Ideas for Strengthening Research Skills
- Practicing research questioning strategies: Students
use questions and document the process they use to come
up with a final research question (for examples see chapter
3 in The Craft of Research, Booth, Colomb and Williams*).
They can practice questioning using different organizational
frameworks, disciplinary frameworks, historical perspectives,
stakeholder perspectives, etc.
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- Practicing critical reading strategies: Students
can annotate course readings and then turn in summaries
of their annotations. Students can practice paraphrasing
with proper citation the key ideas, questions, conflicts,
themes, etc. found in course readings.
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- Practicing close reading skills: Students can practice
identifying language patterns, argumentation patterns,
logical reasoning patterns, strands, and oppositions
and why they are important.
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- Practicing development of theses statements: Students
can approach a research assignment from three different
perspectives-analytical, expository and argumentative.
This can also be done in student groups of three with each
student developing a thesis from a differing perspective.
The group members then share their thesis statements
and discuss how they would proceed with research, analysis
and support.
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- Practicing evaluating Internet sources: Using questions
found on Library and Writing Center/Studio websites, or
professor generated questions, students are required to
justify their choice of electronic citations. What tests
of credibility must each citation pass?
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- Practicing observation skills and using inductive and
deductive reasoning within a classroom model of action research:
Taken from classroom instruction and disciplinary theory,
students use field experience to test and record a research
question from both reasoning perspectives. Students record
observations, interviews and eyewitness statements in a
research journal. They reflect on their observations
and record their reasoning processes for drawing conclusions.
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- Practicing pure vs. applied research: Once conclusions
are developed, students develop an action plan for participation
in (real or hypothetical)- program development, policy
revision, writing a position paper, volunteer work.
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- Encouraging pre-planning of a senior thesis or project:
Students can use various field experiences as a catalyst
for a larger project. Students develop a working research
question prior to study abroad, internships or community
service.
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*
Booth, W., Colcomb, G. and Williams, J. (2003) The Craft of Research.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
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