Research.. (1 Viewer)

[S1M0]

..or a severe lack of.

I've realised, just recently, that i cannot research. What i mean is that i'm unable to go out and utilise a variety of resouces for research, being restricted (don't laugh) to wikipedia for some inexplicable reason.

So previous EE2 undertakers (current EE2 undertakers welcome to contribute, if you're feeling kind) - any hints? tips? advice?

A nudge in the right direction would be very much appreciated.

 

[S1M0]

And if you felt the urge to say "go to a library", don't bother.

 

[starrysky]

I was tempted to admonish you with that very statement, but insistence taken aside, I highly recommend you stray outside of the conventions of research and take your own way with things. First-hand and second-hand investigation work well, of course.

If push comes to shove, force yourself, but also remember that it is only the earliest stages of the course and there is still time to tweak ideas and get a feel for the real side of research as well as to settle into your idea and develop a rapport with whatever concepts you end up tackling. Persistence and commitment are essential, yes, but still - take it easy when you feel the need to.

 

[nichhhole]

It's rather pathetic but i started off with good ol' Wikipedia...
firstly i researched my genre [metafiction] just to get an idea of authors in the genre/conventions etc
and then i went into more specific research..[internet mainly]
well i supposedly read many of the books within the genre...
as well as about
12938103 'how to write' type guides...

thats the kind of research i did for 'structure'
in terms of conceptual themes i just looked through some philosophy and found some allusions...etc
hmm

i'd recommend u start off on the net, searching basic things until you get a clearer understandig of where you want to go then proceed onto more detailed resources.. lest u get bogged down in heavy theories etc and not know how to apply them/justify them for ur work...

 

[Arsenic]

I reccomend researching all the elements of the works published in the Young Writer books in the form that you're using: search for similarities and mostly search for differences. Analyze why you think it's good, [because, for the most part, no matter how you want to murder them in seeing-red jealously, they are awfully good] take notes and apply that in your work. Simply, there are some things that are universal and these universal elements will get you the marks.

In summary, use the Force.

 

[chewy123]

If I was you, I'd bullcrap it, of course, even bullcrapping requires a high degree of competence and poficiency in the art of English.

You can note in your journal any books you have read or any 'things' you've encountered, even if the stuff didn't give you a particular idea, say it does.

EE2 is all about being manipultive and forceful, honesty is not an outcome of EE2.

N.B. I am assuming you are the kind of writers that finds it hard to fulfill the EE2 outcome of research because you have everything in your head. If you genuinely need research than research you must.

 

[seano77]

Also, research authors who write with a similar style you intend to use. The research does not have to be solely on your concept, but the complete composition process.

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

I didn't do EE2, but I do write a hell of a lot. Every time I got to research, I make sure I have a clear idea of what I want to write and where I want to take it in terms of plot and characterisation. I then research everything that fills in the blanks of the details, which is far easier and much more efficient than doing it the other way around, if that makes any sense.

 

[WTF!bbq]

Heh, wikipedia is really awesome. The key is using well-written, well-sourced articles. A wikipedia article's resource list offers a wealth of information on that topic and can lead you in many, often surprising, directions. Books, websites, articles, blogs, and (bestest of all) more wikipedia articles. Buy lots of ink and paper for your printer. Be wary of stuff you read on there, of course, but don't hesitate to print off articles or pieces you find interesting or relevant to your work. I had a *lot* of highlighted wikipedia snippets stuck into my journal with notes scribbled around them.
But, beyond that, I'm afraid I will say "go to the library" >_< BUT do that later, when you've got a clearer idea about what you're going to write about, what authors or concepts you intend to research, and all that. A few weeks after school resumes in 2008, I'd say. For now, internet-based research should do you fine, and going to the library without a set purpose would probably be a waste of time.
And seano77 is completely right, remember to thoroughly research technique, form, text type etc alongside your work's concept. EE2 is about the process of writing just as much as it is about the finished product, and you need to be able to talk about that in your reflection statement, effectively utilising techniques to convey your themes and whatnot. It takes a lot of time and thought to get that stuff to fall into place, but it's crucial. Not researching technique causes a lot of horrible undue last minute stress (i fell into that trap, don't go there )

 

[FerengCheng]

If you scroll down to the bottom of the wikipedia entries, there's a list of all the websites quoted from and/or further reading. Use those.
Also, just go for google search.

 

[jayadore]

I hated research. I didn't understand why I needed to look into something when I had the story so clearly mapped out in my head, but for the sake of marks I did it.

What I did was photocopy, highlight, footnote, comment and analyse anything that directly referred to my concept. I also tried to imagine myself as my main character and look into books/magazines/etcetc that would have an impact on them as a person and thus affect their train of thought/your major work in some way (maybe?).

I read most of the show cases because they were awesome. They provide you with heaps of ideas for your major work and you can reference them and use them as research materials.

All I can reccomend is read a lot of short stories. Also, pretend to have read a lot of "how to write" guides because I thought those were basically useless. Do what I did and refer to how useless the guide was and how you (or I in this case) went against what the guide said to do and just label what you're doing as "experimental" or "(post)modern".

By the end of the year I had two full journals that had to be bounded together because they couldn't close due to my "extensive research".

Goodluck!

 

[FerengCheng]

I actually do a lot of research, mainly because my stories take place in countries I've never been to, or time eras I could never possibly have lived in, or because I decide to name my characters after the moons of Saturn and can't remember what their names are.

 

[alcalder]

Ah research can be the best part of the writing process and I have done some interesting research in the course of my writing and have the most unusual books on my shelf as a result (eg a book on the blow by blow description of all the great battles in history!).

Sometimes, though, research involves going out "into the field". I have visited the James Craig to get the feeling of being on a tall ship. Out to Jenolan Caves to check out the layout of the surrounding area.

So, don't feel bound to the books. Get out there with your digital camera and take some on site photos for description. That is research.

Hope that helps.