The document discusses the process of becoming a research writer. It explains that research writers are able to take complex information and explain it in lay terms. They know how to conduct extensive research in one or two specific subject areas. The document outlines the steps in the research process, including choosing a topic, developing research questions, and framing a thesis statement. It emphasizes focusing the research through narrow topics and questions in order to make the process manageable.

1. The Research Writer
Curiosity, Discovery, Dialogue
A research paper is primarily
a discussion or argument
based on a thesis, which
includes evidence from
several collected sources.

2. • THE RESEARCH
WRITER helps
learners transition
from writing the
research paper to
doing research writing,
from reporting
information to
working with ideas.

3. Chapter 1
Thinking Through Research
• The subtitle--Curiosity,
Discovery, Dialogue--signals
this shift: this handbook
promotes research as a curiosity-
driven activity that leads to
discoveries that are then shared
through various types of
dialogue.

4. How to Become a Research Writer
• Research writers are able to take complex
information and explain it in lay
terminology.
• They know how to conduct extensive
research.
• These writers, sometimes referred to as
technical writers, can be found in many
fields.

5. • Research writers:
–able to take complex information and
explain it in lay terminology.
–They know how to conduct extensive
research.
–sometimes referred to as technical
writers, can be found in many fields.

6. –Focus on one or two specific areas or
subjects in the area that they intend to
write about.
–Become proficient in your computer
skills, i.e. basic word processing and email
software.

7. Research Rhetoric (language):
Purpose, Audience, Context p.4
• Research is about answering questions.
• It is your attempt to discover something
through a trustworthy method-a careful,
critical investigation that solves a puzzle
or problem.

8. The rhetorical situation includes 3 factors
• Your purpose or reason for
doing the research in the first
place
• The audience who will read,
listen t to, or view the results
of your research
• The context for your research
project.

9. Analyze the Rhetorical situation When
You View a Visual Argument

10. Use the Rhetorical Situation When You
Write an Argument
• What is a Rhetorical Situation?
The circumstances in which you
communicate.
• Rhetoric: Using language
effectively to persuade, inform,
educate or entertain.

11. What is Exigence?
• The exigence of a situation will provide an author
with the motivation to write about an issue.
• Issues often emerge from real-life events that signal
something is wrong.
The context for argument: exigence and constraints
that influence both author and audience
The reading audience The text You, the author

12. Who is the Reader or Audience?
• As the writer, one needs to analyze the
audience’s present opinions, values, and
motives, and show as often as possible that the
author shares them.
– Who are my readers?
– Where do they stand on my issue?
– How can I establish common ground with them?
– If they disagree with me, will they willing to
change or modify their views, or not?

13. What are some of the constraints?
• Constraints influence the ways in which both
you and your audience think about the issues.
– If you are writing for an audience that is mostly
male and has no experience with or memories of
Barbie dolls, what constraints would you run into
if you tried to convince them that Barbie dolls are
an important part of children’s experience.

14. Who is the Author?
• You will need to think of
yourself as an author or
argument.
• Draw on your experience.
• If you do not have
experience, draw on research,
reading and critical thinking.

15. Conducting an Audience Analysis
• Conduct either a formal -- based on surveys
and questionnaires -- or an informal -- based
on discussions -- analysis to create an audience
profile.
• Before writing anything, describe an audience
by:
– Identifying audience characteristics,
– Assessing their objectives and needs,
– Planning for subgroups within the audience.

16. • In order for a writer's final product to
be fully successful, the piece must be
aimed toward the intended audience-
-its knowledge, its opinions, its
needs, and its wants.
• An audience analysis guides your
writing, so that you can tailor your
document to the needs of the
audience. Without an audience
analysis, you're writing blind and
may miss the mark.

17. •Connected
•Directed
•Applied
All research is:

18. • Biased research
• Backed research
• Interested research
• Independent
research

19. • Identifying your purpose:
–Making Course
Connections
–Building Research
Skills
–Aiming at Truth
–Reaching Readers
p.5

20. • Yourself
• Your Professor
• The Academic
Community
• An Interest-Based
Community
• The Global Community

21. Context of Your Research p.7
• Refers to the conditions under which you are
doing your research, writing it up, and sharing
it with others.
– Understand your own perspective
– Understand the practical limits or constraints of
your project
– Understand the form of research writing required.

22. Developing Strong Research Writing p. 8
• Solid ideas
• Logical organization
• Engaging voice
• Clear word choice
• Smooth sentences
• Correct copy
• Professional design
*Select a Research Paper Topic

23. Weak Research Writing p. 10-11
Strong Research Writing

24. Following the Research Process p. 13
• Research may bore you or
make your worry
–Planning
–Conducting
–Synthesizing

25. • Understanding Assignments and Expectations p. 14
• Research Expectations p. 15
• Assignment Key Words p. 16
• Topic Options and Restrictions p. 18
• Project Parameters p. 19
• Brainstorming and Refining Topics p. 20
–Brainstorming many possibilities
–Committing to the most promising option

26. Choosing a Narrow, Manageable Topic p. 23
• Choose a general topic that’s
broad, but not so huge that you
end up facing a library shelf full
of hundreds of books; you’ll get
bogged down and never start
writing.

27. Developing Research Questions p. 25
• It's essential to develop a research
question that you're interested in or care
about in order to focus your research
and your paper.
– For example, researching a broad topic
such as "business management" is difficult
since there may be hundreds of sources on
all aspects of business management.
– On the other hand, a focused question such
as "What are the pros and cons of the
Belgian management style?" is easier to
research and can be covered more fully and
in more depth.

28. Framing a Working Thesis p. 26
• Once you settle on a topic,
you need to frame a thesis
statement.
• Framing a thesis statement
allows you to narrow your
topic, and in turns allows you
to focus your research in this
specific area, saving you time
and trouble in the process.

29. Focus on Ethics: Avoiding Plagiarism p. 27
• Many people think of plagiarism as
copying another's work, or borrowing
someone else's original ideas.
– Using source material without giving credit.
– To steal and pass off (the ideas or words of
another) as one's own
– To use (another's production) without
crediting the source
– To commit literary theft
– To present as new and original an idea or
product derived from an existing source