Thursday, February 7, 2013

Using Research Questions for Invention


Simple Question:
Is it right for scientists to create new life forms?

This question merely asks for an opinion, and the writer is free to take it in whatever direction s/he chooses. It could take the form of just stating an opinion without any back-up in facts, just personal opinions, stated for no other reason than to analyze them personally and structure that analysis in a way that the reader determines is effective. No research is needed. Once the writer’s thoughts are organized, then it could become a persuasive piece, where the writer could consider other points of view and counter them. At this point moderate research could be introduced, or the student could just guess what other people might think, or use anecdotal content. This could be a good introduction to writing strategies for early writers.
Complex Question:
What is the effect on the environment from global warming?

This is basically a scientific research paper, and would require some preliminary research before even developing a thesis. The writer would have to gather a large amount of data to support whatever thesis was developed, analyze it for relevance, and then filter the topic down into a reasonable form to write about – it is an extensive topic that could take many directions in discourse.  This question could also lend itself to a persuasive essay, which would require research into points and counter points, again requiring advanced writing skills. However, the topic could be revised to be used with less experienced writers by providing some structural form at the outset. For example, “What are three effects of global warming?” with instructions to write a paragraph (or page) about each.

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