This is the public repository for The Digital Variorum of Wordsworth's "Nutting," created by Taylor Brown—Textual Studies and Digital Humanities Master's student at Loyola University Chicago.
The Craft of Research Chapter 3, "From Topics to Questions"
Without focus—or a well researched and thought out argument—any evidence you compile will seem unlinked or arbitrary to readers and users.
Questions may raise problems—problems are questions that, left unanswered, have greater consequences than the answer itself.
Narrow down broad topics to avoid intimidating yourself: try to look into topics other researchers find interesting, then see what they are talking about in their research. If there a gap you could fill? Be careful, however, too narrow a topic will restrict the amount of information you will be able to find.
"If a writer asks no specific question worth asking, he can offer no specific answer worth supporting." (39)
"...the best way to begin working on your focused topic is not to find all the information you can on it, but to formulate questions that direct you to just that information you need to answer them." (39)
What is your topic's larger developmental context? What is its internal history?
Find both contradictory and complimentary arguments and research related to your focused topic and attempt to expand on those conversations with your findings. You may be able to answer questions raised by other researchers.
Once you ask all your questions, narrow them down to the really important ones.
The greatest question of all: so what? What greater impact does my research or focused topic have on the world?
"So what? vexes all researchers, beginners, and experienced alike, because when you have only a question, it's hard to predict whether others will think its answer is significant." (43)
The Craft of Research Chapter 3, "From Topics to Questions"
Without focus—or a well researched and thought out argument—any evidence you compile will seem unlinked or arbitrary to readers and users.
Questions may raise problems—problems are questions that, left unanswered, have greater consequences than the answer itself.
Narrow down broad topics to avoid intimidating yourself: try to look into topics other researchers find interesting, then see what they are talking about in their research. If there a gap you could fill? Be careful, however, too narrow a topic will restrict the amount of information you will be able to find.
What is your topic's larger developmental context? What is its internal history?
Find both contradictory and complimentary arguments and research related to your focused topic and attempt to expand on those conversations with your findings. You may be able to answer questions raised by other researchers.
Once you ask all your questions, narrow them down to the really important ones.
The greatest question of all: so what? What greater impact does my research or focused topic have on the world?
Three Important Steps: