Research Questions

Here's your space to "test out" Research Questions and possible methodologies... and to receive critique and feedback from your peers. Take a risk to share; be bold and helpful by offering suggestions for your classmates!

Blog for the Week -- gender reading

Building from the issues addressed in tonight's class, must one develop a sense of self-identity first before establishing gender identity, or must one resolve gender identity before truly knowing our overall sense of self? More simply put, would I need to know what I think it means to be a man before knowing my self... or do I need to know my self before constructing my sense of male identity? Is the same true for racial identity?

Blog #2

Let's keep the conversation going from last night's discussion of the Greenfield article! I'd like to see some new insights that are fully developed and explored. Keep returning to the blog to respond to one another.

Welcome to the Blog -- Topic 1

Welcome to the course blog! I am truly excited about teaching this course, and I hope that you find it to be an enlightening and enjoyable educational experience. This blog serves as a mechanism for everyone to process ideas and concepts related to our class and to learn through engagement with others. Since none of us is as smart as all of us, we can gain further insights by taking in the ideas of our community members. While we may disagree on here, it is essential that we always demonstrate respect and maintain an open mind.

In order to participate, click on the heading "Welcome to the Blog -- Topic 1" above. (For subsquent weeks, you just click on the new title.) If you scroll down, you can read my instructions and enter your comments in the box. Come back a little while later, click on the same link, and read the posts from your classmates. USE YOUR REAL NAME EITHER IN YOUR "SCREEN NAME" OR IN YOUR POSTS; OTHERWISE, I WILL NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND CANNOT ASSIGN POINTS. It would also be great if everyone could at least publish their photo in the "Followers" section on the right-hand side of the page. That way, we can learn each other's names and connect faces with ideas.I will post a blog topic almost every week during the term.

For each topic, I would like for you to produce a 1-2 paragraph thoughtful comment that shows your honest reflections and includes some type of contribution to our understanding of the issues at hand. Then, after reading the posts of your classmates, I'd like for you to jump back into the conversation -- either by critically responding to someone else or by adding to your previous post with further insights. Feel free to continue the dialogue if you wish.

You will be graded on the value-added nature of your overall posts over the course of the term. In other words, just typing anything does not earn you credit -- your comments must offer something useful for us to consider. For each blog, you earn one point for a good post and one more point for a good response to others. I will add those points each week onto Blackboard (if it's a weak post, you will not earn credit.) Although I am certain that you will get the hang of this blog thing soon, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

TOPIC ONE: What do you expect and desire to learn from this class? Considering that it might be your last semester here at Shaw (and perhaps the transition to grad school or new careers), what is critical for you to experience in this senior seminar? The original posts are due by Saturday January 23th, with follow up posts expected by class time on Monday January 25nd.