Friday Module: Research Invention Activity, Due 9/3

I know some of you are still working on generating your blog and writing the Introductory Letter. That is ok, just scroll down to the first post and begin where you left off. For the rest of you, this is the first "Friday Module" on the actual research process.


The following module is an invention activity. Invention, as a stage in the writing process, is about discovery. Whether you discover new ideas or begin to re-see old ideas by looking at them with fresh eyes, invention activities ask that you brainstorm your way through the recesses of your mind to find possible topics, synthesize your ideas, and write your way to sparkly unique research idea. 


Most invention activities occur organically, say while singing your way through a play list in your car, but here I am calling attention to the brainstorming and synthesis we do naturally. In essence, you have been given the problem of research and now I am asking you to begin solving that problem. 


Go. 


Think your way out of this one.

I already know what I want to write about, sort of: Invention Activity #1

Step #1: Think back.  What research ideas come to you while listening to music or riding in the car?

You know, those moments when you are alone and suddenly you think up new ideas and say to yourself, "hmm, The Cullen family of vampires actually operates in what Halbertsam defines as 'queer space' in that they exist outside of normative reproductive time;" or when you mull over a question with your friend because you can't quite seem to get the class discussion out of your head (you know those feminist theorists from that 1994 article really did seem to perpetuate sexist ideas in regards to masculinity and you just have to tell someone about how they were wrong!).

Step #2: Compile a list of all your research ideas and possible paper topics.

Step #3: Go back (like way back) into your course files. What are some papers you have already written about gender and/or women's studies that you might could revise or expand? What about your favorite paper (ever) that doesn't have anything to do with gender or women, could you re-focus to place women or gender at the center?

Step #4: Add any previous paper topics to the list.

Step #5: From this list choose the one that jumps out at you the most and write for five minutes about your ideas on the topic.

Step #6: Repeat step #5 but choose one you had already mentally decided to toss. Then, assess whether writing on the subject changes your opinion on its viability as a topic. If so, go back through your list of possible topics and see if there is any other topic you need to give a second chance (and write on it for five minutes).

Step #7: Conduct an informal survey with friends, your roommates, a Facebook quiz, or people in Target. Ask them which one sounds like the topic that needs to be most researched. Tally the results. Did their answers convince you of a topic or make you say, "dang I wanted topic #3 to win" (hint: that is a clue that #3 might be your topic). 

Step #8: Google (yes, google) call for papers, undergraduate research conferences, undergraduate research journals, and possible magazine where your research could be featured (like the UCF undergraduate research journal). Take notes of conferences or journals you want to submit to and print the deadline information (remember that cost is a factor for travel to conferences but you can apply for funding with SGA). What are the conference or journal requirements and/or limitations on topics? From your list of possible topics, which one best meets the professional need? 

Step #9: Narrow it down (based on popular demand, your desire, and professional need) to two possible broad scale topics or, if you already have one topic, begin to list possible ways to narrow your scope.