Conducting Research

Pose possible questions worth exploring

Narrow the question:restrict your focus to length requirements

Broad What are the hazards of fad diets? What causes homelessness? What influences an author to produce a literary work?

Narrower What are the hazards of liquid diets? How has the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill

contributed to the problem of homelessness? How did Hemmingway’s relationship with his father

influence his writings?

Intellectually Challenging Questions: seek to provoke thought or engage readers in debate

Too bland What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? How do lie detectors work? When did Steinbeck decide to become a writer?

Challenging What treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder

show the most promise? How reliable are lie detectors? What obstacles nearly prevented Steinbeck from

becoming an author?

Ground Questions in Facts:Do not focus on speculation or philosophical, ethical or religious issues

Too Speculative Is capital punishment moral? What is the difference between a just and an unjust law? Are drugs and alcohol needed to write?

Grounded Does capital punishment deter crime? Should we adjust our laws so that penalties for possession of

powdered cocaine and crack cocaine are comparable? How does Hemmingway justify his use of alcohol in comparison

to Fitzgerald’s abusive habits?

Homework Assignment

Access: http://www.dianahacker.com/ bedhandbook

Select: Research Exercises Do Exercise 49-1 Research questions E-mail results to: mvargas@trschools.com