. (2012). Audience and Purpose. ESL 115 TA Resources.
http://esl115ta.blogspot.com/2012/02/audience-purpose.html
Monday, February 20, 2012
Day 16: Library Day today!
Objectives:
Students will be able to see and hopefully learn to use the UIUC Library resources to conduct their research for the GRP and the IRP.
Students please go to Room 291 in the Undergraduate Library. Try to come a little before 9:00; I will be waiting for you at the library entrance but we need to be inside the room at 9:00 A.M.
HOMEWORK
For our next class you need to do the following:
1. Most of you voted for"The increasing number of homeless people" as the topic for our Guided Research Paper (10 votes). They way it is now, this topic is too general and we need to narrow it to a more specific focus. Please think about narrowed ideas for this topic. We will brainstorm this in class.
2. This research paper assignment your are about to embark calls for analyzing and evaluating the solution(s), policy(ies) of a organization that has tried to solve the problem in the past. Therefore, we need to find an organization that has addressed the issue of homelessness and proposed or implemented solutions to eradicate it. Please, research organizations in this area. We will brainstorm this in class as well.
3. You should have a tentative topic for your Individual Research Paper by now. If you don't, please choose one by Wednesday. Start your research for articles about your topic; it is important to learn about the topic first doing some extensive reading about it.
Now that you know about some of the resources our library offers, it is important that your research is conducted in the library more than on Google or Wikipedia. Your sources will have to be truly academic and exhibit all the characteristics this type of sources require.
Students will be able to see and hopefully learn to use the UIUC Library resources to conduct their research for the GRP and the IRP.
Students please go to Room 291 in the Undergraduate Library. Try to come a little before 9:00; I will be waiting for you at the library entrance but we need to be inside the room at 9:00 A.M.
HOMEWORK
For our next class you need to do the following:
1. Most of you voted for"The increasing number of homeless people" as the topic for our Guided Research Paper (10 votes). They way it is now, this topic is too general and we need to narrow it to a more specific focus. Please think about narrowed ideas for this topic. We will brainstorm this in class.
2. This research paper assignment your are about to embark calls for analyzing and evaluating the solution(s), policy(ies) of a organization that has tried to solve the problem in the past. Therefore, we need to find an organization that has addressed the issue of homelessness and proposed or implemented solutions to eradicate it. Please, research organizations in this area. We will brainstorm this in class as well.
3. You should have a tentative topic for your Individual Research Paper by now. If you don't, please choose one by Wednesday. Start your research for articles about your topic; it is important to learn about the topic first doing some extensive reading about it.
Now that you know about some of the resources our library offers, it is important that your research is conducted in the library more than on Google or Wikipedia. Your sources will have to be truly academic and exhibit all the characteristics this type of sources require.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Day 15: Topics for the GRA and IRP
Objectives:
Students will be able to
1. decide on the topic for the Guided Research Paper (GRP).
2. discuss the importance of Audicence and Purpose.
3. research for an organization/policy maker for the GRP.
4. prepare for Library visit.
1. What will the topic of our Guided Research Topic be? Last Friday you researched topics/problems that interest you. Today we will decide on one from the topics you submitted.
Choosing a research topic.
2. CONSIDERING AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
First, read the Audience and Purpose Discussion handout. Next, get together with one of your classmates and discuss the questions in pairs. Consider these two writing samples from the same student, Fatimeh Ghazi (Egypt), but with different audiences. One was written to a friend back home and the other was written for a class on social relations. Look how the emphasis changes depending on the author's relationship with the audience.
1. Consider the following differences between the two: vocabulary, examples used, sentence structure, use of pronouns, specifics mentioned, organization, tone.
2. What did the writer include in the first example that she left out in the second? Why?
3. What did she include in the second that she left out in the first? Why?
II. Important to remember:
Every paper needs a purpose and an audience. The audience needs to be decided early, before writing the first draft. Are you writing for the Ministry of Education of you country? for the government agency in charge of dealing with your particular topic?
For the Guided Research Paper we are going to choose an organization, analyze one of its solutions to the problem and then write our paper having the organization as our audience.
In pairs, google a couple of organizations that have tried to give a solution to the GRP problem. Each pair should submit at least one organization or policy maker and two or three solutions that the organization/policy maker is working on to address the problem preferably with their own detailed website.
HOMEWORK:
1. Choose the topic for your Individual Research Topic (IRP) today. Decide on the organization, agency, policy maker that will be your audience. Research on solutions given by this organization to the problem you have chosen to analyze. You need to submit your topic and the name of the organization/policy making by next Wednesday, at 12:00 midnight on dropbox. Name the file: IRP_choice of topic
2. Browse through UIUC Library Website. Prepare a few questions (about the GRP or IRP topics, about research advice, techniques, etc.).
Sources:
Faivre, S. and Rosado, C. (2012). Audience and Purpose. ESL 115 TA Resources.
http://esl115ta.blogspot.com/2012/02/audience-purpose.html
Students will be able to
1. decide on the topic for the Guided Research Paper (GRP).
2. discuss the importance of Audicence and Purpose.
3. research for an organization/policy maker for the GRP.
4. prepare for Library visit.
1. What will the topic of our Guided Research Topic be? Last Friday you researched topics/problems that interest you. Today we will decide on one from the topics you submitted.
Choosing a research topic.
2. CONSIDERING AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
First, read the Audience and Purpose Discussion handout. Next, get together with one of your classmates and discuss the questions in pairs. Consider these two writing samples from the same student, Fatimeh Ghazi (Egypt), but with different audiences. One was written to a friend back home and the other was written for a class on social relations. Look how the emphasis changes depending on the author's relationship with the audience.
1. Consider the following differences between the two: vocabulary, examples used, sentence structure, use of pronouns, specifics mentioned, organization, tone.
2. What did the writer include in the first example that she left out in the second? Why?
3. What did she include in the second that she left out in the first? Why?
II. Important to remember:
Every paper needs a purpose and an audience. The audience needs to be decided early, before writing the first draft. Are you writing for the Ministry of Education of you country? for the government agency in charge of dealing with your particular topic?
For the Guided Research Paper we are going to choose an organization, analyze one of its solutions to the problem and then write our paper having the organization as our audience.
In pairs, google a couple of organizations that have tried to give a solution to the GRP problem. Each pair should submit at least one organization or policy maker and two or three solutions that the organization/policy maker is working on to address the problem preferably with their own detailed website.
HOMEWORK:
1. Choose the topic for your Individual Research Topic (IRP) today. Decide on the organization, agency, policy maker that will be your audience. Research on solutions given by this organization to the problem you have chosen to analyze. You need to submit your topic and the name of the organization/policy making by next Wednesday, at 12:00 midnight on dropbox. Name the file: IRP_choice of topic
2. Browse through UIUC Library Website. Prepare a few questions (about the GRP or IRP topics, about research advice, techniques, etc.).
Sources:
Faivre, S. and Rosado, C. (2012). Audience and Purpose. ESL 115 TA Resources.
http://esl115ta.blogspot.com/2012/02/audience-purpose.html
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Day 14: Choosing a Topic for the Guided Research Paper
Objective:
* To start the process of research by choosing the topic of our investigation.
1. Choose an issue that affects a specific group of people (i.e. children, teenagers, women, etc.) in your local community, state, country, or region of the world.
Example: Topic/problem: Endangered Species
website 1
website 2
2. Choose an organization or policy maker that has addressed or tried to solve that problem in the past.
Example of organization that deals with the problem of endangered species:
The World Wildlife Fund
3. Brainstorm a list of problems you are interested in or that you know affect you or other in your community. Select one or two.
4. Begin your search o the web. (Don't forget: you need a problem and an organization or policy maker that has been working on solving the problem.
5. Once you have a topic and an organization, please submit your proposal in writing:
1. Your name:
2. The topic/problem you propose to research:
3. Submit a couple of websites for background information on this topic.
4. Organization or policy maker which has tried to deal with/solve the problem:
5. Website:
Give proposal to instructor.
Homework:
Remember that the final draft for the diagnostic essay is due Monday, February 20, at 12:00 midnight.
* To start the process of research by choosing the topic of our investigation.
1. Choose an issue that affects a specific group of people (i.e. children, teenagers, women, etc.) in your local community, state, country, or region of the world.
Example: Topic/problem: Endangered Species
website 1
website 2
2. Choose an organization or policy maker that has addressed or tried to solve that problem in the past.
Example of organization that deals with the problem of endangered species:
The World Wildlife Fund
3. Brainstorm a list of problems you are interested in or that you know affect you or other in your community. Select one or two.
4. Begin your search o the web. (Don't forget: you need a problem and an organization or policy maker that has been working on solving the problem.
5. Once you have a topic and an organization, please submit your proposal in writing:
1. Your name:
2. The topic/problem you propose to research:
3. Submit a couple of websites for background information on this topic.
4. Organization or policy maker which has tried to deal with/solve the problem:
5. Website:
Give proposal to instructor.
Homework:
Remember that the final draft for the diagnostic essay is due Monday, February 20, at 12:00 midnight.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Day 13: Writing a Problem Solution Paper
Objectives:
* We will take a look at what we are doing the next few weeks.
* We will discuss the importance of research and the writing of a research paper
* We will be able to list the steps in the process for writing a research paper.
I. Warm-up: Let's watch a short video on what Sponge Bob thinks about writing research papers.
Sponge Bob video
How difficult is it for you to write a paper?
We need to understand what research is and understand the process to follow so that we don't end up like Sponge Bob.
II. What is ahead...
Interview with Professor Janelle Scott
Watch this video of a professor talking about her research.
III. Research Paper Overview
A. In pairs, open up the RESEARCH PAPER OVERVIEW (ORDERING ACTIVITY). Rearrange the steps into the order that you feel is correct. Add 1-2 sentences for each step as to what it means, why it is important, or how you should complete it.
B. Whole Class Application
What did everyone put for their first step? Second?... Any discrepancies? Do you think that more than one ordering is possible?
Now you will be given a RESEARCH PAPER OVERVIEW (HANDOUT). Compare the list here with what you have done yourselves--any major differences?
Can we apply all these steps to the topic of child obesity?
Example:
Homework:
Think about topics you are interested in. In the next class we will decide on the topic we will use to develop our Guided Research Paper. For Monday, you will decide on the topic of your Individual Research Paper.
* We will take a look at what we are doing the next few weeks.
* We will discuss the importance of research and the writing of a research paper
* We will be able to list the steps in the process for writing a research paper.
I. Warm-up: Let's watch a short video on what Sponge Bob thinks about writing research papers.
Sponge Bob video
How difficult is it for you to write a paper?
We need to understand what research is and understand the process to follow so that we don't end up like Sponge Bob.
II. What is ahead...
Interview with Professor Janelle Scott
Watch this video of a professor talking about her research.
- What is the topic of her research?
- How does she define her research interests?
- What does she hope her research will do?
III. Research Paper Overview
A. In pairs, open up the RESEARCH PAPER OVERVIEW (ORDERING ACTIVITY). Rearrange the steps into the order that you feel is correct. Add 1-2 sentences for each step as to what it means, why it is important, or how you should complete it.
B. Whole Class Application
What did everyone put for their first step? Second?... Any discrepancies? Do you think that more than one ordering is possible?
Now you will be given a RESEARCH PAPER OVERVIEW (HANDOUT). Compare the list here with what you have done yourselves--any major differences?
Can we apply all these steps to the topic of child obesity?
Example:
- Choosing a topic: I heard about this problem form a commercial and on the news. I wonder if anything is being done about this?
- Pre-search: I look it up on CQ Researcher and I listed a bunch different ideas related to it--food in schools, false advertisements, high prices on healthy foods, fitness programs, an organization advocating for healthier school lunches, etc.
- Develop a research question: Hmm, I am definitely more interested in the school lunch advocate groups because I always remember having bad food in school and I never liked eating it. I wonder what different policies have been proposed for healthier lunches? So maybe my research question is: How can a school make healthier lunches available to their students and will this really affect child obesity?
- Formal Source Search: On the library database, I do a lot of searching related to school lunch programs and find some helpful, reliable sources. Now I am ready to take notes. OR I don't really find anything I am interested in but while I was searching I found a lot of neat things related to fitness programs. So I am going to revise my research questions to evaluate the effectiveness of child fitness programs instead of school lunches.
- Note-taking: I print out the articles, start highlighting, etc. and making notes in the margins about what I might be able to use. With the help of my instructor, I will write an annotated bibliography to organize my information.
- Outline: Now I can synthesize all my notes and start building an outline with a thesis, supporting point, and illustrations from which I will write.
- Presentation: I put together a PowerPoint presentation with m y sources, thesis, and key pints and p resent them to the class.
- Writing: draft after draft after draft and with APA style, I will actually write my paper as the last step!
Homework:
Think about topics you are interested in. In the next class we will decide on the topic we will use to develop our Guided Research Paper. For Monday, you will decide on the topic of your Individual Research Paper.
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