Chapter 6: Topic Development
Four criteria can help you evaluate the validity, accuracy, and reliability of sources:
Authority Objectivity Currency Relevance
ethnography
a form of primary research based on fieldwork observations
interview
a highly structured conversation where one person asks questions and another answers them
expert
a person recognized as having mastered a specific subject, usually through long-term study
annotated bibliography
a preliminary record of the relevant sources you find as you conduct your research
abstract
a short paragraph summarizing the research findings
definition
a statement that clarifies the meaning of a word or phrase; a method of informing that explains the meaning of something
narratives
accounts, personal experiences, tales, or lengthier stories
stance
an author's attitude, perspective, or viewpoint on a topic
hypothesis
an educated guess about a cause-and-effect relationship between two or more things
Evidence
any information that clarifies, explains, or otherwise adds depth or breadth to a topic
Expert opinions
are interpretations and judgments made by an authority in a particular subject area at a particular time
Accurate sources
attempt to present unbiased information and often include a balanced discussion of controversial topics
Anecdotes
brief, often amusing stories
Open questions
broad-based queries
primary research
collecting data about a topic directly from the real world
credentials
experiences or education that qualifies a presenter to speak with authority on a specific subject
Secondary questions
follow-up questions designed to probe the answers given to primary questions
Reliable sources
have a history of presenting valid and accurate information
contrasts
illuminate a point by highlighting differences
Comparisons
illuminate a point by showing similarities
Research cards
individual index cards or electronic facsimiles identifying a piece of information, the key word or theme it represents, and its bibliographic data
Factual statements
information that can be verified
Primary questions
introductory questions about each major interview topic
secondary research
locating information that has been discovered by other people
periodicals
magazines and journals published at regular intervals
Closed questions
narrowly focused questions that require only very brief answers
rapport-building questions
nonthreatening questions designed to put the interviewee at ease and demonstrate respect
Statistics
numerical facts
Neutral questions
questions phrased in a way that does not direct a person's answers
leading questions
questions phrased in a way that suggests the interviewer has a preferred answer
Skimming
rapidly going through a work to determine what is covered and how
Oral footnotes
references to an original source, made at the point in the speech where information from that source is presented
Valid sources
report factual information that can be counted on to be true
Hypothetical examples
specific instances based on reflections about future events
Examples
specific instances that illustrate or explain a general factual statement
interview protocol
the list of questions to be asked
plagiarism
the unethical act of representing another person's work as your own by failing to credit the source
Blogs
websites that provide a forum for the personal viewpoints of their authors
Online social networks
websites where communities of people interact with one another
transcribe
word-for-word translation into written form of the interview
