I want you to free write about some subjects you might be interested in researching this semester. Consider some of the inquiry based questions you have generated in class on Monday and consider your own personal interests as well. This is pretty open and the content is really up to you, but here are a few examples of things you might write about:
How might you conduct your own study? (consider how the first two student examples pieces worked) Could a focus group work for your study? Write about what you already know about your subject and the stake holders in the discussion you are entering into. Consider alternate ways to frame the question to accentuate different aspects of the original idea. You might also develop a research experiment to test your inquiry based question.
If you are having a bit of trouble coming up with your research subject, consider the research articles that are published on Stylus. http://writingandrhetoric.cah.ucf.edu/stylus/issues.php
It is important to note that not all articles published on Stylus are inquiry based studies, so be sure to look for articles published from ENC 1102 classes. Also, you might try watching some of the videos posted on the blog or reading some of the articles for invention strategies that might help you.
Caleb Van Beck
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
18 January 2016
One topic I find interest in researching is the effect violence in television and movies has had on society. I would possibly look into the desensitization of people to death and murder over time after exposure to increasing violence on TV. I plan to not only study the general loss of feelings and emotions on killing due to its portrayal in show business, but also to delve into how that loss can spur on aggression and violent behavior in individuals. The overall intent of this research would be to edify our society on the actual damage that can be done through the seemingly innocent medium of television and movies, and also how this information may be used to repair the damage and improve our universal views on violence.
It may be helpful to conduct a focus group for this particular study, but I believe that separate interviewing may be more effective at extracting the personal accounts and feelings of others, as these will be crucial data for the study. Of course these interviews will be combined with preliminary research on desensitization and violence in television and movies, which in fact will be utilized to generate appropriate questions for the interviewing process. The goal is to accurately depict the thoughts and opinions of the general public on the issue of violence in televised entertainment and how it affects society in short-term and long-term scenarios.
This overall issue may be viewed from many different angles in an effort to fully understand its origins and how it affects humans. I could look into the rather recent explosion of streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix to see if this has contributed to the desensitization of violence through its influence and ease of access in society. I might also search for an actual link between exposure to violence on TV and actual crimes committed out of aggression and desensitization. One more investigation might be on the growth of the movie industry as a whole to discover the driving reasons behind the increased addition of killing and murdering in many movies of this day. This research project will aim to look at many factors that lead to the mass exposure of violence in television and movies and how we can adjust these factors to cut down on the exposure and possibly improve our society as a result.
Hi Caleb,
DeleteViolence in television is an interesting topic to look at, and it seems that you are taking a quantitative approach by trying to determine the effect that violent television has on individuals.
There are challenges with this approach because there are innumerable factors that can cause individuals to act out violently.
In some regards, a sheltered audience without much exposure to actual violence may have a very warped view of violence as compared to those who have actually experienced seriously violent situations.
To what extent has violence in television evolved in the past decade? Is it more prevalent or less?
If you move forward with this topic, you'll want to pay attention to how scholars study violence in television. Pay close attention to the methods scholars use to help you se some possibilities.
Toby Dieckman
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC1102
19 January 2016
A topic that I would find interesting to research and explore would be the impact homeschooling has on a growing child’s social skills. I personally know multiple people and relatives who were home schooled in their youth and appear to lack certain social skills. I would analyze not only how home schooling has affected their personality, but why homeschooling has had such an impact. I would also want to explore the topic further by seeing how these possibly detrimental social skills affect job choices in the future, and the overall success of the homeschooled individuals. However, it is irrational to generalize that all homeschooled people are socially inept, so I would conduct interviews of multiple homeschooled people from different backgrounds. This would allow me to find out information about their career, homeschooling past, etc. Before I even begin the interview process however, I would research heavily into the subject in order to see if there have been any prior studies with available information. This research would help me to create pertinent interview questions and create an overall better understanding of what I am researching.
Hi Toby,
DeleteI think a lot of the outcomes related to home schooling are based on the teaching methods employed by the parents. You are absolutely right in pointing out that there is a flaw in thinking that all home schooling is the same. Are there some homeschooling programs that find ways to develop and improve social interactions? For example, does home schooling mean simply staying home and being taught? Are some home schooling programs dynamic and more immersive than public school?
What methods of home schooling are seen as effective in terms of meeting academic demands and social viability?
How extensive is the problem of home school kids being inept in social interactions?
An idea that I would like to write about is something that is very close to me. Today, the fine arts is being cut in school system because of budget cuts, sports programs, etc. I have learned over the years that fine arts programs can actually help younger children grow in ways that lectures could never do. It teaches children to be creative, and show what they feel. As I have grown, I now think that back on the lessons I learned in life, ad notice that majority of was taught through the arts. I want to be able to show that the fine arts should be far down the list of extracurricular activities to be cut, and point out the reasons why.
ReplyDeleteHi Tricia,
DeleteI think the initial question you may want to explore involves the extent to which the public believes the arts are expendable? Music, film, art, and dance are all part of most people's lives, but as you mention, these are the first programs to be cut.
As you delve into this subject, you have a few approaches to consider. What factors contribute to people believing the arts are expendable?
What kinds of arguments and campaigns are successfully defending the arts, and what kinds of persuasive strategies are helping to save arts programs?
Taking your study in this direction could lead you to a really interesting textual analysis. You could analyze the effectiveness of arguments presented on behalf of the arts. What makes arguments promoting the arts successful? In places where the arts are thriving, are there better and more effective persuasive strategies being deployed?
Noah Madover
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2015
An idea that I have thought about researching is the whether or not marijuana can be an accepted drug for medical use. While this topic does not really hit me that close to the heart it is very interesting to me. Marijuana has evolved so much over time. It used to be considered a horrible drug, on the same scale as heroin and cocaine, but now people are realizing that it has medical value and today over half of the states in the US have legalized it for medical use. I could conduct my study from looking at how medical marijuana has worked in the states it’s legal in, what sort of diseases you need to have to get it, how many people get it, how much money it’s generating, etc. I think this is a good subject because I have a lot of examples all over the country to compare and contrast different states that do and don’t have marijuana legalized for medical use. I could maybe somehow incorporate a focus group, but it could be hard since marijuana is a tough topic for some people. I want to find out whether or not medical marijuana actually works and how much it can benefit a country once they legalize it.
Research about marijuana is really gaining momentum, and in many states, there are pushes to attain various levels of legalization.
DeleteThis is a topic that I will let you research, but there are some important guidelines you must follow. The research you conduct should involve examination of the rhetoric and arguments being put forward by pro-marijuana groups.
You cannot study the effects of marijuana in any capacity.
Questions about how the legalization process has worked may not lead you to an inquiry based research project, but questions about the dynamics of which kinds of arguments for making marijuana legal are most successful could bear fruit.
What kinds of rhetoric work best for promoting the legalization of marijuana? What factors lead to successful ballot initiatives and the changing of laws? How effective and successful have organizations that support marijuana reform been, and what factors have led to their success?
Kristy Henderson
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC1102
19 January 2016
A topic that I was considering focusing on is animal testing and why there is such controversy over it. Growing up I have always been surrounded by animals and have had a love for them, and it is hard for me to personally understand why putting an end to animal testing is even a question. While I can see the reasoning behind testing in order to find cures for diseases, which is to better the health of the human population, it is still something that is morally wrong. As for testing for cosmetics, there is no reason for it. Is it really necessary to torture another living thing in order to hide imperfections? Throughout their entire lives animals are subjected to their own form of slavery. There are many ways I could look at this topic. Not only is there various categories for why the research is done, but also how it is being done. The number of open-ended questions are endless. Why is there so much controversy behind this, what is being done, who is mostly responsible, and what can be done to change how research is performed in the future? A research experiment to address the issue could be having various people sent into a laboratory to see the effects of such testing or to witness photographs of what is being done, and to consider experiencing the same fate and see how their opinions change.
Hi Kristy,
DeleteThe fight for animal rights is still an ongoing battle, and it began many centuries ago. How far has the movement come? Well, there are lawsuits reaching courts now that are pushing hard for the kinds of rights that you advocate for.
What are the pivotal points in the emergence of the animal rights movement? What kinds of arguments work best to advance the cause?
There have been some recent victories. For example, there is a growing movement driven by many companies demanding eggs from free range chickens. McDonald's along with some other big name food companies are going to move exclusively to free range chickens. I would assume that these changes have been brought on by the animal rights movement. How did the movement win this victory? How did advocates design campaigns that worked?
The question you raise about why there is so much controversy isn't exactly an open ended question. We know that there are lots of practical reasons to test products on animals before giving those products to humans. The point is this: I think we know why there is a lot of controversy surrounding this issue.
With that said, I think you have a lot of options for developing an open ended, inquiry based research project. Towards the end of your posting, you mention some ideas about sending people to labs. This may not be viable because labs are typically not in the business of letting outsiders in. However, your point about showing pictures may be interesting. Instead of showing pictures, perhaps you could evaluate the effectiveness of different kinds of arguments supporting the animal rights movement. Are there certain approaches that have demonstrated sustained effectiveness at changing attitudes and beliefs of audiences?
Samara Halperin
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
The topic I am considering researching this semester is how social media helps businesses succeed. There are a couple of ways that I am considering conducting this study. The first is to be in contact with the owners of local businesses and interview them on how they business was affected once they began using social media more. My second option for conducting the research is to thoroughly look through the social media pages of major companies and analyze the type of things people are saying about them as they get to talk about their product through social media. Currently, I know that social media can positively affect companies because it is free advertising and let’s viewers know new items they are selling and special deals coming up. I am also aware that social media can have some negative affects on a business. A large portion of this comes from customer reviews. If a large sum of people are writing negative comments about the business or the products they sell then that can have a bad affect on the amount of money they make. Overall, social media tends to be helpful to businesses.
Hi Samara,
DeleteI think your investigation into how social media helps businesses succeed is an excellent idea. There are tons of new efforts to leverage social media to improve sales and draw in more business, but what approaches are effective? How is social media marketing different from traditional print ads?
Analyzing the kinds of rhetoric that shape effective social media campaigns could really make for a fascinating project. I recommend you start right away by finding some scholarly articles as well as articles from Search Engine Journal: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/
I look forward to seeing where you take this project.
There are a couple of things I am thinking about writing for the semester. One is on the history of Disney princesses, and how overtime their stories are becoming more complex and less cookie cutter fairytale, and why this is changing. I would want to research what was happening in society when certain movies were made, and if the real world had an effect on the story lines for these movies and princesses, especially in the late 90s. This is the time when princesses started becoming more diverse and having different story lines. With this I want to also research its effect on young girls and how these princess movies affect their thinking of women.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic I am interested in is television. I watch a broad range of television shows, and I’m always curious on how certain television shows can affect someones mood or personality. I don’t have a concrete idea on how I will go about researching this, but I believe I could look at studies or interview people. Another idea with television is I could research what were the most popular shows throughout history and how these shows have impacted our society. This would be a little difficult because television has only been in our world for a short time, and finding information on it from the earlier times could be more difficult, it would be interesting to see what kind of information I could find on this.
Hi Mallory,
DeleteIt seems you are interested in looking at the construction of gender, particularly the construction of the female gender over time. There have been remarkable changes over the past fifty years, and I think there are plenty more changes to come.
Analyzing gender through television or movies can reveal some interesting points about the culture. There is a wonderful test called the Bechdel Test. Here is a link: http://bechdeltest.com/
You might also want to check out the work of Sheryl Sandberg and bell hooks.
The new princesses are certainly more active and more adventurous than their counterparts from the past. What kinds of values are these new princesses teaching young girls? Are princesses still embodying stereotypical constructs of beauty? To what extent are young girls now being taught, through film and television, that there are more important things than the way they look and their physical features?
I am having a somewhat difficult time coming up with an exact topic to research and write about. I am stuck between choosing a topic that will keep my attention throughout the semester and choosing one that has enough sources for me to explore. Being a hospitality management major, I would love to write about something dealing with the hospitality industry, hotels, or Disney World. That being said, I don’t know if I can find enough reliable sources to conduct my research. My ideal research question would be something like why do vacationers continue to come back to Walt Disney World? And what does the Walt Disney Company do to keep their guests coming back? With this, I could examine the Walt Disney World resort hotels along with the theme parks and other recreational activities they offer. To explore and research these questions first hand, I could visit different areas of the property and see what they have to offer. I could also talk to cast members and pick their brains for knowledge on why Walt Disney Word is such a popular vacation location. Another way for me to collect specific research on why people come back is to start or comment on a blog online and ask Disney goers what it is about Disney World that pulls them back. I believe that questions like these will keep me motivated and interested throughout the semester rather than something I am not as interested in.
ReplyDeleteHi Lily,
DeleteI think there is a lot to research within the hospitality field. It continues to evolve and change, and Disney is certainly a pioneering company in terms of their ability to deliver immersive and dynamic experiences.
There is a possibility of doing ethnographic research about Disney, and if you choose this route, you will have to be careful. Disney is a very secretive organization, and they are not in the business of revealing the secrets behind the magic. For example, if you are wandering around the parks taking copious amounts of notes, the Mouse Police may approach you to see why you are not being engaged by the magic. With that said, I think it may be interesting to do an ethnographic project about Disney- the challenge is access.
Remember, this class is a course that calls you to locate problems and raise questions to help address those problems.
What are some of the challenges that hospitality managers face? In what ways are scholars and researchers attempting to figure out ways to produce better and more dynamic service? What kinds of communicative practices allow for the most successful hospitality service?
A topic that I would like to explore is what effect can social media have on relationships. In the past, social media was not as popular as it is today, older generations did not have access to social media while they were dating. I want to know whether or not having lots of followers on social media can effect the success rate of a relationship. I want to analyze the psychological effects that having lots of followers can have on someone. I've always wondered if being popular on social media can cause a person to believe that they are better than someone else and thus influence their significant other into believing that they are inferior. I want to compare my findings of current relationships to my findings of past relationships and see what conclusions I can draw.
ReplyDeleteI know we don't have to reply to these but that sounds really interesting! Good luck with your research!
DeleteHi Nick,
DeleteYou are getting into some interesting territory, and as new generations grow into adolescence and young adulthood, they are digital natives to the world of social media.
The question of how social media effects relationships is interesting because so much of the life that used to be private is now much more public. The "in a relationship" toggle presents a lot of interesting factors that are not as simple as the status change.
Airing personal relationship laundry on social media is fairly prevalent today, and I would assume that this usually spells doom for the relationship. Are there ways to use and leverage social media in ways that are beneficial for relationships?
Miranda Martin
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
Initially, I knew that I wanted to research something that is interesting to me and related to my major, which is psychology. I’ve always loved psychology and there are a plethora of topics to choose from that I could research; however I was having a tough time deciding exactly which topic. Aside from psychology, I’ve always grown up having pets and loving animals. My sister recently received a service dog, which has tremendously affected her anxiety and increased her sociability. So with psychology and animals in mind, I came up with a topic that combines both: how do animals affect the psychological well being of humans. I know that in most cases, having a pet or service dog helps relieve stress and anxiety in people. I could possibly conduct my study by interviewing multiple people who have benefitted from animals to see in what ways they have been affected and how it has made a difference in their lives. I can’t wait to further research and see exactly how animals benefit human health.
Hi Miranda,
DeleteResearching the psychological effect of service animals could be a great study. Service animals are now being used in a variety of capacities, so this seems like a viable topic.
You mention in your posting that you are interested in psychology. Which psychological studies have you taken a liking to?
Getting a bit more nuanced about certain aspects of psychology that have drawn you in may help to solidify a topic that is going to keep you engaged.
Stephen Tassinaro
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
A topic that I am interested in exploring is how today's technology is affecting our younger generations. To be more specific, has today's technology made today's younger generations less active and more glued to their TV screens. Also the affects of what types of technology children are exposed to during their developmental stages such as what TV shows they watch, what video games they play, and what genres of music they listen to. This is a wide range of topics and as this class progresses I may narrow it down but all of these things have always left me wondering if they actually make any difference or if they were just my mom's excuses to go make me play outside. I could research this topic through direct inquiry, asking friends, friend's parents, and family if they feel they played outside more than their children or younger siblings. Also test scores could be reviewed over different generations and look for increasing or decreasing scores based on exposure to technology.
Hi Stephen,
DeleteAs technology continues to grow, there are many questions about how technology affects the human psyche. There is no doubt that new technology does have an effect, but the question can get very nuanced as we start breaking down different categories of technology.
One approach that might work for your project is a meta-analysis of studies conducted to address this question. You will have to meticulously track the research questions that scholars use to set up their inquiries, the methodologies used to test theories, and the findings from the studies.
Armed with this knowledge, you could perhaps then perform a textual analysis.
Malikh Shrouder
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
The topic I am interested in researching is the different reasons for people to go through plastic surgery and what are their thoughts afterwards. I know several people who have done this and I have seen it become a common place in our society. Recently I began watched a television show called botched and I’ve seen plastic surgery in a new light. Having seen this I would like to dig deeper into all the reasons for it and how it will affect the recipient after surgery. Also, being a biomedical major I feel that this is very much related to my major and will help me gain knowledge that will come in handy in the future. I feel that a good way to conduct this study would not only be online but more specifically online blogs about it and watching documentaries on this subject and talking to people who have done Plastic surgery.
Hi Malikh,
DeleteWe talked in class about your ideas, and I think there is room to explore this topic from some different perspectives. Clearly, the plastic surgery industry is growing by leaps and bounds.
In terms of your opening question- I think we know why people get plastic surgery- they want to look better. Sometimes an accident occurred leaving someone deformed and other times people are just not happy with their features.
With that said, I think there are some unanswered questions about how physicians market plastic surgery services.
As someone interested in bio-medical, you might also be interested in researching how cultural differences affect patient doctor relationships. Also, there is a recent spike in physicians doing home visits to see patients. Back in the late 1800's and early 1900's house calls were common but fell off after the 1950's.
What have researchers found out about the new emergence of house calls? Some doctors have taken their practices completely on the road (all of the patients they see are done via house calls). How does meeting at the patients house affect patient - doctor interactions?
Patrick Curtis
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
A topic that I am interested in exploring the effects of homework on students compared to today rather than lets say 50 years ago. This topic intrigues me because back when I was in high school and asking for help from family members, like my parents, they would always say that they are completely appalled with how much homework I would have and then the fact that in order to get into a great college you also need to be in clubs and that also takes up a lot of time. Whereas when they were in school they would always say that they had no where near as much homework. I have also seen a couple of articles where they said that the amount of homework kids are being assigned is causing more harm than good, whereas back in the day the amount of homework didn’t cause anywhere near as much stress on students, and too much stress on students can cause a whole host of problems.
Hi Patrick,
DeleteI think you're onto an interesting topic here, and I'm fascinated to see where you can take this study. I wonder if there are differences in homework assigned across institutions. Are private schools assigning ungodly amounts of homework or is public school the primary culprit for overloading students with homework?
What does scholarship say about the viability of homework to promote learning transfer?
Is the homework being seen as busy work rather than as an opportunity for productive growth?
Aksel Knudsen
ReplyDeleteLonghany
ENC 1101
19 January 2016
There was a ted talk a watched a while back that completely changed my perspective on addiction and those who are considered to be addicted to a substance. The first misconception I broke was that addiction only refers to illegal drugs only. There are many things a person can become addicted to that are legal yet far more harmful than the effects of drugs. There are certain addictions that society accepts and others that are not. Secondly, not everyone would become addicted if they were put under the influence of drugs considered to be highly addictive. Ive seen recent studies showing that cheese, yes cheese, has the same addictive quality and neural responses as crack cocaine. So my question is, what is at the true root of all addictions? What is it that requires someone to fill that emptiness inside them.
After the movie "lucy" came out where Scarlet Johansson plays a character who progressively accesses 100% of her brain power, it made me wonder what the facts were behind this. Is it true that we only use so much percent of our brain? Are there situations where more of our brain is accessed than usual?
Addiction is an interesting subject to study, and you can look at it from a range of perspectives. There are many people who are addicted to coffee, and when it is unavailable for the addict, there are plenty of consequences. It seems clear that the more acceptable addictions are the ones that don't limit one's ability to properly function as a member of society.
DeleteYou will have to be awfully careful with this topic because people suffering from addiction are vulnerable.
One approach to studying addiction might be to conduct a textual analysis. You could analyze how addiction is displayed on screen and look at how accurate these depictions of addiction are compared to research that demonstrates a more scientific understanding of what addiction is.
What are the common misconceptions about addiction and how are these misconceptions perpetuated?
Samantha DeBell
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC1102
19 January 2016
Deciding on a topic was difficult but I think I’d find a lot of interest in researching the effect gender and race has on medical school acceptance. I know of a few articles about the pros and cons of affirmative action in the application and acceptance process, and know that there’s many sources for statistics and demographics of the medical school student population. I could talk with family friends in the medical field, my family physician, and my orthopedic doctor for feedback on their experiences with the application process to certain medical schools. Considering my major is biomedical sciences, I’m hoping that the knowledge I’d gain during this research would help me with choosing which medical schools to apply to. I think focusing my research on this subject would familiarize me with the different medical schools, the competitiveness for acceptance into each school, and the different kinds of medical degrees offered.
If I wasn’t to study the effect of gender and race on medical school acceptance, I’d still want my topic to be in the medical field. I know that I’d benefit from learning about how and why pre-med students change their majors during under-grad. It’s known that there’s no specific major to be deemed “pre-med” and there’s no major needed to get accepted in the medical school. I’d look up statistics on how many students are signed up for which major, and the statistics for biomedical students that change their major, during what year, and to what major did they switch? I could talk with fellow students on campus to get first hand testimonies on their reasons for changing majors and how confident they feel in applying to medical school. Studying this would also aid me in my medical school applications. I’d learn which major people switch to in order to strengthen their application and I could use that information in assessing my choice of major.
Hi Samantha,
DeleteThe question of how race and gender factor into medical school acceptance is an issue of concern for many. There have recently been lawsuits filed by Asian American students attempting to gain entry into Ivy League schools who claim that they are held to higher standards because of being Asian.
Affirmative Action is a hot button topic, and often times when students tackle issues like Affirmative Action, abortion, or guns, they come to the conversation with a very strong opinion one way or the other. This concerns me because the research can end up becoming a search to confirm one's own perspective rather than an inquiry research project.
There are some really interesting developments in medical school. Recently, a school in New York started admitting applicants from humanities majors. The link to the story is here: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/05/27/407967899/a-top-medical-school-revamps-requirements-to-lure-english-majors
Also, you might have a look at the rising trend of doctors doing house calls. Here's a link to a story from 2013: http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/disruptive-innovators-physician-house-calls-making-return
I think that researching medical schools so you can sort out which school to attend is certainly valuable, but doing a research project that puts you in the middle of the industry will give you a huge advantage in getting accepted to a program.
Kendall Minning
ReplyDeleteI am really interested in health. I think I want to focus my research on health in college students. We have all heard about the “freshman 15”. I want to research the eating habits of college students. For many kids, the freshman 15 means gaining the weight because you're away from home, free to eat whatever you want (or the dreaded meal plan food). For other kids, it means they lose 15 from malnutrition, for lack of a better word. They simply don't have the money to buy food so they only eat one meal a day. I would research the topic online because there is a lot of information regarding eating habit. I am not 100% sure if I would focus on only eating or if I would incorporate exercise as well. I would for sure conduct a focus group or at least have some people fill out a questionnaire about their diet and exercise habits. Possible questions: To what extent does diet and exercise have on college students ability to preform? To what extent does diet and exercise inhibit growth among college students?
…. just had a new idea. The psychological effect the UCF RWC has on students. I know I don't work out at the gym for fear of seeing someone I know and being embarrassed at the gym. Kids who aren't as in shape might feel more insecure at the gym. The crazy big guys down below might feel like they own it. Or exactly the opposite! I am interested in this topic because the answer is not as clear as the answers to the questions I posted above!
Hi Kendall,
DeleteYou are onto some interesting topics here, and I think either option could work. I think the psychology of the gym is interesting because it is often mindset that shapes outcomes.
The initial questions you pose about diet and health are questions you could find answers to by delving into scientific studies that others have completed. With that said, I am not sure you are going to have the tools to engage in this kind of physiological research as a freshman or sophomore.
The second example allows you more room to build your own study and conduct your own research.
Jadia Bashir
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
Something I have always been passionate about is skincare and body confidence. I would like to raise a question about makeup and its effects on the confidence of the people that wear it. I personally have had battles of whether or not to leave the house with makeup on, and I know that's a struggle for many individuals as well. Makeup can make a person feel better about themselves, however, it can also decrease their confidence when it is off. Women who wear makeup on a daily basis tend to view that as their normal image. Going to the grocery store without make can be one of the hardest things for some women and I'm curious to know why we feel that way. I could possibly find a focus group of people on campus who wear makeup everyday and see the ways it effects their confidence personally. So many women on campus wear makeup that the possibilities for this question would be virtually endless.
Hi Jadia,
DeleteI think that looking into the psychological side of individuals who regularly wear makeup could result in an interesting project. Clearly, there is a feeling that makeup enhances features, and this can certainly build self-confidence, but is this self-confidence pseudo-confidence? Is it real?
I am interested to see where you will go with this.
Julie Phan
ReplyDeleteProfessor Joseph Longhany
ENC 1102
19 January 2016
So my research question falls along the lines of: How has different genres of music structured the mindset of generations over the past few decades?
Music has always been a major part of my life. And I would like to further my research by posing a question about the influence of music and relating it to how it structures the way different people from different backgrounds think. I think that people who listen to genres like Rap and R&B have a different thought process than those who listen to Classical, Opera, or even Alternative music. Also I think where, how, and when you were brought up also influences what type of music you listen to. For my research paper I will interview people from all ages, backgrounds, and locations to get different experiences and aspects.
Looking at conversations about musical styles is somewhat akin to looking at cultures. Different music emerges from different cultural movements, and the music that emerges is often reflective of the culture.
DeleteI think you can develop this into an excellent project, but you will have to do some work to narrow your topic down. Perhaps you could pick one genre and trace how the culture has evolved and changed. What factors from the broader culture shifted causing shifts in the approach to that style?
In terms of mindsets, I think you are right that people thing differently, but I also think that there is a lot of nuance in this statement. Ten people who actively listen to opera music are going to have some commonalities about their thinking patterns, but I assure you there will be plenty of differences too.
Pinpointing how music influences thinking is a tall order (unless you have access to an MRI machine where you can put people and pump in different kinds of music). It would be interesting to see how different kinds of music affect brain wave activity.
Carlos G. Morales
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC1102
19 January 2016
At the moment I’m having a little trouble coming up with a topic for the semester but I’m leaning towards how a relationship can continue after a huge betrayal, such as an affair or a huge lie that affects more than one person. I find this topic interesting because it’s become such a common thing in our society and I want to learn how these relationships can keep going with a different level of trust. I would conduct my study by talking to couples that have been through these types of betrayals and what was that important factor that led them to forgive their significant other.
Hi Carlos,
DeleteLooking at how trust is rebuilt after a betrayal is interesting for a number of reasons. Finding a way to trust again is important for the one who was betrayed, and having an apology accepted is important for the one who committed the betrayal.
Interviewing couples who have experienced a betrayal is going to be a challenge. The crisis is hard enough, and I doubt many people will want to share their ordeal with a stranger. If you can find participants who are willing to sit with you for an interview, I think you could be onto something.
As you start to look at this subject, pay very close attention to how scholars study the phenomenon of recovering from betrayal. What steps to scholars take to make sure that interview subjects are treated fairly and their concerns are met? Are there other methodologies besides interviews that scholars deploy?
Stephanie Spratte
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhand
ENC1102
20 January 2016
An idea is something in regards to cancer and how it can be caused and possibly what is out their to cure it besides chemotherapy. Specifically Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and what can cause that, whether its genetic or not, whether it can be caused through the environment one is subjected to, etc.
I'm having slight trouble coming up with five ideas but I was thinking about something with Beyonce. Because Beyonce slays. And also the marketing strategies, the way she posts on her social media, why she has such a strong fan base. Like I'm not a nutty fan, its just interesting to see why celebrities do the things they do.
Third, Im thinking about how social media shapes our society today, like how reliant is our generation. Like how certain shows shape our views and what we post and the science behind those.
I am struggling to come up with anything else but I will look more into various topics.
Hi Stephanie,
DeleteI think you have some great ideas here. Identifying problems associated with cancer is a great approach. My concern, of course, is that you need to arrive at an open ended question that you can address with the tools you have access to. For example, delving into the causes of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma calls you to have access to some very sophisticated medical research equipment (and unless you have a close friend or relative who runs some sate of the art lab), it will be challenging for you to contribute to this conversation.
I think you raise some interesting questions about social media and celebrities. I am sure that Beyonce has a team that supports her social media platform. It is probably hard to determine what role she actually plays in maintaining her social media (perhaps as a fan, you can get access to this).
It may be really interesting to study how pop stars use social media marketing to promote their shows, product lines, and affiliated brands. Are there tried and true strategies for success?
Perhaps beginning your study by delving into how effective social media campaigns work could get you moving. Then, you could start to gather up data by collecting social media content from Beyonce and a few other stars. You could then do a textual analysis to look at what makes certain campaigns successful or not.
Alexandra Stavros
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
January 20, 2016
One topic I am interested in is how Greek Life on campus and how it aids in academic and social success. I feel like you are either all for Greek life or totally against it but there has been a lot of research of if it is truly beneficial or not.
You could conduct this study by surveying people on how they think their social life is and also there grades from before they joined to after they joined. Also analyzing how people think their social life is if they aren't in Greek life.
I feel personally it is hard to get out and meet people on a campus of 60,000 students but if you get involved in Greek life you have your own smaller community to be apart of. It has definitely brought me out of my comfort zone and helped me stay focused on school but I want to see the effects on people not involved.
I don't know exactly what I want to focus on but that is the broad topic that I'm looking into!
Hi Alexandra,
DeleteGreek Life does pose a lot of potential for research, and there has been a lot of research about Greek life. I think there are stereotypes abound regarding Greek life, and some of those stereotypes are true, but there is always more to things than the broad stroke that stereotypes paint.
You raise some questions attempting to compare joining a fraternity to achievement in terms of grades. This is a really hard correlation to make because there are innumerable factors that can affect one's grades. Someone may have just joined a fraternity but his father recently passed away. His grades may slip because he is grieving. Another student may join a fraternity, but his real improvement in grades comes because he has finally changed majors and is now actually enjoying his course work.
The point is this: there are innumerable factors that will affect grades.
Are there some local or national issues related to Greek life that could merit more study? Are there certain factors that allow some organizations to more effectively leverage social networking to help individual members to find opportunities after college?
I do want to caution you on some pitfalls for doing research about Greek life. Many interesting things associated with Greek organizations is kept secret. I have read many ethnographies about Greek life that are surface level reports without much actual inquiry.
This doesn't mean that there are not pathways to build imaginative and effective research projects that look at some aspect of Greek life.
Ayesha Razack
ReplyDeleteProfessor Longhany
ENC 1102
20, January, 2016
A topic that I was considering covering for my research project was mental disorders. Being a psychology major, mental disorders have always captured my attention. I want to look into the physical and psychological effects having a mental illness has on a person. Whether it be an eating disorder or depression, I am curious about them all. I would like to look into how they affect the person with the illness, and those who spend their time frequently around them. A question I would rise would be: To what extent does having a mental disorder affect someone’s relationship with other people? I would also would like to explore why people who are aware of their illness refuse and/or avoid getting help from others or professionals. Why is that people with a disorder feel as though they have to hide from the knowledge of others? Is there a stigma of shame attached to having a mental illness, and if so, why is that? I feel like this is still a little bit broad, and I was wondering if there were ways to narrow down the topic of mental disorders. I am also intrigued by psychopaths and serial killers and how they work to do what they do and motives they have behind it. There might be a way to tie that into mental disorders unless it is branching too off topic.
Mental disorders are both fascinating and important to study because there is always a need to improve treatments and make people feel better.
ReplyDeleteYou pose a question about why there is shame attached to mental disorders, and perhaps this is related to how cultures ostracize individuals with different mental makeups. Mental disorders are often pushed aside or left untreated because families do not want to experience the shame that comes with some of these disorders.
One way to spin this a bit involves asking something to the following effect: what kinds of efforts has the mental health industry made to mediate and reduce the problem of shame associated with mental disorders? Are certain kinds of campaigns more effective in reducing the problem associated with shame?
You have to be really careful with this topic, and I don't want you doing interviews with individuals who have mental disorders. It takes years of training and a lot of preparation to work with vulnerable populations of people who suffer from mental illness.
There are other ways to study this phenomenon. For example, you could examine the ways the movies and television depict people with mental disorders and ways in which these depictions could fuel false stereotypes or misunderstanding about the illness in question.
You could study the persuasive techniques that mental health organizations use to mitigate the shame and stigma related to mental illness. Are there certain kinds of rhetoric that are more successful at countering negative stigmas related to mental health issues?