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Effective Research Methods

The Second-Level Writing Handbook // Creating and Implementing Effective Writing Assignments // Responding to Student Writing // In-Class Writing Activities // Peer Response // Preventing Plagiarism // OSU Resources.

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To research, students need basic information about how to locate and cite sources. More importantly, however, they need to learn how critically evaluate and use sources to make arguments.

1) Using Sources Actively

Impose an arbitrary order on students' use of sources in their papers. Give them the following "formula" for using sources:

  1. Introduce the idea of the paragraph/transition from previous idea.
  2. Introduce the source-author and credentials, publication, etc.-in addition to providing the context of the source.
  3. Use the source-summarize, paraphrase, or quote, and cite the source.
  4. Comment on that source's contribution to your paper.

Introduce the "formula" early in the course. Have students look for use of it in each other's drafts and in the readings for class. Most importantly, focus on when the formula breaks down. When might a writer not need to include all parts of the formula and why? Time allotment: 5-10 minutes, revisited in several class periods.

2) Analyzing Web sites

This activity will enable students to think about the credibility of web sources. It is best accomplished as an in-class activity in a computer lab, but could be adapted as homework if no lab is available. Tell pairs of students to get on the web and find a Web site that they think is totally lacking in credibility. (This should take no longer than five minutes). Have students present their Web sites to the class, explaining reasons why they do not trust them. With a little prompting, students will likely come up with many of the criteria for Web site evaluation. (For example, Web sites with no author/organization identified and no recent updates are probably not trustworthy). After this, ask students to find a Web site that they think does meet the baseline criteria of credibility. Tell them that all Web sites (indeed all texts) have biases and limitations. Have pairs of students evaluate the rhetorical appeals of this Web site using the worksheet "Evaluating Web Pages," which is available at the Digital Media Project Web site.

Conclude by asking the pairs to report their findings to the rest of the class and by summarizing/highlighting key points. Time allotment: 45-60 minutes.

3) Conversing with Sources

Use the conversation metaphor to get students to see how their ideas in a paper relate to those of their sources. You can make this visual by invoking the idea of a table. Have students imagine that sitting at a conference table are themselves (the writers) and all of their sources. The issue/problem the student is writing about is on the agenda, and the task is for everyone at the table to take turns discussing it. You can make this tangible by having the class brainstorm an issue/paper topic in a mock conversation table in class. Assign one student the role of the writer and several others as the sources--authors of readings in the class. Allow all the students time in advance to prepare for the mock conversation table: the sources will want to prepare quotes, paraphrases, and summaries (learning to take on the role of their source and his or her particular viewpoints), while the writer will want to develop his or her working thesis statement and stance on the issue. Conduct the activity in class, with the writer leading the conversation. After the activity is over, discuss with the class the various issues that arose. Does the writer's thesis need to be revised due to complicating evidence from the sources? Revise the thesis as a class. Then discuss the various positions each source may have in the paper such as extending the writer's thesis, complicating the thesis, providing counterarguments, etc. Finally, move to sketching out an organizational plan for the paper with the class. What will be the main sections of the paper and in what order? Why? What are some possible transitions between these sections and ideas within the sections? Which sources will be important for which sections? Why? Time allotment: 1-2 hours.

4) Playing the Citation Game

This activity mostly serves as a quick and fun break from lecture and reinforces what students may or may not have learned about the basics of citation in a specified format. The class beforehand, you can ask students to bring in their favorite citable materials (books, magazines, print-outs of Web site pages), or you can opt just to bring in a variety of sources yourself. Lay all the materials out in a general area, split the class in half, and then ask students to pair up with someone on their team. As a pair, ask students to choose a source from the general area, select a passage, and cite it on a transparency both as it might occur in the body of a paper and in the works cited page. Collect these, keeping each team's citations separate, and ask students to return all the materials to the general area. Now, ask one pair from each team to come near the general area and stand ready to find the source cited. On the overhead, display one citation from each opposing team simultaneously and ask students to race to find it. The first pair to locate the passage wins a point for their team. Additionally, the team can win an additional 2 points for finding and correcting any errors in the citation. Though the activity is sophomoric, it does justify the need for citation style for quick reference (as well as illustrate the frustration of citations done incorrectly). Time allotment: 40-60 minutes.