curiosity engagement responsibility reflection

Join a research conversation

“Pursue your research with passion and energy. Find out what has been written about your topic, but also what’s missing from the conversation.”

—Stephen Thacker, University of Alabama

You probably have conducted research in the past—perhaps to seek information or report what others have said about a topic. For college research, you’ll be asked to go beyond reporting the views of others; you’ll develop your own authority by stating your positions and contributing your ideas to ongoing conversations. Becoming a college writer requires you to engage with, learn from, and question the ideas of experts in order to shape your own ideas.

One approach is to start with your own curiosity: What problems interest you? What topics do you want to learn more about? Read and view a wide range of sources, and try to understand not only what has been written about an issue but also, as Thacker suggests, “what’s missing from the conversation.” Asking such questions can help you find entry points in a debate.