FRESHMAN COMPOSITION, RHETORIC, GRAMMAR II

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INTRO. TO LITERARY RESEARCH & WRITING

INSTRUCTOR: James Maxfield

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Ex. 6
 

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English 1020

James Maxfield, Instructor

Ex. #6

Writing an Interview—A Research Tool

One research tool available to us is to interview other people to obtain their opinions, especially if that person is perceived as an expert. Quoting a recognized expert can add support for your personal opinion on a particular subject. The opinions or perceptions of others can also help you to focus your attention on possible issues or problems that require more thought or research. It is not often what we know that is important, but how we know it. On what do we base our beliefs?

On what types of evidence? From what assumptions? From what facts?

Assignment: Express your personal thoughts about the Shakespeare authorship controversy and why it is or isn’t important to study this question. Interview (two) 2 people (they do not need to be experts on Shakespeare) and ask them the following questions:

bulletIt is often said that Shakespeare was the greatest writer who ever lived. But who was he?
bulletHow do you know that?
bulletHow do you spell his name?
bulletHow do you know that?
bulletWho wrote the famous plays Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello?
bulletHow do you know that?
bulletShakespeare wrote over 150 lyrical love sonnets. To or for whom did he write them?
bulletHow do you know that?
bulletWhy might the answers to these questions be important?

Note: Do not accepts "I don’t know" answers; prod them gently for a more specific and thoughtful answer. This may require some tact, persistence, and creative follow-up questioning on your part.

[Some ideas and methods for interviewing will be discussed in class and/or provided below. You can also find much information about interviewing people (as in Journalism) on the internet.]

Writing up your Interviews -- one page—typed & double-spaced

Use your interviews to help you write a short introduction or background material for your future paper. Your paragraph(s) should discuss the importance of recognizing that there is a real issue or problem with regard to Who Was Shakespeare? and you should use references or quotations from your interviews to support your points and conclusions about the Shakespeare authorship question.  Give your intended reader a reason to read your paper.  This is sometimes called answering the "So What?" question early in your paper.

A few general tips:

bulletWrite out your questions beforehand and leave ample space to record your notes.
bulletBe sure to ask open-ended questions. (Not "Yes or No" questions): Follow the Script!
bulletBe respectful, polite, curious, and interested in the person you are interviewing.
bulletDetermine why the interviewees have or hold certain ideas or opinions about Shakespeare and what the effects are for having these opinions.
bulletIf their opinions are different from your, do you have a strategy for engaging them in a dialogue about Shakespeare or the authorship question?

Be sure to Edit, Correct, Proofread, and Revise your interviewed material as needed.

 

Send mail to james.maxfield@tri-c.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
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Last modified: 04/30/06