1. TOPIC (what)
You begin by selecting a topic that is related to this course
2. CONTEXT (when & where)
This is the original when and where of your topic. A historical comparison compares context. You can actually use the when & where in your title. For example, "graffiti" becomes "graffiti in the 1980's in Ibiza, Spain."
3. INTEREST & INTENTION (why)
Your personal interest is important to help you stay with the research but it can be a bias. Ask yourself - What is my bias? A love of the topic? A preferred conclusion? Do I hold the majority opinion? Why research it? You should also consider your intention. Does this research need to be done? Has someone already exhausted the topic? What am I trying to understand about design through this topic?
4. POINT OF VIEW AND BUILDING AN INFORMED POINT OF VIEW (what)
For this class, you will start your research with a point of view that becomes more informed through the research process. Rather than a thesis statement that you try to prove, begin by defining your point of view on the subject. Consider your topic differently to understand your initial opinion. Try to develop a neutral starting place.
State your topic from a negative point of view:
State your topic neutrally:
Keep in mind that you will discover research that supports or transforms your personal opinion so that your initial point of view should become more informed by the conclusion.
5. PRIMARY RESEARCH (how)
Can you get to the actual object or material you are researching? Can you get to a replica? Go back to photos, television broadcasts and quotes. Consider an interview. If the most important person is inaccessible (dead or too famous) then you should try to contact someone as closely related as possible. Doing an original interview for your research is ideal, even if it means interviewing a publicist, news reporter or someone secondary. You may be surprised to realize how many people will kindly respond to an email from a serious student. It is acceptable to contact people by email for quotes, you may also consult autobiographies and other books of testimony if an interview is impossible – always check for a major book!
5. SCHOLARLY RESEARCH (how)
A lot of people claim “there are no scholarly articles on my topic.” It may be true that no scholar has researched the history of graffiti communication in Ibiza but you should be able to find articles related to larger issues (graffiti in general). Newspapers like The New York Times or business magazines like The Economist are helpful but are NOT scholarly. The first places to look for material are the textbooks used for the class. You should also consult academic journals.
Read scholarly articles: Once you find a scholarly article, you should read it and decide how it relates to your topic. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO FIND A SOURCE ONLINE AND PUT IT IN REFERENCES. You should try to understand the method of the article, the point of view and the conclusions. Does this research support or go against what you want to say? That is the most basic way of understanding it.
Quote & Cite Scholarly Articles: In your paper and presentation you should reference scholarly articles by the name of the researcher and the title. You should include a quote or main idea from at least one scholarly article in your paper.
6. MEDIA RESEARCH (how)
Have you done a Google image search on the topic? Have you searched your topic in You Tube? What about music related to your topic…have you listened to it? Screened films or related television? You can submit a cd of images, portfolio, playlist or other material for extra credit worth 5 %.
7. TERMINOLOGY (how)
When describing your topic in the paper, Include the terms in our book or in class discussions
CHECKLIST
_____ The topic is directly related to this course
_____ The title is clearly stated
_____ The paper is clearly organized
Ex:
I.Introduction
II.Tell the story
III.Summary of primary evidence
IV. Accepted opinions
V. Alternative opinions
VI. New point of view
VII. Conclusion
_____ The intention is clearly presented at the beginning of the paper
_____ I have conducted primary research on the topic
_____ I have conducted scholarly research and quote it in my paper
_____ I have conducted media research and cite it in my paper
_____ I use the terms from our books and/or class discussions
_____ I have an informed point of view in the conclusion
_____ I follow the style guidelines and meet page requirements
_____ If I have time, I have created a CD, portfolio or other format of images or other supplementary material for extra credit of up to 5%
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