English paper
Composition Project 2: Writing About Writing – An Exploration
Using exploratory writing and research, you’ll gather and examine your sources, describing what you find while narrating your process in first-person voice (using “I”). Though you may have an idea about the answer to your question, you won’t be sure until you’ve read, analyzed, and synthesized your sources. Even then, you still may not find an answer. That’s okay. Research is a process that doesn’t always lead to a clear answer. Instead, we might find at the end that we have more questions—and sometimes questions can be as fascinating as answers!
In this project, here are important steps to take:
1. Choose a topic. Some possibilities:
2. Develop a research question. Narrow it down. Use specific terms. Expect an answer more
Why can I write so much in Facebook, but I struggle to write an academic essay?”
3. Write a proposal.
a. Express your research question.
b. Explain why you’re asking the question.
c. Describe the intended audience for your exploration.
d. Explain in detail a research plan that includes the types of sources you intend to explore, where you expect to find them, and a schedule for the completion of your project.
4. Gather sources and compose an annotated bibliography (4 sources)
a. Sources must include two scholarly sources.
b. And one form of primary research.
c. And one visual (e.g., graph, photo, drawing).
d. You may use additional sources as needed.
e. Completing the annotated bibliography, in which you write short, evaluative summaries for the sources you have gathered, will enhance your criticalattention to citation, evaluation of sources, and explication of source information (see Praxis 220-223).
5. Choose a form for your project and begin composing.
a. Articulate your question and its purpose.
b. Discuss how each source helps you to develop an understanding about your question.
c. Explain how you reached your conclusion.
d. Think about what kind of media would best suit your audience: essay, video, audio, speech, blog? If you decide to produce a product that is not written, accompany your project with a rhetorical analysis that explains your research question and purpose, audience, methods of research, and decision to use media other than written form.
Composition
Project
2:
Writing
About
Writing
–
An
Exploration
Using
exploratory
writing
and
research,
you
’
ll
gather
and
examine
your
sources,
describing
what
you
find
while
narrating
your
process
in
first-person
voice
(using
“
I
”
).
Though
you
may
have
an
idea
about
the
answer
to
your
question,
you
won
’
t
be
sure
until
you
’
ve
read,
analyzed,
and
synthesized
your
sources.
Even
then,
you
still
may
not
find
an
answer.
That
’
s
okay
.
Research
is
a
process
that
doesn
’
t
always
lead
to
a
clear
answer.
Instead,
we
might
find
at
the
end
that
we
have
more
questions
—
and
sometimes
questions
can
be
as
fascinating
as
answers!
In
this
project,
here
are
important
steps
to
take:
1.
Choose
a
topic
.
Some
possibilities:
2.
Develop
a
research
question
.
Narrow
it
down.
Use
specific
terms.
Expect
an
answer
more
Why
can
I
write
so
much
in
Facebook,
but
I
struggle
to
write
an
academic
essay?
”
3.
Write
a
proposal.
a.
Express
your
research
question.
b.
Explain
why
you
’
re
asking
the
question.
c.
Describe
the
intended
audience
for
your
exploration.
d.
Explain
in
detail
a
research
plan
that
includes
the
types
of
sources
you
intend
to
explore,
where
you
expect
to
find
them,
and
a
schedule
for
the
completion
of
your
project.
4.
Gather
sources
and
compose
an
annotated
bibliography
(4
sources)
a.
Sources
must
include
two
scholarly
sources.
b.
And
one
form
of
primary
research.