The document discusses strategies for exploring a topic and finding information for research. It explains that good research involves background information, evidence, analysis, and a new perspective. Researchers should overcome biases by critically thinking and exploring all aspects of a topic. The document provides tips for concept mapping a topic to discover new angles, formulating focused research questions, and identifying likely primary sources and stakeholders. It emphasizes starting with sources where information is likely to be produced and considering what evidence would be required to prove an answer. Researchers are encouraged to actively seek out evidence that contradicts their assumptions to avoid confirmation bias.

1. Reporting II
Exploring a topic
Finding information sources

2. Objectives
 To identify the goals of good research
 To formulate questions for research in order to focus a topic, to
explore gaps in information, and to identify relevant stakeholders
 To strategize finding information by identifying likely sources and
evidence

3. Identify the goals of
good research

4. What does good
research look
like in a pieceof
reporting? (#1)
Form groups of 2-3 and
start aWord document.
Discuss as a group and
write a response in 3
minutes.

5. Background,
evidence, analysis
New perspective
and understanding
through evidence

6. Research
and
critical
thinking
 WYSIATI and other failures of human cognition
 One aspect of critical thinking - overcoming the prejudice of
overemphasizing what is already known

7. Explore a topic
Concept mapping, writing research questions, finding new
perspectives

8. Women in
STEM fields
Women
in STEM
fields
Inspirational
figures from
history
Local
women
in
STEM
Dallas/SMU
support for
women in
STEM
Workplace
realities
Bias?Opportunities?
Girls in
STEM
Programs
Cultural
influences
My example concept map

9. How do you
explore a topic?
How do you
discover a new
angle?

10. Protests on
campus
In your groups, create a
concept map.
Come up with subtopics
and possible questions.
Write everything down –
don’t edit yet!
Use any means you wish to
explore your topic.

11. Girls inSTEM
Girls in
STEM
Programs
Attendance Availability
Peer
pressure
Cultural influence
Media
Stakeholders
Girls
Parents
Educators
What affects girls’
interest in STEM fields?

12. Girls inSTEM
 What programs are available to encourage girls to achieve/enjoy
STEM subjects? What age levels? Levels of participation?
 Does participation in these programs lead to increased interest in
STEM long term?
 Are there cultural or peer influences that discourage girls to enjoy
STEM subjects?
 What about girls in low socioeconomic areas?
 Need to narrow further to the DFW area?
 Relevant stakeholders
 Girls
 Parents
 Teachers/administrators
 Government
 Scholarly researchers – sociology, psychology?
What affects girls’
interest in STEM fields?
Questions and relevant
stakeholders

13. Protests on
campus
In your groups, choose
one branch of your
concept map.
Write a research
question about this
subtopic. (#2)
Are you describing
a problem?
Are you covering
an event/trend
from a new
perspective?

14. Protests on
campus
What questions need answering in order to answer your
research question?Who are your relevant stakeholders?
(#3)
 What are the various facets of your research question?
 Who is affected by this issue?
 Who might be interested in gathering information
about this topic?
 What voices are left out of the conversation?

15. Strategies for finding
information
Start with sources
Consider evidence

16. Start with
sources and
evidence
 Put yourself in the right place to find information.
 Think of your stakeholders.Who would be interested in producing
information on the topic?
 What is the primary evidence?
 Studies, data, documents, previous reporting
 Use other news media org’s reporting only as a starting place, not as
evidence
 What would it take to prove an answer?

17. Girls inSTEM
Possible sources and possible pieces of evidence
 National Science Foundation for statistics on girls enrolled in
STEM courses
 NationalCenter for Education Statistics
 UTD Center for STEM education and research
 NationalGirls’ Collaborative Project and similar sites
 Gender demographics of local programs
 Scholarly studies in sociology on the effects of STEM
programming in databases like Academic Search Complete
 Interview with a class of girls or teachers in a local program?
 Map locations of STEM programs in DFW and compare to
socioeconomics of those areas
What affects girls’
interest in STEM fields?
Does DFW support girls
in STEM?

18. Finding
information –
the usual
suspects
 Personal interview with an expert
 Public records
 Statistics
 Academics, scholarly work
 Government
 Research centers, think tanks
 Public officials, private officials, PR people
 Organizations – interest, professional
 Surveys
 Business docs, budgets
 Background – specialized encyclopedia
 Databases – articles, news
 Newspapers, magazines, books

19. How to look
for sources
 Directories
 Associations
 Government sources
 Library resources
including the journalism
guide
 Citation trails and
networks of info
 Specialized search
engines
Google tricks
 Keyword search for topic
and…
 “LibGuides”
 “database”
 “government”
 “association” or
“organization”
 “directory”
 Related:URL for similar
sites
 Site:URL to search within
a site
 Filetype:URL for specific
filetypes

20. Protests on
campus
What sources might
you use to find
answers?Where is
the primary
evidence? (#4)
You may start to
look for sources
and/or conjecture
what may be
possible pieces of
evidence.

21. Confirmation
bias #5
 What are you expecting to find?
 How can you actively pursue finding evidence contrary to your
assumptions? (WYSIATI)