September 26, 2008

Chapter 6 is all about a reader-centered approach, only this time the book explains you must start thinking about your reader even before you think about writing. Research techniques, sources, and even how you use the information you find require you to consider your reader. Not only will this help you to create something your reader can use and be persuaded by, but it will also keep you focused during your research and limit any time wasted doing research. There are seven guidelines to consider when starting research.

The first guideline is to "define your research objectives" (152). If you know what you need to find out before you start, chances are you will have better luck locating the information. Second, "create an efficient and productive research plan" (153). Determine which type of materials are going to supply you with the most persuasive information, and set a schedule to keep yourself on track in order to have enough time to do the actual writing. The third guideline is to "check each source for leads to other sources" (155). This includes reading the footnotes or bibliography to see where the information you just read came from. Perhaps these sources will provide more information you still need to find. Fourth, "carefully evaluate what you find" (155). Even when you carefully consider which sources to use, you need to evaluate the information within those sources bias and credibility. The fifth guideline is to "begin interpreting your research results even as you obtain them" (156). Do not take notes randomly. When you read information you think you will use, think of how your reader will use that information. You may need to do additional research, but answering questions for your reader is what makes your writing most useful to them. Sixth is to "take careful notes" (157). The best information is useless to you if you cannot document it correctly. Determine whether you are quoting or paraphrasing, and always collect all the needed information to construct your bibliography. The seventh and last guideline deals with ethics, and it is to "observe intellectual property law and document your sources" (157). You need to know what you can and cannot use, and you need to follow the correct format of documenting the sources you use.

Chapter 7 gives you guidelines on how to put all your information together in a way that allows your reader to find what they are looking for and easily follow what you are saying. Whether it is a sentence, paragraph, or an entire book with many chapters, how you organize the information will make or break all your hard research efforts. The eight guidelines are:

• Begin by announcing your topic
• Present your generalizations before your details
• Move from most important to least important
• Consult conventional strategies when having difficulties organizing
• Consider your readers' cultural background when organizing
• Reveal your communication's organization
• Smooth the flow of thought from sentence to sentence
• Examine the human consequences of what you're drafting
  

I can see how following these guidelines will get my research focused and help me produce writing that has my reader at the center from the very beginning. Not only will I have the information to persuade my reader, but also they will be able to follow and use it based on my organization. I am anxious to use these techniques in the research project we are working on for class.