Post here if you've chosen "student researchers" as the construct most relevant to your research question, but please read "Thursday's (7/28/11) Work" post first if you haven't already. If you've chosen a different construct. you don't need to respond to this one.
I want you to be as detailed as possible in your responses to these questions, so please don't think about answering this post in list or Q&A form. Try to compose paragraphs that get at all of the questions, but in a coherent, well thought through way.
--What do you think student researchers are supposed to do?
--Where have your ideas about what it means to be a "good student researcher" come from?
--How have the readings we've done so far influenced your ideas about what good student researchers do?
--What misconceptions do you think people have about "student research"?
--How might we go about changing those misconceptions?
Remember to read everyone's comments and make at least 1 additional reply (though what I really hope to see is a conversation develop and your collective ideas advance about the issue).
Student researchers are not only supposed to complete their research for whatever assignment that they are tasked with, but they are supposed to learn how to research, mostly through trial and error. My experience has been that my teachers have had the expectation that I knew how to research. As I progressed with my learning, I got better but never really got any formal instruction, just vague guidance. A good student researcher not only takes what an instructor tells them, but learns from the articles and books that they look up. The readings that we've done have really reinforced what I've always known to be true. Kantz's idea about how research is done is very close to what I believe.
ReplyDeleteA misconception that most people have about student research would be that student research isn't necessarily as high quality as research done by professionals. A good way to change this misconception would be to point out that most professionals, because of a need of continuing education in many fields, make them students as well.
Ah, that's very smart, Andrea! Everyone continues to learn (or should), so they're often encountering new ideas in their research (in addition to changing ways of doing research, which means learning how to search in new databases, how to locate new online venues for research, etc.).
ReplyDeletePerhaps part of the problem is that we don't explicitly address WHY we need to do research. Students see it as another busywork task that teachers ask them to do, but they see no connection between the kind of research they already do when they want to find something out (whether it be what's the best car for me or what's the best treatment for a disease my dad has just been diagnosed with) and the kind of research their teachers are asking them to do--which is usually just choose a topic (like gorillas or WWII) and write about an essay about it which shows you read some books and can put some information down about it. Maybe that's what we should change:).
I totally agree with Andrea, everyone continues learning every single day; even when a professional is not literally sitting in a classroom, but at their own desk listening to webinars. The research findings of every single person either student or a professional should be considered of high importance, since one would never know who has discovered something new. After all some of the major discoveries have been done by students that were either playing or seriously looking into things. As examples we have: heparin, insulin, and ether anaesthesia which are just some of the major discoveries made by medical students, all of which have had a huge impact on the practice of surgery.
ReplyDeleteMs. Charlton,
ReplyDeleteI guess I never approached this assignment with that kind of attitude toward research. For some reason when I think research, I only think about it in the academic realm and not necessarily in real life even though at this point in time my parents and I have been researching every different car exhaustively these last few weeks!
I believe the "student researchers" construct is best associated with my original briefing (from the questions list). It reads as follows:
ReplyDelete**One of the most difficult issues as a writer during my college years has been the disparities of information I receive on the same topic yet all arguments are sound. It’s difficult to keep my argument in alignment with all the logic and reason several sources have to offer, For example, the contradictory information we receive about our health and the kinds of food we eat. Should we eat fat and eschew carbohydrates or is it the other way around? Additionally, when you use resources that have contrasting views, or what may seem irrelevant at the time and tie into the premise and/or argument of the passage. In my mind, I can see the connection, but using universal language that can relay the connection seems to be a difficult task for me.
When I read what Dr. Charlton has chosen for the student research construct, I realize my ideas about research constructs are specific to a difficulty I have encountered and didn't take into account the bigger picture. For instance, if my question was geared more towards identifying what makes a good researcher, it would have given me the opportunity to take a look at past successes in my writing and not only focus on the areas of improvement.
A good student researcher always tries not only to be objective about what they are writing, but also tries to be creative in the information they are relaying. You always want to keep the reader engaged and in alignment with what you are writing. I believe a good student researcher is consistent yet keeps the reader engaged.
The readings thus so far have helped reiterate what I think a good researcher should do in terms of being a "constant self reflection" process wether its to be creative, objective, disconnecting from previous indoctrinated teachings about writing; or made me realize all the questions I didn't ask myself as a writer or reader. For example, many readings are taken in as information to be either applied in my own writing or "as is" for the sake of the authors relaying of information. It was rare when I took that information and tried to ask why or what the information was doing for my writing. Additionally, asking why certain statements are positioned as truths and countering it with pro or con opinions.
The first thing I will do about these misconceptions is become the subjective writer when opionions and arguments are being addressed. Objectivity can be constant, yet it is geared towards factual truths of information and helps construct the arguments and opinions that are being stated.
Andrea & Sandra,
ReplyDeleteIts a valid point to say that a good researcher is a good learner....someone who takes bits and pieces of learning experienceos (personal or academically) to help self reflect the writing process. Also, great point about the pressures students face in trying to write something that is comparable to a proffessionals work. Its a great tool to use as goal you want to attain, yet as students I realize its a process and a practice through trial and error will get you there in your own unique way.
Student researchers in their mind are suppose to find sources that help them complete they research paper and gain a somewhat understanding of what they find. In the teachers mind when assigning the research they want their students to complete the assignment and also learn how to better research through all the attempts. The way teachers want the students to learn how to research hasn’t been seen working to well, my time in high school my teachers tried to use this method and it messed me up as a researcher because even though I knew how to search for my assignment and everything I had a big problem with citing my sources and using excerpts from other author’s writing and that was always a big chunk of the grade. As we progressed in this summer session I’ve been able to read articles discussing exactly what I’m talking about here. I’m saying without being able to correctly cite somebody a student would not be able to be called a good student researcher.
ReplyDeleteA misconception I think that most people have about student research is that it’s not as important and won’t be needed in certain work positions. It’s very easy to change these misconceptions because student research allows the progression of a student to learn certain ideas and facts to make a idea for themselves and learn about things they had not knew about. Being a good student researcher is good in any field because sometime in your working career you will have to research for something and somebody will have already had your idea so you will have to give them credit.
I agree with Naya saying that to be a good student researcher you should keep your reader interested in the facts that you have found and keep them engage the same as you were when reading to create your writing.
ReplyDelete