Ptoject#2
Before you begin this blog post, you will have had time to choose a specific research question about your topic and have that research question approved. Once your research question is approved, you will need to consider your research so far in light of that question. What aspects of the issue have you not really researched yet?
Step 1:
For this post, you will need to find at least two new sources that help you understand your *research question* (not your topic in general) better. (For example, if my research question is “What can Miami do to better mitigate the effects of climate change?” I would look for sources that are about Miami + climate change + mitigation. I would not just look for sources about “climate change” generally. At this point in your research, your research question should be guiding what exactly you are researching.)
Your post should include the following information:
What is your research question?
Include a brief summary for each source that highlights the most important things you learned about your topic from that source. This should be a thorough explanation that shows that you read the source–and reveals why you are interested in this topic. Also, answer:
What new element of the issue does each source introduce?
What aspect(s) of the problem/issue do your sources seem to focus on most?
What new, surprising, or unexpected information came up?
How has each of these sources added to your understanding of the topic? (In other words, what would you not have known without reading this source? Is there anything that seems more complicated than it did before you read this source? What is added to the conversation by reading this source?)
Now look at your research as a whole, so far.
What questions do you have now that you did not have before?
Have you encountered any contradictions or conflicting information (look back at all your sources)?
Have you encountered any possible solutions or possible answers to your research question?
Now that you have explored more about this topic, how can you make your research topic more specific and/or more focused? What would you like to learn more about before making your contribution to this larger conversation?
One result of conducting research is that your research topic becomes more specific and focused as your sources point you in particular directions. Consider the research youve done so far. In what ways is your research topic becoming more specific and focused than it was when you first started your research? What are you focusing in on now that you did not originally see and/or anticipate?
Note: Within each summary, include at least one quote from the source with an in-text citation in MLA format. (Refer back to the MLA Citation PowerPoint from MLA Quiz if you need help remembering how to do this.) When thinking about what to quote, select a sentence or two that seems significant to this source and connects to what you are saying in this summary.