CO150 (Levin) Assignment 2:

Exploratory Research Blog

(20% course grade) Assignment Overview: What is an issue or problem that interests or perplexes you? What question(s) do you have about this issue? What kinds of sources can you find that discuss this problem? How reliable are these sources? What do various stakeholders believe about this problem or issue? What do you think about what others say? How does your research shape your views on this issue? Purpose: In this assignment, you will consider the questions above by researching an issue of your choice and narrating your research process and findings in a blog. Your goal is to locate at least five reliable, recent, relevant sources that answer your research question(s) from various perspectives. In a series of blog postings, you must describe, evaluate and respond to each of these sources. In addition, you must show the research and thinking process you went through as you conducted your research and how your research is shaping your views on your chosen issue. Audience: Your audience for this blog will be your professor and classmates, but also anyone surfing the web who is interested in your chosen issue. A blog is also a reflective genre, so the audience is also yourself. Specific Requirements: A blog is a web log that consists of a website containing a series of entries (or posts). You will complete your blog by using Googles blog feature, Blogger. You can see my sample blog at http://sampleexploratoryblog.blogspot.com. Your blog must include the following kinds of posts: 1. An Introduction The introduction to your blog must contain: An explanation of why you chose this issue (internal exigency). An explanation of why others may care about this issue (external exigency). The research question(s) you are posing. Search terms you are using.

Be careful to embed links to outside sources and use MLA style works cited and in-text citation. Feel free to add relevant pictures or videos to your post, but make sure you cite anything that is from an outside source.

2. Posts about Sources You Have Found You must present at least five reliable sources that show a range of perspectives on your chosen issue. At least one source must be from a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal. When you find a relevant, recent and reliable source, you should create a blog posting about that source (one posting per source). These posts should be completed gradually, over several weeks. Your posting must include the following: How you found the source. (Was it through a database? Online? In the library? What search terms did you use to find this source? If it is a person that you interviewed, how did you find out about him/her?) Information about the source. The genre, title, name of the author and other useful publication information. A brief summary (no more than four sentences) that describes: o The purpose or thesis. o The main kinds of evidence used in the source. o 2-3 main points from the source. (Please read the whole source. Do not just summarize an abstract.) A brief evaluation of the source (no more than three sentences) that shows why you believe this source to be reliable and possible limitations the source may have. A brief response to the text. What do you think about the information presented? How are your views changing on this issue? A description of what you will do next. After reading this, what do you still need to find out? What new questions do you have? Where will you look next for information?

Be careful to embed links to outside sources and use MLA style works cited and in-text citation. Feel free to add relevant pictures or videos to your post, but make sure you cite anything that is from an outside source. 3. A Concluding Post Before your assignment is due, you should write a concluding post that describes: What you have learned about research and the research process from writing the blog. What you would change if you could go through this process again. What you still need to find out in order to find more answers to your questions.

4. Other Kinds of Posts In order to show your research and thinking process, you may also choose to add other posts. For example, if you focus your research question more, or have an interesting conversation about the topic with a friend, you may wish to write a post about it. Additionally, if you find a source (in addition to your selected five) that may not be so reliable, but presents and interesting perspective, you may wish to write about it. Due date: The final version/update to your blog is due on Monday October 21.

An A (excellent) grade exploratory research blog demonstrates that you are a very thoughtful and highly engaged researcher because: The blog focuses on finding different perspectives that answer a specific research question about a current, debatable issue. The blog thoroughly documents the research journey. You explain the sources you found and how you found them. You describe all stages of the research process (highs and lows, successes and failures) and reflect on how your thinking has changed throughout the process. It is clear that you have been highly engaged in conducting research throughout these three weeks. The blog includes at least five postings about five recent, relevant sources that academic readers would respect. At least one of these sources is a peer-reviewed journal article. These posts present different perspectives on your chosen issue and include: o A description of how you found the source. o Information about the source. The genre, title, name of the author and other useful publication information. o A brief, accurate summary (no more than four sentences) that describes the purpose or thesis, the main kinds of evidence used in the source and 2-3 main points from the source. o A brief evaluation of the source (no more than three sentences) that shows why you believe this source to be reliable and possible limitations the source may have. o A brief response to the text. o A description of what you will do next in your research journey. The blog shows strong skills in maintaining academic integrity. You embed hyperlinks where necessary and include MLA works cited sections. In all posts, it is clear where you are using outside sources because these sources are referenced and paraphrased/quoted. All blog posts are edited and suitable for publication on the Internet. The posts are free of grammatical and punctuation errors.

A B (good) grade research blog also shows you are a highly engaged researcher, but postings could be more thoughtful in one or two areas because: You have found sources that present different perspectives to answer your focused research question. You describe all stages of the research process, but some descriptions could be more thorough. You have included five postings about five reliable sources. One of these sources is from a peerreviewed journal. You accurately summarize, evaluate and respond to the sources, but some postings could be more thorough or show a better comprehension of some of the selected texts. You have maintained academic integrity well, providing links and citing, paraphrasing and referring to outside material. Citations are generally accurate, but there may be some small errors. Your blog is generally suitable for Internet publication. Some more editing or attention to visual elements would help you better achieve your purpose with your audience.

A C (satisfactory) grade research blog shows that you have conducted generally successful research into your chosen issue. Although it is possible that your issue or question should be more focused, you have found five sources and you explain your journey in finding these sources. A C grade blog may need more attention in one or two of the following areas: You may need to provide more perspectives to show thorough research into your chosen issue. More descriptions may be needed to show what you have learned through the research journey. One or two sources should be more reliable. You could show a better understanding of some of your sources. Your summary/evaluation/response to some of the sources could be more accurate or thorough. Some citations may need to be more accurate or there is a minor issue with paraphrasing. Some more editing or attention to visual elements may be required.

A D (poor) grade research blog will show an attempt to conduct research, but this attempt may not be entirely successful because of several of the following issues: The research issue/question may not be focused. Sources may be missing or they may not be credible. You may not have understood the sources. You may not have adequately described the research process. Summaries, evaluations or responses to sources may be missing. MLA citations may not be accurate or there are some minor issues with paraphrasing. The blog may not be suitable for publication due to grammar/vocabulary/syntax or visual issues.

An F (failing) grade research blog may have one or several of these characteristics: It fails to complete research into the chosen issue. It shows little to know engagement in the research process. It ignores the requirements of the assignment. It is unreadable. There are serious occasions of plagiarism, or there are other issues with academic integrity.