This Assignment is due at the beginning of next class (September 27).  Send by e-mail attachment to qinqin.zhang@twu.ca. 

Use the above assignment template to complete the assignment.  It's a rich text format file that should work in any word processing program. Clicking on the link will download it to your computer.  Find it in your Downloads folder.  If you have any problems, please e-mail me and I'll send you a copy.  You can enter your assignment answers right on this document and then send it to me by e-mail attachment.

Consult the rubrics to the right to determine what you should be doing to achieve excellence in the assignment.

Assignment Instructions:

Reading: Research Strategies, Chapter Three (again) and Appendix One, A1.1-A1.5 (the appendix is especially helpful.)

1. Brainstorm 3 or 4 possible research questions for your topic. List the questions you have thought of.

2. Choose one of those questions as the one you will use, and state it. (You will have opportunity to revise and improve your question in assignments that follow).

3. Drawing on your chosen question, create a preliminary outline of 3 or 4 points you will need to cover to respond to your chosen research question.  Be sure to include terminology from your question in your outline.

4. Read the article by William Badke "Lots of technology but we're missing the point," -  http://williambadke.com/LotsOfTechnology.pdf  -  and answer the following questions:

      a. Summarize Badke's goal in one sentence or quote a sentence from the article that states that goal.

      b. Explain briefly the problem that Badke sees as central to his argument.

      c. What do you think of his characterization of average university student research ability?

      d. What is the "biggest blind spot in higher education today?"

      e. What actual evidence does Badke provide to support his position?

      f. How would you characterize this article - as a piece of scholarly work or as a statement of personal views?  How would you evaluate its reliability?

A well done assignment will include the following features:

1. Possible research questions are narrowly focused, require analysis to answer (not just the compiling of existing information) and show promise to be researchable.

2. Chosen research question is the best of the questions in part 1.

3. Outline is logical and deals directly with the requirements of the research question.

4. Analysis of Badke's article shows clear understanding of its goal, arguments and nature.