WRITING 1 – WINTER 2019
G. Brenner
FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT
CAMPUS CONCERN, ISSUE OR INTEREST
General Description: In this project you will investigate, visit, query, analyze and report
on a concern, issue or topic of interest relevant to you as a student on the UCSC campus or
larger community. You will look at the facts, influences, opinions, impacts and actions
related to your chosen topic, as well as the various ‘players’ (people, programs &
institutions) involved in, impacted by, or concerned about your topic.
Rhetorical Analysis: In the process, you will explore and analyze the rhetoric (either
spoken, written, in ‘popular wisdom’ or mythologized) associated with your topic and seek
to gain insight on and understanding of the issue, concern, or interest within a larger
perspective.

Your investigation will include the following:
• on-line research & relevant readings
• ‘site’ visit to a relevant office department or venue on campus or elsewhere
• interviews with associated persons or personnel
• a survey (if appropriate to your topic)
• your personal experience & reflection
Your final report will be composed of a variety of written genres focused on your topic.
The completed report, submitted in hard copy, will include the following:
• Cover page
• Table of Contents
• Letter to the Editor, Op-Ed piece or Feature article for City on the Hill Press
• Fact sheet
• Research Report
1) Abstract
2) Introduction
3) Literature Review (what text sources say about your topic)
4) Methods, Findings, Discussion, Conclusion
• Reflective response
• Blank Copy of interview questions and/or survey
• Works Cited (MLA) or References (APA) page
• (optional) photos or other visuals (chart, diagram, map, cartoon, sketch)
Details of the different genre components and the report writing will be discussed &
practiced in class with support of our text & other sources. Further project details and due
dates are listed below.
Final Project Due Date: Thursday, March 14 by 6:30 p.m.
Hand delivered in class or to my office: Crown 129
DO NOT LEAVE IT IN MY OFFICE BOX
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FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT – Details
CAMPUS CONCERN, ISSUE OR INTEREST
PREPARING FOR AND CONDUCTING YOUR RESEARCH
1) Define & narrow your topic, issue, concern, interest, and/or area of research you
wish to do that is relevant to the UCSC campus, its students and/or employees or
broader community. This might be the same topic you choose to write about in Part
II of Quiz #1 or a different topic. The topic should be something that you are
generally concerned or curious about or interested in.
2) Develop a number of questions about the topic that you’d like to have answered
via this research. What don’t you know? What do you assume, but would like to
know if your assumption is correct?
3) Devise an over-arching research question to focus & guide your research.
SITE VISIT & INTERVIEWS
1) Prepare for a visit to an appropriate site, office, program, department, association
or individual by brainstorming the type of information you’d like to obtain
from talking with and formally interviewing relevant persons (e.g. any who are
involved in, impacted by, concerned about or recipients of any aspect of your
topic). If appropriate, what type information would you like to obtain from careful
and documented observation at a site?
2) Write up interview questions, with both ‘closed’ (factual) and ‘open’
(subjective) questions. If you are working up a survey or questionnaire, consider
how you will ask participants to respond (i.e. multiple choice, T/F, short answer,
rating from 1-5 for example. Also decide how many participants you will ask, in
what manner (paper, on-line) and whom you’ll ask. If you want paper copies of
your blank survey to hand out, I can make copies for you. We will discuss interview
& survey questions in class.
3) During an interview, encourage the interviewee to talk freely by using follow up
questions or comments such as, “Please tell me more.” or “Tell us more about that”
or “Why is that?” Include at least one open question at the end such as, “What else
would you like to tell us that we haven’t asked about?” or “Is there something I
should ask you that I haven’t thought about?”
4) At the end of your interview: If there is time, read through your notes or
allow your interviewee to read them to confirm that you have recorded their words
correctly. Or you send a transcript of the interview to them later and ask: “Have we
represented your words correctly?” or “Have we missed anyting?”
Thank your interviewees and any others that helped you, and follow up with an
email or hand-written note to thank them more formally.
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DOCUMENTATION
1) Take notes during your interview and/or record the interview (with
interviewee’s permission). Get Interviewee’s full name unless they don’t wish to
give it. They can also give just a first name, a fictitious name, or decline to give their
name. Write down the exact date and time of any interview. You need this
information for in-text citation of the interview in your final report.
Quotes, summaries, and paraphrasing from your interviews will be part of the
sections called “Findings” (what you found out from your interviewees; what
specific questions were answered & how they were answered.)
2) Take any relevant photos or a brief video if appropriate.
DUE DATES
(Dates may be revised by instructor if necessary)
Thursday, 2/7/19
1. Description of project; why you chose this specific topic; and why you think it’s
important or worth investigating
2. Preliminary Thesis or Research Question; 5 or more questions you have about your
topic (things you want to know) and the information you hope to gain from your
research.
Tuesday, 2/12/19
1. Potential interview questions; whom you plan to interview
2. Survey question & layout; whom and how you plan to conduct your survey
Interviews should be completed by Friday, February 22.
Tuesday, 2/19/19
1. Introduction draft
Thursday, 2/21/19
1. Fact Sheet draft
Tuesday, 2/26/19
1. Interview ‘Findings’ draft
Thursday, 2/28/19
1. Research analysis/discussion & conclusion draft
Thursday, 3/14/19 (last day of class)
Final Research Paper Due by 6:30 p.m. (Submitted in class or to my office:
Crown 129).

Independent Learning Task Assignment

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