This document provides guidance for students on their Project #2 assignment to interview a subject and write an inquiry-based research essay. It includes instructions to outline the essay in pairs, details on conducting effective interviews such as contacting interview subjects in a polite and respectful manner, and an explanation of inquiry-based research essays as being question-driven and exposing the thought process. The document concludes with a reminder for students to schedule a required face-to-face meeting with the instructor before a deadline.

1. WRA 110.742Week 5 9 February 2011

2. General questions about Project #2“I <3 Novels”: Understanding arrangementThis is your brain on inquiry-based research essaysThe InterviewWrap-upToday’s Agenda

3. What questions do you have right now?Project#2

4. I’d like you to work in pairs and do an outline of this essay. Use any outlining strategy that is useful to you.Type up the outline in a Word document and save it on the desktop.We will then transform the outline into something else. “I <3 novels”: anatomy of a research essay

5. Can be gathered F2F, telephone, or online (email, Skype, IM, text, etc.).Info must be verified for accuracy with your source (research ethics!)After info is gathered (and transcribed if necessary) it should be treated as any other source material.The interview: Some requirements

6. If you plan to interview a professor/instructor, CONTACT THEM TODAY, ASAP.Make sure your first contact with your interviewee is polite, respectful, and gives the appropriate amount of information (including your name and contact info!)Make every effort to interview your subject at a time and place of their choosing. If it’s convenient for them, you’ll make a good impression.Explain the nature of your assignment to your interviewee and tell them why their viewpoint is important—not just so you can get a good grade, but so you can learn something. Show that you have a good attitude about your project.Be respectful of your subject’s time, patience, and intelligence!Interview hacks

7. Turn to Ballenger p. 99.Identify whom you will interview. Make a list of potential questions, such as the open-ended questions on Ballenger p. 103.Think about how you will initiate, conduct, and record the interview.DO HAVE A PLAN.DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.Composing the interview

8. not as funny as it seemed at 7:45amThis is your brain on inquiry-based research essaysinquiry-based research essays

9. Make thought processes visible. Expose the epistemic process of writing.Are question-driven as opposed to answer-driven.Doesn’t mean they don’t have a thesis or a point. Means that the thesis/point is more complex and/or multifaceted.Inquiry-based research essays…

10. A Metaphor for Inquiry“big ideas,” “the point,” “mountain” of reflectioninquiry requires movement between mountain and sea.you, the researcher and writer“sea” of experienceexperience, facts gathered through research

11. Sea & MountainThe Sea is…CollectingFreewritingShowingSpecificsObservations ofExploringSeeingGeneratingThe Mountain is…ArrangingComposingTellingGeneralitiesIdeas aboutReflectingInterpretingCriticizing

12. Don’t forget: your required F2F meeting with me needs to happen before March 2.Papers and blogs and stuff are in the process of being graded. By the end of the week I will email you a link to the website Engrade.com with a code where you can check your grades in this course.YayWrap-up