respond to two of your classmate’s posts (Because you are asked to write two responses this week, each should be at least 150 words. Point out where your own research process is similar to theirs. Or, where they differ. Offer advice—either from your own experience, or from our textbook—solving any of the research problems they have described.
Student 1 response: “Ever since I got to college my research process has definitely changed. In high school, I would just look up the topic and use the first Wikipedia article that popped up and integrated that into my research writing. Once I got to college and learned that that is not the best way to handle my research, now I use more reliable databases such as the OSU Library peer review articles to pick out information on my source. I then integrate the reliable information I found from this website and use it for my research writing. That seems to work the best for me. I have found that picking out too many sources for my research has made it difficult to create a concreate argument and has made it hard to delve into the topic in depth as I focus too much on too many different arguments. Picking one or two good sources of research helps me really articulate and analyze rhetorical elements of a piece well.
Before reading the chapters 18 and 19 about finding evidence, I was surprised to know that when finding evidence for your rhetorical situation it is best to use a source that is within the same time and place in which you make your argument. It all seems so simple, but I have seen many authors go back in time and use old sources different from the time and place which the argument was made. On page 413 Lunsford writes “For example, arguing that government officials in the twenty first century should use the same politics to deal with economic troubles that were employed in the middle of the twentieth might not be convincing on its own” (Lunsford 413) I have already come to the conclusion that finding library resources is a very good source of information when gathering information because that is usually a part of my research process. The part that I might want to leave out is drawing in on my personal experience. on page 424 Lunsford writes, “Personal experience can serve as powerful evidence when it’s appropriate to the subject” (Lunsford 424). I find that I might shy away from personal experience and use more sources to remain high in validity. “
Student 2 response: “When it comes to how I do my research I usually y start with google and will just type in my topic. From there I us the first page and read three to four different websites that are there. I have found that even though the data can be changed, Wikipedia does have valuable information if you look through who posted it and how credible that source is. I will most of the time then talk to my parents and brother about the topic I am doing research on because they have much more experience and also have a totally different perspective on things then I do. After reading chapter 18 and 19 I think there was so much valuable information that so often gets over looked. For example, the idea of going to the library and asking the librarian for help. I know I never do this because I always think I can find it but the amount of knowledge they have on the topics is crazy. They can point you in a direction you never expected. I also think the idea about conducting your own research such as inte4rviews or surveys is huge. I can go read all I want about these “studies” done but when I go out and do it myself I am able to see how effective and more meaningful it is. In the past when I have done this I see a whole new side of things and usually will see why people think the way they do. On page 420 Lunsford says “…trained observers say that recording an observation accurately requires intense concentration and mental agility.” I think that this point so clearly explains why just reading from a book and reading the online observation is bad. By having to think for yourself it helps you become an expert on the topic. You are putting yourself in a spot to get so many different perspectives that I think are very important.”
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