Today, I want you to continue doing research and reading the sources you're finding. As you read, I want you to analyze the arguments made by each of your sources. What are the major ideas/issues in the conversation about your question? Where do your sources agree? Where do they disagree? What kinds of evidence does each source use? Do they agree on what counts as evidence? I'll be asking you to write about that this week, so I'm just giving you a heads-up about it now so you can make sure you're thinking this way as you read and taking enough notes to be able to answer these questions about your sources.
To help with some of this note-taking, I want you to start filling out a "Reading Matrix" as you read. If you click on the link to the "Reading Matrix," it will take you right to the document (it's in Google docs in our 1302SII folder). All you need to do is copy it and start a new doc in your own individual Google Docs folder. That way, you can continue to add to it as you read, and I can check in on your progress. I'll check Tuesday morning [8:00am] to see if you have this started and will give you a grade for your progress.
Essentially, the Reading Matrix is just a way to organize 1) the major ideas that you're encountering in your research and 2) where those ideas pop up. You won't fill in every box (not every idea will be represented by every source), and you should definitely feel free to alter the chart to keep track of whatever ideas you want to keep track of. I suggested on the template that you be as specific as you can be in the chart, even noting page numbers and/or quotes so you can quickly find important ideas later. If it works properly, you won't have to re-read everything as you're sitting down to work on your draft of your reflective essay for your researched project. It'll serve as a crib sheet of sorts for you.
I'll be back in court tomorrow for possible jury duty--not sure yet if they're going to choose me or not––but I'll keep you updated. I've been checking the Google Docs folders to see if anyone has written me for feedback, and I've been responding to those as I see them. If I miss you and you need feedback quickly, just send me an email at jcharlton@utpa.edu and I'll get back to you as soon as I can (at least by evening on Monday).
I know this might sound silly I just don't quite understand how to use the matrix sheet.
ReplyDeleteI need a specific question before I can help you, Enique. Which part of it is confusing? The idea here is to keep track of important ideas you ru across as you read. You put those ideas along the left side of the chart. Then, you take source-specific notes about how those ideas get discussed in various articles (across the boxes on the right which correspond to the idea you're referencing). You might put direct quotes in there and/or page numbers to remind yourself where to go back to find the ideas in a particular article, and/or note specific similarities or differences between the sources as they discuss a particular idea... If that doesn't help, you'll need to ask a more specific question, ok?
ReplyDeleteI dont know where the eng1302sII folder is located, so i cant find the reading matrix
ReplyDeleteAnna, can you see the syllabus in Google Docs? If so, you're in the 1302 folder. Some people are forgetting to refresh their Google Docs pages, so they're not seeing when something new is being put up. Email me if you continue to have problems. I'll need to know how you're signing in to Google Docs and under what email address.
ReplyDelete