Habits of Mind for Effective Research

WRTG 3020, 077�Fall 2023

Eric Klinger

Observation

Pay careful attention to details; deconstruct concepts to reveal their parts and relationships.

Curiosity

Research begins with a desire to know more. Ask questions and question the answers you find.

�A researcher’s curiosity is never satisfied.

Participation

Research requires entering a conversation. To contribute to the conversation, you must first listen to the stakeholders, so you can learn their values, beliefs, and ways of communicating.

Openness

Be willing to step away from your current beliefs and assumptions. This will permit you to thoughtfully and respectfully consider perspectives other than your own.

Persistence

Research is an iterative process, meaning your results become richer and more meaningful with time and repetition of the process. Don’t be dissuaded from your topic if you have a hard time finding sources. Instead, make use of the reference librarians. ��Research is a bit like fishing; it can take a very long time to find anything and you must have both the right bait and the right location. A librarian can show you where the best fishing is and what keywords will yield the best catch. It’s a great way to save time.

Flexibility

Research is a process of discovery, meaning that your presumptions are likely to be challenged and complicated in ways you might not anticipate. Be open to taking new paths and lines of inquiry if that’s where your questions and findings lead. ��The point of research is to contribute new knowledge and perspectives to an existing conversation. This requires the flexibility to change or expand your thinking about the topic.

Responsibility

Take responsibility for your actions and words as a researcher. Be ethical about fact-checking and consider multiple perspectives including those that contradict you.��Give credit to other researchers when you use their ideas and data. Carefully consider how your contributions affect others.

Reflection

Take time to think about your findings and what you’ve learned. Consider how your findings relate to your original question. Research questions can and do evolve as you find sources. ��It’s ok to revise your research questions if the findings take you in a new direction. Most importantly, don’t accept your findings as final. Use your findings to ask new questions that deepen your inquiry.

Reference

“Habits of Mind for Effective Research.” Knowing Words: A Guide to First-Year Writing and Rhetoric. Fountainhead Press. 2017.