Overview

Research begins with questions. You find a topic that you are genuinely interested in learning more about, and then you think about the tough questions that you want answered. Your initial research is the journey to have those questions answered.

In this discussion you will begin to brainstorm for your Module 5 Assignment: Researched Argument Essay. You will choose the broad topic you are interested in, and you will begin to think about the questions within that topic that you want to know more about.

You should spend approximately 2 hours on this assignment.

Instructions

1. Brainstorm: Use some of the brainstorming and pre-writing activities from the Exploration page to help you think of general topics you are interested in exploring. Read the Topic Choice Guidelines for the researched argument essay to make sure you choose an appropriate topic.  Do *not* choose the same topic you wrote about in Modules 2 and 3.
2. Research: Access the Points of View Reference Center through the CCCOnline Library. Do some preliminary research. Browse the topic “Overview” pages that are related to the general topics you thought of in step 1. Read at least one topic “Overview” and report about it in this Discussion.  You may also read the “Related Items,” but report only on the “Overview” page.

3. Think: Consider questions that the topic “Overview” inspires. What do you want to know more about? What is significant about this topic?

4. Write: In the 1st paragraph of your initial discussion post, give the title of the topic “Overview” you read, in double quotations, and list three significant ideas that you learned in your preliminary research. Then, list three significant questions that you could use as the basis of your research for this project. Your questions should be narrowly focused, well defined, and should not have an obvious answer.

5. Post one original post, and reply to at least two of your classmates. In your replies to peers, respond to one another’s questions. What sounds most interesting to you? What other questions does their preliminary research make you think of? Try to further the discussion in your replies by asking thoughtful questions, adding interesting information, or connecting your reply to the material we are discussing.

6. Don’t forget that your initial posting is due by the date listed in the Course Schedule. Please post over several days. Points will be lost if you post on only one day of the module.

See the Course Schedule and Course Rubrics sections in the Syllabus module for due dates and grading information. See the Grading and Evaluation section in the Syllabus module for general discussion expectations.