The focus of argument in research

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The focus of argument in research

• PGM0120 Session 9 (writing 2)
• John Morgan

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• The notes for this session are cross referenced
  to optional extra worksheets that I use on a
  regular basis with postgraduate students. The
  worksheets are available in this session.

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Session 7 (writing 1)

• In the last session we discussed possible
  approaches to the research question
• Counter-claiming
• Indicating a gap
• General inquiry
• Continuing a research tradition

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Session 8

• Session 8 with David Stoker and Graeme Davies
  would have discussed aspects of literature
  searching and literature review that are relevant
  to this session.
• The focus here will build upon functional aspects
  of language use that cross reference session 8,
  but will establish a rhetorical standpoint for
  how you want to your writing to be received by
  your readership.

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The main focus of your research

• Swales (1990) has identified the four functional
  aspects of research questions already mentioned.
• In reality there may be more than this and there
  may be many combinations of aspects of these
  approaches to research, but in my own reading
  experience, focused writing is primarily
  structured within one of these functional aspects.

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• Does the broader question of your own research
  fit into one of these areas?
• Can you see a combination?
• If so what is the most important aspect of your
  work?
• Would it be possible to use one of these as a
  heading that may encompass other focuses at
  different stages of the work (e.g. of different
  research papers, that each feed into the larger
  research question)?

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• If it is accepted that you should be able to
  articulate or write a statement of aims in
  anything between a single sentence and a single
  paragraph (cf. Davies, session 8), would a
  combination of these functional aspects
  complicate that task.
• This is a common criticism on the early stages of
  research.

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• Within that focus (or combination), how are you
  establishing?
• your voice
• your originality
• other aspects

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• How does that work in relation to the published
  sources (cf. Davies, session 8, replicating or
  extending research, finding inconsistencies)?
• Are there any significant implications for your
  results in terms of ideas belonging to people at
  the forefront of research? Or does it put you
  into such a position?

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Points for cross reference 1

• Writing an introduction using Swales analysis of
  common structures in research papers (more common
  in social sciences and sciences than arts, but
  equally applicable). It also includes functional
  aspects of writing a discussion section and
  conclusion.

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Worksheet 1

• Worksheet 1 includes text samples of how others
  have structured functional aspects of getting a
  clear introduction on paper (Swales, 1990). It
  moves on to look at aspects of dissertation
  introductions and how they expand upon the
  initial structures. It then includes functional
  aspects of writing discussion sections (Dudley
  Evans, 1989, Swales, 1990) and conclusions
  (Crusius and Channell, 1998).

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Points for cross reference 2

• How these functional aspects may be articulated
  into the literature review. A comparative view of
  researchers on researchers and how you can view
  the arguments created towards a de-centring and
  re-centring of published literature.

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Worksheet 2

• Worksheet 2 creates a spreadsheet planning
  process to begin mapping out aspects of a
  literature review before committing ideas to
  paper (based on Hart, 1998 27) and also
  considers some of the critical questions that may
  help to de-centre and re-centre the work you are
  reviewing (Pope, 1995).

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Bibliography

• Crusius, T.W. Channell, C.E. (1998). The Aims
  of Argument A Brief Rhetoric (Second Edition).
  Mountain View, Ca Mayfield.
• Dudley-Evans, T. (1989). Genre Analysis An
  Investigation of the Introduction and Discussion
  Sections of MSc Dissertations. In Coulthard, M.
  (Ed.). Talking about Text, English Language
  Research, University of Birmingham. In Bhatia,
  V.K. (1993).
• Pope, R. (1995). Textual Intervention Critical
  and Creative Strategies for Literary Studies.
  London Routledge.
• Swales, J. (1990). Genre Analysis English in
  Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge CUP.