Homework Help

Bonus Assignment CH 6. Step Six: Outlining

Task 1: Activity 3. Outlining (p.142)

            A formal ANNOTATED outline formally outlines sequences and form the subject material for composition. The word "annotation" means added information including but not limited to: comments, explanations, topic sentences, citations and references. 

Start by creating a basic outline of the entire paper using APA format for titles, heading, and subheadings. Use chapter 6 figure 6.5 as guideline for how to organize your literature review.  You may use the divisions given such as: "Introduction: 1. Introductory statement" even though you would not actually call it an "introductory statement" in your final draft. You may also add complete sentences to begin each section that will be usable as topic sentences for each paragraph in your paper. Include citations for your sources in each section and include annotated notes for each.

If you choose to complete the bonus annotated outline, it must be thorough. Incomplete or half hearted attempts at the annotations will not be accepted.

The grade you receive on the bonus can replace the lowest score in your previous LR homework assignments.   

Homework Helper CH 6. Step Six: Exploratory Writing

In Exercise 6.1 (part 2) questions 1-11

            The book asks a series of audit questions to prepare you for writing to understand.  Thus, in the context of this chapter, your homework assignment should not be submitted as simple yes or no responses to these questions. These audit questions are instrumental for the content organization and flow of composition that you will use in the final literature review. Additionally, they demonstrate your full comprehension of the assignment to your professor.

I suggest you answer questions 1-11 using exploratory writing as described in Activity 2 in order to receive full credit for this assignment.  

You might read the book questions like this:

1.      Define the topic and its core concepts.

2.      How is the topic clear and concise?

3.      Describe the general issue or concern that inspired the topic.

4.      Identify the academic area of your approach, and is your language recognizably the language use in that field? Give examples.

5.      How does this topic clarify your original interest?

6.      How does your evidence show that this study is important to the field?

7.      What is your  sound "argument of discovery" for what is known about the topic.

8.      What is your "argument of advocacy" and how does it address the problem?

9.     Describe the proof or evidence for your thesis.

10.   How do your conclusions resolve the problem or question prompted by your first interest?

11.  How do your conclusions and your arguments work as a unified case, a compelling whole?

Homework Helper CH 4 Matrix

In Figure 4.2 Matrix column 4, the book asks you for a simple yes or no as to whether the data presented in that specific article meets quality standards.  This is an oversimplification of how you must assess an article and they suggest that you "review Chapter 3 for specific standards used to assess data quality and relevance". This information is highlighted on page 76 under "Data Quality".

Many students simply reported "yes" in column 4 and there were very few "no" answers. It would be hard to believe that every article you reviewed presented data that were: accurate, precise, authoritive, relevant, appropriate, and proximate! Those are high standards to reach!  I strongly advise you to re-evaluate the quality of data presented in the articles you have chosen.  Consider whether the researchers used the best techniques or methods to ask their question. Did they include all of the proper control experiments to account for extraneous variables?  Do the data support any claims of causality, correlation, or involvement for the independent variables on the outcome measures.

In Figure 4.2 Matrix column 8, the book asks you for a simple yes or no as to whether the claim meets acceptability standards. This is also an oversimplification of how you must asses an article and they refer you back to Figure 3.3 on page 73. 

Again, many students simply answered "yes" with very few "no" answers and I encourage you further analyze whether the claims presented are: on point, strong, supportable, and understandable. You as the reader, do not have to know everything about the science they conducted to question whether their claims can be understood. Consider whether you are convinced of their logic or might there be issues that they did not consider or address?  Sometimes this is easier to do when you have a broad scope of the literature in that field and you are aware of opposing points of view.  Logic and reasoning from 1 set of investigators has to be questioned and challenged as far as its value in the field.

This type of critical analysis will benefit you as you write a detailed synthesis of the literature in your literature review.