4.8 Introductions

Note: If you have not turned in your permission forms - be sure to bring them to next class.

Writing introductions: We reviewed John Swales discussion of Creating a Researh Space (CARS), and you practiced using the language/patterns which he sets forwards as patterns in research writing.

Our list on the board summarize these moves as:
1. Establishing a territory
claim centrality (why your topic is important)
make a generalization about the way (your topic) is
state what other researchers have done

2. Identify a niche
- counterclaim (something wrong)
- indicate a gap (something missing)
- raise questions (extend/build on what has been done

3. Occupy that niche
- outline purpose of the project
- describe resarhc, identify findings, structure of essay

We spent the rest of class analyzing 3 research essays (selected from the posts to the right) and looking at where/how they made the moves Swales identifies.  We noticed that while each essay used the 3 moves, they did so in different ways.  The Ethnography on coaching began with a very long literature review, identified a niche (a gap= few studeis of literacies) and then wrote about the study's methods.  The essay on giftedness made a very short staking out territory identifying niche move, and then described the study = all very briefly.  Then it did a more detailed literature review  description of methods.  The WAW essay gave a literture review (staking out territory), indicated a gap and gave a more focused review of the literature and then occupied that gap.

As we talked over the different ways authors wrote their introductions, we observed when a topic requires a lot of  background from the research in order for readers to understand the research question (set up in moves to identify a niche and occupy it) = the author might want to choose a discussion of the literture (as a way to identify define terms) as a way to stake out the territory.  Clearly - the kinds of moves you make and their ordering, will depend on your topic.

For next class:
Read: the research essay you will use in your introduciton (again)
Blog 19: post drafty writing for your introduction (the more writing you post, the more feedback I can offer)

Good class and see you Thursday!