- Time Required
- 12–15 hours, including reading time
This module focuses on the research you will conduct for your Recommendation Report. The information includes both primary research and secondary research. By the end of the module, you should have chosen specific secondary resources and sketched out a plan for your primary research.
As part of your research, you will begin the process of writing instructions that you (or someone else) will use to conduct primary research for your recommendation report.
Connections to the Recommendation Report
The primary and secondary research you conduct will support your analysis of the situation and the recommendation that you make. You will incorporate information about how you conduct your research and what you find in the Methods section and the Results section of your Recommendation Report.
The instructions that you compose will described in the Methods section of your Recommendation Report. You will include the full instructions as an Appendix in your Recommendation Report.
What You Will Learn & Practice
- How to analyze your audience and purpose so that you can choose supporting material that is convincing to your readers and decide the best way to present information clearly and effectively. [CLO 1]
- How to find and evaluate ethical evidence in secondary sources, such as books, articles, podcasts, and videos, and through primary research, such as observation, inspection, experiment, and interview, that supports your position, that supports your position. [CLOs 2 & 3]
- How to write documents you may encounter in the workplace, such as letters, memos, instructions, proposals, reports, and presentations. [CLO 4]
- Collaborate with classmates in planning, researching, writing, revising, and presenting information. [CLO 5]
- How to use colors, layout, and formatting that make your documents understandable and easy to read and how to take advantage of design principles, including contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity, to communicate your ideas effectively. [CLO 6]
- How to choose words, phrases, sentences, lists, and other text features to communicate effectively with readers. [CLO 7]
Tentative Schedule for Activities
I have spread out the due dates to allow you plenty of time to work on your Instructions and research. Next week, I’ll add more work to the calendar, as we move on to structuring the Recommendation Report and adding some introductory content to the body. Do your best to meet the Suggested Due Dates so that you don’t fall behind. That said, if something comes up and you need more time, be kind to yourself and take it.
| Date | What’s Due |
|---|---|
| Monday, May 31 | Memorial Day, No Class and No Email Messages |
| Friday, June 4 |
Firm Due Date:
Suggested Due Dates: |
| Wednesday, June 9 |
Firm Due Dates (no Grace Period):
|
| Friday, June 11 |
Suggested Due Dates: |
| Monday, June 14 |
Firm Due Date (no Grace Period):
|
| Thursday, July 1 | End of Grace Period for all course work not noted elsewhere |
Activities to Complete
📚 To Read This Week
- Markel & Selber, Chapter 6: “Researching Your Subject”
- Markel & Selber, Chapter 20: “Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions,” pp. 555–579
- Markel & Selber, Appendix Part A, “Skimming Your Sources and Taking Notes”
- Instructions Project Criteria
- CRAP Design Principles
📝 To Write This Week
Researching Your Subject
- Talk about the reading in Chapter 06 Review
- Find Secondary Resources in Your Field
- Make a Primary Research Plan
- Complete your secondary and primary research on your topic based on the previous activities.
Instructions for Your Primary Research
- Talk about the reading in Chapter 20 Review.
- Write a draft of the Instructions Assignment (and complete Feedback Discussion activities below).
- Assess yourself with the Instructions Self-Check.
- Upload your Instructions Best Draft Submission once you have revised and done your best work.
💬 To Discuss This Week
You can participate in either of these discussions, depending upon when you have a draft ready to share. If you want, you can participate in both of them as well. It’s completely up to you. Just remember that if you post a draft, you will assigned two texts to add feedback to.
Instructions Feedback Discussion
- Follow the directions in the Instructions Feedback Discussion to share what you have created with the class for peer feedback.
- After peer review partners are assigned (Saturday, June 5), read drafts from your classmates and offer feedback on how to revise.
Second-Chance Feedback Discussion
- If you need more time to write your Instructions draft, follow the directions in the Second-Chance Instructions Feedback Discussion.
- After peer review partners are assigned (Thursday, June 10), read drafts from your classmates and offer feedback on how to revise.
📓 To Track This Week
- Track and reflect on the work you have done for the week in your Work Log for the Week of 05/31, reviewing the Weekly Work Log Guidelines if needed.
Image Credit: All She’s Armed With Is Research. by Markus Binzegger on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.