To help students begin generating topics for their own Arguing
Essays.
To begin discussing research and the Library Assignment.
Assignment:
To begin with, have your students do some strucutred writing
to explore the topics they generated in class today. The "Explore
A Topic" segment of the Writing Center is a GREAT
way to do this. Studnets not in computer classrooms can access
this via the main English Dept. computer lab.
Then, once they've explored the topic, they should start their
research by completing the Library Assignment for next time.
Setup Needs:
Sequence:
Start with an appropriate Daily writing exercise:
Insert your own Daily here.
Your main goal today is to have your students leave the class
with at least one good topic idea they can use as they begin researching
in the library, as well as some initial ideas about using the
library to explore those topics even further. For more detailed
ideas for the structure of the day, see the Unit II narrative.
Here are some potential areas to cover for introducing research
(anything you don't get to today you can cover in the next class):
Why research?
General research methods and sources (print and field sources,
electronic resources, how to follow a bibliography trail, etc.)
Some "getting started" material for the library
assignment (emphasis on patience, using the librarians, the online
library tutorial viw the Writing Center, and perhaps some
basic information about the SAGE system.)
If you're not already familiar with the general layout and
resources available from Morgan Library, make sure you give yourself
the basic tour before today--and spend some time learning the
SAGE system for yourself.
Be sure to explain and assign the library assignment today!