Brainstorming is a fundamental process to research and writing. More time fine-tuning ideas leads to better research which leads to better researched writing. This worksheet is designed to 1) help you identify topics that interest you, questions you have, and views you already hold; and 2) get you started on some quick research to gauge how “researchable” one of your prospective topics is. These are two strategies.
STEP 1: Brainstorm Interests (if you already have a strong interest, skip to STEP 2)
List/freewrite here the various topics that are connected to your major that you would like to research more. Focus on an ethical issue connected to your major.
Think of controversial topics to some level. (Straightforward topics lead to easy answers that do not rely on strong research). This could take the shape of investigating current events, author studies, social or ethical constructs, etc.
Try here to construct a question or two that captures what you may want to investigate for this project. Try to make these questions controversial or debatable in some way, allowing you to explore multiple perspectives and determine your own stance.
STEP 2: Identify Topics that (You Feel) Need to be Exposed to Audiences
What is a topic/issue that sparks your interest that you feel needs to be further investigated and shared? Why do you feel this way?
STEP 3: Brainstorm Sources/Evidence (adapted from Writing Arguments, p. 102)
What personal experiences have you had with this issue, if any? What details from your life or the lives of your friends, acquaintances, or relatives might serve as examples or other kinds of evidence?
What evidence/information might you hope to find in encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, scholarly journals, and/or statistical resources (such as U.S. Census Bureau data or Statistical Abstract of the United States)?
STEP 4: Do Some Quick Research Online
Try searching via google.com a phrase that captures one of the topics you’ve identified so far. Try searching with and without quotation marks. How many hits did you get? What are the titles of some of the more promising websites that populated? Save or bookmark any keepers. Jot down here the phrases you used that seem to capture your idea.
How many hits:
Titles of promising sources:
Repeat the above search through scholar.google.com. How many hits did you get? What are the titles of some of the more promising scholarly sources that populated? Save or bookmark any keepers.
How many hits:
Titles of promising sources:
Select one or two promising sources or websites that you’ve found so far through your searches. Skim through it. In what ways does it provide information or perspectives that relate to or differ from your own stance?
STEP 5: Reflections
How strongly do you feel about adopting theses sources for your Research Essay? What questions/concerns do you have, if any?
