RESEARCH ESSAYS Research, Think, Write 1

Lecture Outline 1. Research Proposal Feedback 2. Thinking, Planning, and Research 3. Thinking, Writing, and Research 2

What to do with comments? Discussion is key. What if my question is rejected? Research Proposal Feedback 3

What to do with comments?  Need to engage with feedback.  Important to suss out how good your research question is.  Even questions that are accepted need to be refined further.  There is not one path: different students in different stages  Look for hints! Often tutors will leave suggestions. 4

Discussion is Key  Talk to your tutor.  Understand their comments - reread your proposal as well as the comments.  Ask them for advice.  Your tutor likes to see you going the extra mile.  This may be an on-going process with multiple consultations. Ensure that you set aside time for this and be patient! 5

What if my question is rejected? 6  Your tutor should make it clear why your question was rejected.  This may vary from student-to-student.  You will have to rewrite your research proposal if your question is completely rejected.  You may need only refine your question further:  Too broad: try think of sub-components of your question. E.g. Evaluate TRC in South Africa  Truth hearings and how well they filled missing gaps in apartheid history.

Thinking, Planning, and Researching 7

Point of Proposal  You may feel that you are at a fairly advanced stage in the research process thanks to your research proposal.  But this is by no means complete!  Your proposal should have helped your planning process significantly.  Remember, everything is preliminary – you can alter your final paper.  Consult with your tutor about any major changes. 8

Where are you?  Preliminary research question  Preliminary thesis statement  Chosen case study  Preliminary reading  Preliminary methodology  Preliminary table of contents /essay structure 9

Some reminders about your introduction  The introduction to your research paper may be somewhat different to introductions that you have written for shorter assignments.  It likely will include a background paragraph to ease the reader into the topic, followed by an outline of the paper and your thesis statement.  Ensure that your introduction addresses these questions:  Where is the thesis statement (and what is the argument)?  What is the methodology?  What is the reasoning? 10

Introduction  DO:  Include your interpretation of, and approach to answering, the question.  Define any key terms.  Include your thesis statement.  DO NOT:  Simply repeat the question.  Having read your introduction the reader should be able to tell what the question was, how you have interpreted it, and what argument you are going to propose in order to answer it. 11

Thesis Statement  One sentence. Present your argument to the reader.  Answer the question asked of you.  It is a “road map” for the paper.  “When an assignment asks you to analyse, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and support it persuasively”.  Taken from the Politics Reading and Writing Guide. 12

Thinking, Writing and Research 13

The writing process  This is a personal process – you need to ensure that your steps include planning, organisation and time to edit.  Organisation has two levels:  Practically – you know where you found the arguments (i.e. references).  Personally – you know where your own arguments stand in relation to the literature.  Origin of your sources?  Historical context; political environment; theoretical biases? 14

Conducting Research.  How Much? Enough to answer the question.  Organising research:  Identify themes.  Commonalities/differences.  Interpretations.  Simple coding.  Look for: Concepts / Definitions / Arguments / Evidence.  Each point will have a claim, a premise with support, and a conclusion. 15

What are the debates?  What are the contested concepts / arguments / issues?  Can we deconstruct the topic in terms of these debates?  Can we link authors in terms of which side they are on.  How do we slice and dice the topic? 16

How to think.  It is important to understand rather than simply regurgitate.  You need to re-order the information.  Break down the ideas.  Know what the author is trying to do. What is the relationship between you and the author? What are they attempting to do?  Books: These tend to be covering a greater number of points.  Journals: These tend to be far narrower. They are usually arguing one point or thesis. 17

Mind Mapping IF: The SL government hired EO in Then: There were democratic elections in SL in 1996 Because: EO provided security and were the dominant fighting force. 18

What are you looking at. DV = f( IV 1, IV 2, IV 3, … IV n ) Relationship Causation? If you are seeking to explain the DV, which IVs are important. 19

Tight Focus DV = f(IV) Causation An essay with a narrow focus may look at how one factor was the most important. You then argue this against other explanations and variables. 20

Deconstruct the information. The State of the World: ω Identify Relevant Variables: IV 1, …IV n. Relevant Variables Irrelevant Variables Process End result Re-arrange your information and then think about what it is you are being asked to do. 21

Questions  Causes: Does A lead to B. DV=f(IV)  Does your input lead to your output? Explain the process by which it occurs.  Role: Did A lead to B because of C? Was C a part of the process? Was the involvement of C good or bad?  Evaluate: Advantages / disadvantages. What was the intention? Did the process produce the intended or the expected outcome, or where there unforeseen consequences? 22

Discussion: Quotes Vs Paraphrasing  Quotes should be avoided  only use if instrumentally valuable.  Paraphrasing is an extremely important skill.  Paraphrasing shows understanding. 23

Essay Plan: structure  What was the role of mercenaries in the Congo Crisis ?  Introduction  Congo: A history of the heart of darkness  Mercenaries: The role of hired guns in conflict  Mad Mike Hoare: Man, Mercenary, Legend  Analysis  Conclusion 24

Conclusion 25 A well thought-out essay will:  Have a pertinent research question.  Have a narrow scope.  Be logically structured, planned and organised.  Be immersed in the literature but still maintain its own argument.  Have an appropriate methodology.  Have a clear thesis statement that (i) relates to the question and (ii) is constantly referred back to.

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