The first step in my process is to formulate a research question. Formulating a research question frames the topic into something that requires an answer. Next, I try to learn a little about a lot of the topic and its context in order to familiarize myself with it. Essentially, using encyclopedic resources allows me to “kinda know” about the topic.
https://giphy.com/gifs/challenge-imgur-KxhIhXaAmjOVy
Then I search for more specific information that would allow me to answer the question I created earlier. “BEAM: A Rhetorical Vocabulary” demonstrates the different types of materials I use in order to find the answers to the question I pose at the beginning.
It reminds me of the time I was researching an essay regarding the effect of the American Dream on the middle class for my high school English Class. I first used Wikipedia to learn more about the American Dream through different periods of the U.S. History. Then I used this information to look for “Background” through research papers and studies done on the topic. Then I used arguments from scholars on the subject in order to back up my own.
Good research comes from adequate caffeine.
“BEAM: A Rhetorical Vocabulary” reminds me of the types of materials I use throughout my own research in order to properly formulate my point and answer my own questions.