What is Research

1
What is Research?

• Characteristics of Formal Research

2
Research originates with a question or problem

• The world is filled with unanswered questions,
  unresolved problems.
• Everywhere we look, we observe things that cause
  us to wonder, to speculate, to ask questions.
• Not all questions are of equal importance most
  questions asked on a daily basis require little,
  if any, type of research or investigation to find
  the answer (interview questions).

3
Research originates with a question or problem

• This class is about being able to develop the
  larger/deeper, usually more important questions
  that require some research to answer them.
• Often you will find that a series of fairly
  simple questions will lead you to a larger
  question that requires you to dig deeper.
• Some answers will lead to new questions.

4
Research usually divides the principal problem
into more manageable sub-problems or
sub-questions.

• Once you have your question/focus you can begin
  to break apart your task.
• Does your primary question/(s) bring to light any
  new questions?

5
Research usually divides the principal problem
into more manageable sub-problems or
sub-questions.

• Example
• Main Problem How do I get from Town A to Town B?
• Sub-problems/ Sub-questions
• What is the most direct route?
• How far do I travel on the thruway?
• What is the number of the exit I take in leaving
  the thruway?

6
Data is gathered

• Research then requires the collection and
  interpretation of data (evidence) in attempting
  to resolve the problem/question that initiated
  the research.

7
Stop, Think Research!!
8
Stop,Think Research

• Think about the current Presidential Election
  between Barack Obama John McCain.
• No matter who becomes our next President, the
  election of 2008 is one for the history books.
• If you were to research and analyze the 2008
  Presidential Election and its candidates what
  questions would shape your research?

9
Do Now

• Please write down two questions that you may have
  about the current Presidential Election. Be sure
  to include sub-questions if necessary.
• 1. _______________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  _____
• 2. _______________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  _____

10
Do Later

• Please take one question from the list generated
  by the Do Now discussion and research the
  answer(s) by using the Web.
• To make a claim to have an answer you must
• Must find 2 sources that support each other.
• Record the source URLs
• Explain why you believe you have found the answer
  to the question. Defend your findings!

11

• Source 1
• Source 2
• Give supporting evidence to support your
• answer __________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  _____________

12
Internet Research Tips

• Recognizing Bias/Evaluating Internet Reliability

13
Recognizing Bias

• One of the downsides of living in an age so
  completely saturated with various forms of media
  is that the task of sifting through the
  information for the truth is extremely difficult.
• So how does one sift through the fabrications or
  bias?
• One has to read critically

14
Recognizing Bias

• Bias is a preference or an inclination,
  especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.
• While evaluating your sources ask yourself these
  questions
• 1. Who wrote this and what is his or her
  background? Reading critically sometimes means
  more reading has to be done.

15
Recognizing Bias

• 2. What organization put out this information?
  Look up publishers and see what else they have
  sponsored.
• 3. Is there a bias? Do you question a sources
  legitimacy?
• 4. Is there good evidence? Take some time to
  check the facts. (www.snopes.com)
• 5. What are the other opinions on the subject?
  One might as well read all sides before taking a
  position.

16

• Dont be a sheeplearn to investigate.

17
Fact vs. Opinion

• See USA Today Article
• http//www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/20
  06-04-02-media-mix_x.htm

18
Finding Reliable Internet Sources

• The internet is a great resource, but it is also
  a public forum, where anyone can make a claim or
  an assertion (Wikipedia/Blogs etc.)
• It is your responsibility as a researcher to find
  and use the trustworthy sources.

19
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• Author
• In most cases you should stay away from Internet
  information that doesnt list an author.
• While the information you find may be true, it is
  more difficult to validate information if you
  dont know the credentials of the author.

20
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• Author Cont
• If the author is named, you will want to find
  his/her web page to
• 1. Verify educational credits
• 2. Discover if the writer is either published in
  a scholarly journal
• 3. Verify that the writer is employed by a
  research institution or university

21
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• URL
• If the information is linked to an organization,
  try to determine the reliability of the
  sponsoring organization.
• One tip is the URL ending.

22
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• URL
• If the site ends with .edu, it is most likely an
  educational institution but be aware of
  political bias!

23
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• URL
• If a site ends in .gov, it is most likely a
  reliable government website. Government sites
  are usually good sources for statistics and
  objective (uninfluenced by emotions or personal
  prejudices) reports.

24
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• URL
• Sites that end in .org are usually non-profit
  organizations. They can be very good sources or
  very poor sources, so youll have to take care to
  research their possible agendas or political
  biases, if they exist.

25
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• Online Journals and Magazines
• A reputable journal or magazine should contain a
  bibliography for every article.
• The list of sources within that bibliography
  should be pretty extensive, and it should include
  scholarly, non-Internet sources.
• Check for statistics and data within the article
  to back up the claims made by the author. Does
  the writer provide evidence to back up his/her
  statements?

26
Helpful Hints Investigating your source

• News Sources
• Every television and print news source has a
  website.
• To some extent, you can rely on the most trusted
  news sources, but you should not rely on them
  exclusively.
• After all, network and cable news stations are
  involved in entertainment therefore they should
  be stepping stones to more reliable sources.