MDR- Learning Outcomes

Primary research

Involves collecting original data directly from sources, such as surveys, interviews, and experiments.

Secondary research

Involves analyzing existing data or information that has already been collected by others, such as books, articles, and reports.

Rhetorical situation

Consists of elements such as topic, audience, purpose, context, and writer/speaker that influence communication.

Rhetorical reading

Analyzing a text for content and how it persuades, considering author, audience, purpose, and context.

Writing convention

Established practices or rules in writing that guide how texts are structured, formatted, and presented.

Clarity (in writing conventions)

Ensuring writing is easy to understand.

Accuracy (in writing conventions)

Information presented must be correct and verifiable.

Evidence-based arguments

Claims supported by credible evidence.

Ethical considerations (in writing conventions)

Adhering to ethical standards, including proper citation and avoiding plagiarism.

Brainstorming

A technique for generating ideas by listing all thoughts related to a general area of interest.

Concept mapping

Visually connecting ideas to explore relationships.

Personal interest

Choosing research topics based on subjects you are passionate about.

Journalistic questions

Questions (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) that help refine research topics into specific, researchable questions.

Initial scan of resources

Quickly reviewing resources to understand the scope of information on a topic and identify gaps or trends.

Good research question

A question that is focused, researchable, relevant, concise, and complex.

Argumentative essays

Research assignments presenting a claim supported by evidence.

Analytic essays

Research assignments that break down a topic to understand relationships.

Research proposal

A document outlining a proposed research project, detailing purpose, methodology, significance, and expected outcomes.

Title (in research proposal)

A clear and descriptive title for the proposed research.

Literature review

A summary and synthesis of existing research on a particular topic.

Methodology

An explanation of how the research will be conducted, including participants, materials, and procedures.

Boolean expression

Uses operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine or exclude search terms in resource searching.

Peer-reviewed

A process where scholarly work is evaluated by experts in the field before publication.

Static resources

Content that remains unchanged once published, such as printed books.

Syndicated resources

Content produced by one source and distributed to multiple platforms.

Dynamic resources

Content that is frequently updated and can change over time, such as Wikipedia.

Credible sources

Sources that are trustworthy and reliable based on criteria like currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.

Scholarly sources

Resources that are peer-reviewed, written by experts, published in academic journals, and contain extensive references.

Popular magazines

Publications aimed at a general audience focusing on entertainment and general information.

Trade magazines/journals

Publications for professionals in specific industries offering news and practical advice.

Academic journals

Publications reporting original research and contributing to scholarly discussions.

Annotating a source

The process of actively engaging with a text through notes, highlights, and comments.

Claim (in a resource)

The main argument the author is trying to prove.

Reason (in a resource)

A statement that justifies the claim and explains why it is true.

Evidence (in a resource)

Facts, data, or examples used to support claims and reasons.

Good paraphrase

An accurate rewording of original material in your own words, maintaining the same length or shorter.

Bad paraphrase

A rewording that closely resembles the original text, which may lead to plagiarism.

Direct quotation

Using the author's exact words in your work, enclosed in quotation marks, with proper citation.

Literature review vs. annotated bibliography

A literature review synthesizes multiple sources into an essay, while an annotated bibliography lists sources with individual summaries.

Thesis statement

A clear, arguable claim that guides your research paper.

Qualifiers

Words or phrases that limit the scope or strength of a claim.

Reporting

Presenting objective factual information without persuasion.

Arguing

Presenting a claim supported by reasons and evidence to persuade an audience.

Ethos

Appeals to credibility and character of the speaker/writer.

Pathos

Appeals to the audience's emotions.

Logos

Appeals to logic and reason through evidence and reasoning.

Warrant (in Toulmin argument)

The underlying assumption connecting evidence to the claim.

Counter-arguments

Opposing viewpoints or objections to the main claim.

Rebuttals

Responses to counter-arguments that strengthen the original claim.

Integration of evidence

The process of introducing, presenting, and analyzing evidence within a research paper.

Common logical fallacies

Errors in reasoning that undermine arguments.

Evaluation (in argument structure)

Presents an assessment against criteria.

Comparison and contrast (in argument structure)

Examines similarities and differences between subjects.

Proposal (in argument structure)

Suggests a solution to a problem.

Cause and effect (in argument structure)

Explores reasons for events and their outcomes.

Introduction (in writing)

Hooks the reader and presents the thesis and scope.

Conclusion (in writing)

Summarizes the main points, reiterates the thesis, and provides closure.

Framing

How you present arguments to influence audience perception.

IMRaD layout

Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion—common in scientific papers.

In-text citations

References within the text that credit original sources.

Parenthetical citation

Author's name and year in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

Narrative citation

Author's name incorporated into the sentence, followed by the year in parentheses.

Survey design

Collecting data from a sample using standardized questions.

Construct validity

The extent to which a measure accurately assesses the theoretical construct.

Triangulation

Using multiple methods to corroborate research findings.

Informed consent

Participants voluntarily agreeing to participate after being fully informed.

IRBs (Institutional Review Boards)

Bodies responsible for reviewing and approving research involving human participants.

Exceptions to informed consent

Conditions under which consent can be waived, like secondary use of data.

Quantitative research

Research focusing on numerical data and statistical analysis.

Qualitative research

Research exploring meaning and understanding in depth.

Mixed-methods research

Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches in a study.

Reliability (in research)

The consistency and stability of a measure over time.

Survey advantages

Efficiency for large populations, wide coverage, and ease of analysis.

Ethics in research

Guidelines to protect participants' rights and well-being.

Benefits of ethical research

Ensures research is conducted responsibly and respectfully.

Types of harm in research

Physical, psychological, social, economic, and legal harm.

Significance of informed consent

Protects participants' autonomy and rights.

Role of ethics committees

Review research for ethical standards and participant protection.

Observational research

Systematic observation of behaviors in natural settings.

Advantages of observational research

Captures authentic behavior and reveals insights.

Disadvantages of observational research

Bias potential, ethical concerns, and time-consuming.

Interview data collection

Gathering in-depth information through direct interaction with participants.

Survey method advantages

Efficient for large samples, quantifiable data, and high generalizability.

Survey method disadvantages

Lack of depth, reliance on self-report, and potential response bias.