After I finished all the readings, assignments, and classes this quarter, I finally saw the big picture of how to do a research. At first, everything was like fragments to me, and I sometimes even got confused that why I needed to finish my writing assignments in that way. However, right now, after I categorized different steps I took, I realized that I had grasped the whole process and strategies about how to to do a research and build up an original argument based on the research.
A GUIDE TO STRAT EVERYTHING: BEAM
- Background: It is usually the facts in common life and people consider it as common knowledge.
- Exhibits: Interpretation to the examples or terms.
- Arguments: The conversation the writer usually made with his reader to agree with, disputes an idea and sometimes even develop his own further thoughts and opinions to the topic he chose.
- Methods: The way the writer chose to write his research process and some specific ways he utilize to finish the research.
All these definitions were complicated to understand at first. But, once we get ourselves started, they will be easier for us to understand what the authors want to claim when we apply these things to start our research. The BEAM theory is like a guidance for us to start reading materials for research, and with the help of BEAM, we can comprehend the key parts of different materials and files more effectively.
A GOOD HABIT TO COLLECT THE SOURCES: BE A GATHERER AND A HUNTER AT THE SAME TIME
Michael Kleine pointed out in the article that when a “hunter” do his research, he usually walk into the world with a strong sense of purpose and direction. The hunter will use his skills and strategies to kill this game. And when a “gatherer” do his research, he usually choose to look about widely, making sense and use of the food he discovers fortuitously. Namely, a hunter finds what he is looking for, a gatherer discovers that which might be of use.
Finding the balance between becomes a “hunter” and becomes a “gatherer” is the second strategy we need to apply when we learn about how to do the research. The BEAM theory has already taught us how to do the reading and grab the core parts of al the readings. So, the next thing we need to learn about is to make the decision whether we should collect these sources or not. We need to make our own judgement about whether we will utilize these sources or not.
The research may too narrow if we only become a hunter, and the research can also be too lax if we only become a gatherer. People who are smart enough that eventually can play two parts will definitely become excellent researchers.
After we find a good balance of applying “hunting” and “gathering” sources during our research process, we will have clear clues and good habits to deal with various materials, sources, and datas.
A GOOD THING TO DO WHEN YOU WRITE YOUR RESEARCH PAPER: MAKE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR READERS
Once we finished the reading and collecting parts of our research paper, then it’s time for us to start to organize these elements together and write a research paper about them with logic. However, the simple reporting of these sources is not enough, we need to establish our own arguments and perspectives based on these sources. Namely, we need to take a position of the issues and at the same time, we need to explain to our readers, making sure that they can understand our standpoints and the reasons behind those decisions. It would be better if we can also offer some solutions to the issues, letting the readers realize that we are not only saying “agree” or “disagree” to some issues. But, we are also making efforts to change something.
If we never pay attention to our readers and never think on their perspectives, our writing compositions would then become confusing. We cannot make the assumption that our readers always understand exactly what we are trying to say.
Making effective conversations with readers can make our research papers and our arguments detailed, well-organized, and logical.
After I applied all these strategies in this quarter, I realized that these strategies eve showed up with orders. Now I finally see the whole big picture: First, the BEAM theory taught us a new way to do the reading in archives. Second, Michael Kleine’s “hunters and gatherers” theory fostered new habits for us to collect the sources in archives. At last, under Kantz’s instruction, we learned that the conversations with readers are also necessary for us to write good research argumentative papers.
These strategies and skills constitutes the steps of writing research papers from the beginning to the end, and with these strategies, I had a clear clue about how to start my research and how to organize those collected sources to a research paper.
Enough for today’s blog. And here comes my best blessing to all my readers and everyone:
And btw, not only every night;
Let’s make it every single day!!!