Getting to Your BIG Question: September 5, 2017

Focus: How can simple observations lead to important questions?

1. Warming up with three good things

2. Offering you little scientific inspiration on the importance of what you're doing

Questioning --> Researching --> Observing --> Better Questioning --> Thesis

3. Gathering and evaluating research by finishing your annotated bibliography

• Click here for an overview of the what/why/how of the annotated bibliography
• Click here for a sample annotated bibliography from last year.

4. Observing: Look over your research with a curious mind, and try the following:

a. Make a few simple observations regarding your topic/research that you think are important.

• As Y2K approached, people were quick to panic.

• Many assumed that a technical glitch would essentially lead to the end of civilized life.

• People hoarded goods, build underground shelters, and prepared for the new millennium as though preparing for a natural disaster or a war.

b. Based on your observations, ask a Level 3 question that you hope to answer as you dive into your research. Put it in bold font at the top.

Remember: A Level 3 question has many possible answers and can be applied to many situations.

• Ex: Why is paranoia contagious?
• Ex: What is the link between reliance on technology and mass panic?

• Once you have your Level 3 question, you will know exactly what you will spend your essay trying to prove!

HW:
1. Finish your annotated bibliography by tomorrow (Wednesday) if you did not finish in class.

Topic Sign-Up

2. Spend five minutes a day with Puritan Words, List 1. We will have our assessment this Friday; strong familiarity with the words is required, but strict memorization is not.

3. If it's in your budget or on your bookshelf, please acquire your own copy of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.