On September 16, we had discussed problems, and how to overcome them. My group and I discussed “The Nature of Conceptual Problems” from Chapter Four. In the YouTube video, “Stephen Hawking's Theory of Everything”, there were some things that were discussed that would make some people unhappy (otherwise known as the cost). His studies were on how the universe was created. There are people out there who believe that it was created in some manner or another from a religious belief. While others believe in the “Big Bang Theory”. He had even questioned if there was a God responsible for the creation of the Universe. However, he had also come up with questions, such as, “What happens when the perfectly smooth sphere of a black hole meets this microscopic energy fields of space?”. And would later ask, “How does Gravity play a role in the creation of the universe?”. If we as an audience do not care, or ask, “so what?”, then no further questions can be asked.
We can use cost and consequence in every day life, just like many other theories that were read in “The Craft of Research. We can use this in presidential debates, when someone tries to explain their beliefs, or even when someone is explaining scientific data. What we as researchers need to do is focus on making our audience understand, give them knowledge, and make them happy in the process.
Keith Chappell
I agree with Keith that as researchers we need to focus on making our audience understand and have a greater knowledge of our study. Our studies should reach the audience, answer their questions better than they have been answered before, and even discuss the questions that we cannot answer. To make the audience happy in the process of presenting our research we must look at our study from every view, presenting it in a suitable way for any audience member.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. The last sentence caught my attention when you stated "make them happy in the process."
ReplyDeleteIs that really part of being a researcher? (This question is not meant to be received as confrontational or rude).
I think maybe some of the best things that people will ever be told or read in their lives are things they disagree with. Maybe even, make them unhappy?
Overall, I thought the post by Keith covered all aspects of what we learned from the Stephen Hawkings video. The one part I agree the most with is how we need to please the audience. With every argument there is always going to be an agreeing and disagreeing side. As a result, we must take both sides into consideration as a way to keep both sets of readers' attention to your research. Although we may not agree with the one side, the information should be stated somehow in the essay. For example, if you disagree with abortion but you want keep the other side in mind, you could state something such as: "Even though many people agree with the idea of abortion, it....."and then state your information. It may seem as though this tactic would not provide any benefit to the essay, but in the end it can actually make your argument stronger.
ReplyDeleteAs noted by Keith, when an audience loses interest in a problematized situation, the formulation of questions relevant to the discussion tends to cease. It is important that once a topic of interest is identified that it is properly conveyed to the target audience. Otherwise, many important issues become moot points.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey said:
ReplyDeleteKeith emphasized on the most influential and critical part of an effective research paper. The significance of any paper is important because it creates a relationship between reader and researcher. On pg. 51 of The Craft of Research, the authors state, “That significance might at first be just for yourself, but you join a community of researchers when you can state the significance from your readers’ point of view. In so doing, you create a stronger relationship with readers because you promise something in return for their interest in your report – a deeper understanding of something that matters to them. At that point, you have posed a problem that they recognize needs a solution.” If you have your audience confused, they will lose overall interest in your piece and the research will be ineffective. As a researcher, you need to create a researcher to reader bonding, helping your audience understand every aspect they question, giving them the needed knowledge to answer their questions, and making them happy in the process. This also means taking into consideration both sides of an argument. Even if you do not agree with a certain issue, you should at least address its importance, in order to keep the attention of both readers focused on your research paper. The cost and consequence that Keith pointed out, focuses on the outcome of the affect your research places on your reader. Will your information make them happy or unhappy? In research writing, we need to focus on capturing our audience’s every need and help them understand the problematized issue, which arises.
I think Keith really hit all the main points with this post. I definitely agree that we need to please our audience and know more about our topic than our audience. It makes the research more interesting to readers when the reader is interested. Also, its important with a topic to know more than the audience. Questions are going to come up from readers that the researcher will have to answer and its best to pick a topic that you're interested in becuase it will be a better quality of work.
ReplyDeleteJessica Young said:
ReplyDelete“Make the audience happy in the process.” As much as the Craft of Research specifies this point, I have to completely disagree with it. It’s more than just making your audience happy. A researcher’s main goal is to present a topic with evidence that supports their claim. The audience may completely disagree with the researcher’s thesis, but if the researcher has enough evidence to prove their case, it doesn’t matter. This is also the case in everyday life. You are told things everyday that you may not want to hear. For example, being in a relationship. If you hear your significant other has done something you may not agree with, you will be very unhappy. But if there is evidence proving this claim, then the “researcher” has done their job.
I tend to agree with this stance. I feel that it is the researcher's job to present the reader with factual information to increase their knowledge about a certain subject. However, I tend to agree with the stance that making the reader happy isn't a chief priority. While it is important that no person be offended by the work of a researcher I don't feel that keeping an audience happy is a necessity. Having read investigative research myself, I know that sometimes research will not always please the reader. In those instances research may be considered a good thing because the research itself gets people to ask questions about what they don't agree with which in many ways is one of the goals of research.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey says,
ReplyDeleteKeith emphasized on the most influential and critical part of an effective research paper. The significance of any paper is important because it creates a relationship between reader and researcher. On pg. 51 of The Craft of Research, the authors state, “That significance might at first be just for yourself, but you join a community of researchers when you can state the significance from your readers’ point of view. In so doing, you create a stronger relationship with readers because you promise something in return for their interest in your report – a deeper understanding of something that matters to them. At that point, you have posed a problem that they recognize needs a solution.” If you have your audience confused, they will lose overall interest in your piece and the research will be ineffective. As a researcher, you need to create a researcher to reader bonding, helping your audience understand every aspect they question, giving them the needed knowledge to answer their questions, and making them happy in the process. This also means taking into consideration both sides of an argument. Even if you do not agree with a certain issue, you should at least address its importance, in order to keep the attention of both readers focused on your research paper. The cost and consequence that Keith pointed out, focuses on the outcome of the affect your research places on your reader. Will your information make them happy or unhappy? In research writing, we need to focus on capturing our audience’s every need and help them understand the problematized issue, which arises.
As researchers it is always best to not only backup our work, but answer it as well. Because really as human beings our minds function differently and not everyone will get it. Not to say that the researcher knows everything. I mean really not everyone has the answer to all life's problems. To conclude a researchers mission or goal is not only to answer and explain his/her work. But to ask the question and lead the audience to the answer to reveal their true potential.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this post I began to think about the importance of controversy, such as would Hawkin's theory have become so popular if it was not so controversial? The fact that Hawkin's theory made so many people question the origin of the universe is what may have made it so popular. Although he may have indefinitely answered the question of the origin of the interview Hawkin brought forward facts that many people had never really explored before.
ReplyDeleteRachel said:
ReplyDeleteI agree that the researcher should make the audience known in the writing as well as make sure that the audience will want to read the article. As researchers, we should make sure that we answer the audience’s questions that they have about the topic at hand to make the research paper a well understood one. I think that the researcher should make the audience happy, but not lose sight of what they believe in while writing the paper.
The question why is one of the most used I believe by people. Everyday we try and make people explain themselves so that we can make judgments on what they have to say and see if we can think of a better way of doing it or just to mearly say that they are wrong for thinking the way that they do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Keith in this post because I was happy that Hawking's did ask the questions to both sides that are interpreting it (the religious and scientists). I also agree that you do have to show knowledge in your research papers and ask the question so what. Because if you are not asking the question so what, then why are you researching about it?
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