Notes on 3.2–3.6: What Is Research, Research Writing, and Reading Like a Writer

3.2.1 What Is Research?

• At its most basic level, research is anything you have to do to find out something you didn’t already know.
• This definition contains key assumptions essential for success in this course and life after college:
  • Research is about acquiring new information or new knowledge; it always begins from a gap in your knowledge (something you don’t know).
  • Research is goal-directed: it begins from a specific question you need to answer to accomplish a particular goal.
• Research (definition 1) = Anything you have to do to find out something you didn’t already know.
• Research Question = Your one-sentence statement of the thing‑you‑don’t‑know that motivates your research.
• Sometimes the answer to your question already exists in exactly the form you need:
  • Example 1: Does Columbus, Ohio, have a commercial airport?
  • Answer: Yes. Time to find the answer: about $10\,\text{seconds}$.
  • A Google search of “airports in Ohio” yields a first hit Wikipedia entry titled “List of airports in Ohio.” A quick glance shows Columbus has a commercial airport and it is one of the three largest airports in Ohio.
  • Example 2: Do any airlines offer direct flights from Kansas City to Columbus?
  • Answer: Likely no. Time to find the answer: about $2\,\text{minutes}$.
  • Searches on Travelocity, Expedia, and Orbitz yield the same result: no direct flights (MCI to CMH).
  • Example 3: What’s the best way to get from Kansas City to Columbus, Ohio?
  • This requires more than a simple lookup; it involves evaluating options after gathering information.
• Often, questions require more than a single source; “assembly” is needed to answer them well.

3.2.2 What Is Research? (Two-stage process)

• To answer the question, you need a two-stage process:
  • Stage 1: Information gathering about travel options (e.g., flying vs. driving). From a map, driving distance is about $650\,\text{miles}$. This is the information gathering stage.
  • Stage 2: Evaluation of results based on parameters not stated in the question (cost, time, effort, practicality, traveler’s needs).
• Example contrasts in final decision:
  • For a business traveler, the shortest travel time may trump cost.
  • For a college student with a large dog, other factors may dominate (cost, pet considerations, etc.).
• Definitions:
  • Homework question = A question for which a definite answer exists and can easily be found by consulting the appropriate reference source.
  • Research question = A question that can be answered through a process of collecting relevant information and then building the answer from the relevant information.
• Formal definitions in mathematical form:
  • $\text{Homework question} = \text{A question with a definite answer easily found in a reference source}$
  • $\text{Research question} = \text{A question answered by collecting information and building the answer}$
• Research (definition 2) = The physical process of gathering information + the mental process of deriving the answer to your research question from the information you gathered.

3.3.1 Research and Other Types of Source-based Writing

• In some courses, the term “research paper” or “research writing” is used for any situation where students use information from an outside source.
• Important distinction:
  • True research starts from a QUESTION you don’t know the answer to and then develops or builds the answer through gathering and processing information.
  • Source-based writing begins with a thesis (the answer) and then gathers information to support it; it may not start from a genuine question.
• The module will use:
  • “research” to refer to the goal-directed process of gathering information and building the answer to a research question.
  • “source-based writing” to refer to other types of information-gathering and writing tasks.
• A key indicator of the difference is when the thesis is developed:
  • In a research project, you begin with a question, gather data, build the answer, and then state your answer in a single sentence (the thesis).
  • The thesis statement serves as the main point of the paper and is created after research.
• The distinction affects both expectations and work processes for success in each type of assignment.
• Note: The page contains an image/figure (not reproduced here) illustrating the distinction and workflow.

3.3.2 Think about your own writing history

• Consider the most recent writing project you did that required sources.
• Based on the definition above, was it a research project or a source-based writing project?
• The distinction helps determine how you should approach reading and gathering information for future assignments.

3.4.1 The Essential Building Blocks of Research Writing

• Research writing = the process of sharing the answer to your research question along with the evidence on which your answer is based, the sources you used, and your own reasoning and explanation.
• Essential Building Blocks (consistent across question types):
  1. Do real research
  • Begin from a question you don’t know the answer to and that can’t be answered just by going to an appropriate reference source.
  • This is a research question, not a homework question.
  • Gather information and/or collect data.
  1. Create a one-sentence answer to your research question
  • This sentence will be the thesis statement/main point/controlling idea of your paper.
  1. Share your answer to the research question in a believable, understandable, and usable way for readers
  • Include plentiful and well-chosen examples from the data/information gathered.
  • Indicate the validity of your data by accurately reporting your research method (field or lab research).
  • Indicate the quality of your information by accurately citing your sources (source-based research).
  • Provide the reasoning and explanation that lets readers understand how the evidence adds up to the answer.

3.5.1 Reading to Write Effectively

• Why read with a strategy before writing:
  • Reading and writing are time-intensive; reading with a pen helps you mark key concepts and ideas, creating a trace of the material for later use.
  • Writing while reading aids conversational engagement with the text and prepares material for later writing tasks.
• Practical tips:
  • Read with a pen in hand; circle/underline key concepts to trace them through the text.
  • If you don’t want to write in the text, keep a blank document with page numbers and notes.
  • Write while reading; keep a list of questions, connections to other texts, and potential writing ideas.
  • Develop research questions/keywords while reading.
  • Notation made during reading can translate into short-term posts or long-term paper ideas.
• The goal is to have a starting point for writing opportunities rather than staring at a blank page.

3.6.1 How to Read Like a Writer (RLW) – Mike Bunn

• In 1997, the author worked in London at the Palace Theatre during Les Misérables, reading in a dim, high-pressure environment (fire-safety staff with flashlights).
• Insight: Reading is a word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence process; writing also unfolds as a sequence of choices.
• RLW definition: reading to learn about writing by identifying the author’s writerly techniques and decisions and considering whether to adopt similar techniques in your own writing.
• The aim is to read to understand how the text was put together and how those choices influence readers.
• The author emphasizes that you are already an author, so you have a built-in advantage when applying RLW due to your prior writing experiences.

3.6.2 The Goal of Reading Like a Writer

• The goal of RLW is to locate the most important writerly choices in a text—ranging from macro-level structure to micro-level word choices—and consider their effects on readers.
• You should imagine alternate choices and their potential effects on readers.
• Example prompt: If a class essay begins with a short quote from President Obama about the war in Iraq, assess the technique and its effectiveness; consider alternatives (different quotes, longer quotes, different subjects).
• Decide whether you would want to use the technique in your own writing.
• You can create a list of advantages and disadvantages for each technique and consider reader responses (including political/ideological perspectives).
• Quote by Bishop: Reading Like a Writer helps you move from mere reaction to analyzing how the writer led you to respond and how to apply those techniques in your own writing.

3.6.3 Reading Like a Writer versus Reading for Content

• Allen Tate’s metaphor: There are two ways to read, corresponding to two ways of looking at architecture:
  • If the building has Corinthian columns (historian), you trace origin and development.
  • If you are an architect, you study construction details (nails/pegs) to be able to build something yourself.
• The RLW approach aligns with viewing text as something you can construct; you learn from how it was built to build your own writing.
• David Jauss likewise emphasizes reading like a writer: you must study the details of how a text was built to understand how it was made.
• The author suggests RLW can be thought of as Reading Like an Architect or Reading Like a Carpenter.

3.6.4 Why Learn to Read Like a Writer?

• RLW is new for many students and can be challenging because instructors may not explicitly teach it.
• RLW helps you understand that writing is a series of choices and helps you anticipate decisions you might face in your own writing.
• Contextual factors to consider before reading:
  • What is the author’s purpose?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • The genre of the text (poem, article, essay, short story, novel, legal brief, instruction manual, etc.).
• The genre affects conventions and the effectiveness of techniques; different genres call for different techniques (e.g., philosophy vs. fiction).
• Example from student Mike on genre awareness: signaling words in philosophy; dialogue and narration in fiction; different narratorial approaches affect impact.
• RLW applies to both published texts and student-produced writing; it makes the text a living utterance rather than a fixed artifact.
• Nancy Walker’s view: reading published work with RLW reveals how different choices could have improved the text; you may face similar choices in your own writing.

3.6.5 Is This the Kind of Writing You Will Be Assigned to Write Yourself?

• Knowing ahead of time what kind of writing you will do helps you read for a specific purpose.
• When a text serves as a model for a particular writing style (e.g., highly-emotional or humorous), RLW helps you observe and potentially adopt those techniques.
• You may notice techniques aimed at arousing sympathy, humor, or other effects; you can evaluate their applicability to your own writing.

3.6.6 What Are Questions to Ask While Reading?

• During initial RLW practice, keep a set of questions ready to refer to while reading.
• You’ll eventually internalize these questions and ask them automatically.
• Remember: you read to understand how the text was written (how the house was built), not merely to determine meaning or judge quality.
• Revisit two core questions before reading: What is the author’s purpose? Who is the intended audience?
• As you read, you may also ask:
  • How effective is the language (formality level, tone)?
  • What kinds of evidence does the author use (statistics, quotes, anecdotes, citations)?
  • Is the evidence appropriate or effective for the genre? (e.g., opinion columns vs. short stories)
  • Are there places that are confusing, and why?
  • How does the author move from one idea to another (transitions)? How might they be improved?
• The point is to evaluate techniques for their effectiveness and consider applying those techniques in your own writing.

3.6.7 What Should You Be Writing While Reading?

• The most common suggestion from former students: mark up the text, write margin notes, and summarize in your own notes during and after reading.
• The goal of notes is to create a useful list of techniques you might use in your own writing.
• Practical strategy:
  • Mark key passages in the text and answer three questions in your notes: What is the technique? Is it effective? What would be the advantages and disadvantages if you used this technique in your own writing?

3.6.7 What Does RLW Look Like in Action?

• Revisit the opening paragraph of the essay to practice RLW:
  • Ask before reading: What is the author’s purpose? Who is the audience? What is the genre? Is it published or student writing?
  • Use these questions to guide your reading and to anticipate techniques you might analyze.
• The author demonstrates how to interrogate details and choices in the opening (e.g., the inclusion of a personal London experience and a famous theater owner) and to consider how different details might change reader perception.
• You should consider:
  • Why include specific details (location, time, setting)?
  • How would the text change if details were altered or omitted?
  • Do these details help establish credibility (ethos) or connect with the audience? How would changing them affect credibility and audience engagement?

3.6.8 Now Take a Broader Perspective

• Analyzing a single paragraph can reveal broader rhetorical strategies:
  • The use of specifics (e.g., “antiquated fire-safety laws”) to influence tone and reader perception.
  • The effect of word choice on formality and reader response (e.g., alternatives like “old” vs. “antiquated”).
  • The impact of choosing certain details (e.g., mentioning Andrew Lloyd Webber and Les Misérables) on establishing credibility and audience connection.
• Questions to consider as you read:
  • How would different word choices or more/less detail affect reader response?
  • When would you choose to use a similarly affective opening in your own writing?
• This section emphasizes that RLW is a practice of asking questions, evaluating techniques, and deciding which techniques to adopt in your own writing.

Questions to practice from 3.6.8 (Discussion prompts)

• How is RLW similar to and/or different from the way you read for other classes?
• What kinds of choices do you make as a writer that readers might identify in your written work?
• Is there anything you notice in this essay that you might like to try in your own writing? What technique or strategy and when would you try it?
• What are some different ways to learn about the context of a text before you begin reading?

Works Cited (excerpt)

• Bishop, Wendy. “Reading, Stealing, and Writing Like a Writer.” Elements of Alternate Style: Essays on Writing and Revision. Ed. Wendy Bishop. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook, 1997. Print.