Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
CHAPTER 6: Responsible and Productive Research
Overview Learning Objectives Ideas for Instruction
A Productive Start
Finding Relevant Information: A High–
Speed Pursuit ·Highlighting How to
Begin Your Investigation
pp. 105–107
6.1 Establish a focus to guide your
research.
Discussion questions:
6a; 6b
Lecture ideas: 6a
The Creative Enterprise of Building
a Speech
The Creative Process ·Productive Note
Taking: Drafting as You Investigate
Your Topic
pp. 107–112
6.2 Take careful, thoughtful notes to
develop insight and draft your speech.
Discussion questions:
6c; 6d; 6e
Activities: 6a; 6b; 6c
Investigating Like a
Professional: Using Library
Resources
Highlighting Databases as a Research
Tool
pp. 117–120
6.5 Utilize the library for obtaining
materials and assistance.
Discussion questions:
6h
Activities:
Lecture ideas: 6a; 6b
Gathering Information Through
Interviews
Preparing the Interview ·Conducting
the Interview ·
After the Interview
pp. 121–124
6.6 Use effective interviewing
techniques to gather information.
Discussion questions:
6i
Activities: 6d; 6e
Ideas for Instruction
As noted elsewhere, you will not be able to cover everything in the text—nor should you attempt to (i.e.,
“The more we teach, the less they learn.”). I always “assume” students have read the assigned reading and
that my job as an instructor is to highlight a few, select ideas from the reading (or to introduce
supplemental material) for students to contemplate, reflect upon, and apply. My goal is to help them build
meaning and internalize what they have learned, retaining it for future use.
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
What follows are ideas for how some material might be treated through discussion and activity.
My selections are ones I typically highlight in my own classes—depending on how much time I have to
devote to a chapter. In light of larger class sizes (which require more days per speech round), I rarely can
spend more than 50 minutes per chapter. There are only so many days in the semester, after all.
Discussion Questions. Use these to stimulate discussion and prompt reflection. As students process the
material at a deeper, more meaningful level, they likely will offer interesting observations or pose
provocative questions of their own. Make note of these, literally! Let students know when you’re
Note: Some discussion questions and/or activities have one or more corresponding PowerPoint slides.
Discussion Question 6a
Approximate time required: 3 min.
What is a working thesis, and how is it useful?
Aworking thesis is an attempt to articulate the overall idea one will examine in a speech. The
working thesis, although tentative (because it’s based on preliminary thoughts and information),
provides focus and sense of direction, and it increases efficiency. It allows the researcher to quickly
survey materials to determine which ones are relevant. (Note: What one encounters during research will
then test and shape the thesis.)
Discussion Question 6b
Approximate time required: 3–5 min.
Once a speaker has a topic and purpose in mind, she or he can proceed quickly to locate information and
would likely benefit from doing so. What would be the benefits?
Discussion Question 6c
Approximate time required: 3–5 min.
When taking notes while researching, why is it important to also record the idea suggested by the
information?
It forces one to think. Rather than mindlessly take notes you will have to sort through and try to make
sense of later, make sense of things as you go along. Forcing yourself to record the idea will also
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Discussion Question 6d
Approximate time required: 4–6 min.
Why is an early start “essential” when it comes to researching and writing a speech?
Students put off working on a speech for a variety of reasons. As we note elsewhere, those who are
apprehensive about speaking may be inclined to put it off. Others may believe they do their best work
when they work under pressure. Some are not as motivated as they should be. Other individuals have
trouble with writing because they do not understand the creative process. They may think good
writers can simply sit down and draft a good speech from start to finish. When they fail to meet this
Discussion Question 6e
Approximate time required: 5 min.
Read the following passage aloud in class. Prior to doing so, ask students to contemplate, as you read it to
them, what it reminds them of from the chapter.
Colin Fletcher, who’s credited with launching the backpacking movement, coined the
phrase “contemplative walking.” By that, he meant that walking helped him think more
clearly about things. Even an “interruption,” such as stopping to watch a bird fish in a
stream, was not really an interruption but somehow contributed to his thinking. In an
essay titled “Why Walk” in his book The Complete Walker, Fletcher noted how he
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Discussion Question 6f
Approximate time required: 4–6 min.
What is information literacy? Why is it important?
Students likely will recall that information literacy consists of knowing when information is needed
and how to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively. More specifically, locating information
Discussion Question 6g
Approximate time required: 3 min.
What is meant by the following statement: “The Internet is not a ‘one-stop’ information source.”
One should not rely exclusively on the Internet when researching a topic. Information found on the
Discussion Question 6h
Approximate time required: 3–5 min.
What is the value of a library, and how might we best utilize it?
The library is one’s best source of information and assistance. Librarians have helped create the
infrastructure we depend on for managing information. This infrastructure (the majority of which is
electronic) makes information widely available and easily located and utilized. Librarians are skilled
Discussion Question 6i
Approximate time required: 3–5 min.
In what ways might an interview prove valuable in one’s research?
Interviews can provide information and perspective that may be lacking from other sources—
particularly for local concerns. The person interviewed might also provide you with or direct you to
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Discussion Question 6j
Approximate time required: 5–7 min.
In what ways might e-mail prove valuable in one’s research?
E-mail can substitute—somewhat—for a face-to-face interview when the person is too busy to meet
with you or when traveling to interview them is not feasible. In addition, since the person’s responses
Discussion Question 6k
Approximate time required: 3–5 min.
Most of the time a speaker will want to paraphrase, rather than quote directly from a source.
When might it prove advantageous to quote from a source?
2) when the information might not otherwise be believed unless a credible source is quoted
4) when the material is stated with an eloquence that should be preserved
Suggested Activities. Use these “hands-on” applications to get students actively involved with the material.
What we suggest often requires students to synthesize what is covered in the chapter, as well as what they
were to have learned from other chapters.
Activity 6a
Approximate time required: 8–10 min.
Have students spend five minutes or so engaged in freewriting (i.e., brainstorming on paper) and/or mind
mapping about their forthcoming speech. Next, assign students a partner to explain and elaborate upon
Activity 6b
Approximate time required: 18–20 min.
Have students read/review a short article, such as the one suggested for activity 5f: “The Doctor Will
Skype You Now: Telemedicine Apps Aim to Replace Nonemergency Visits” which appeared in Time,
January 2, 2014.
Next, assemble students into groups of four or five and have them create a note cared with one piece of
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Activity 6c
Approximate time required: 12–15 min.
Have students bring three of their note cards to class. Assign each student a partner to look over, critique,
and discuss the other’s notes. Have students concentrate on drafting good headings that articulate, in a
Activity 6d
Approximate time required: 10–12 min.
After briefly reviewing the value of interviews (see Discussion Question 6i), place students in groups of
three to discuss their upcoming speeches and whom they might interview for information, insights, and
Activity 6e
Approximate time required: 12–15 min.
Provide the following instructions for students for a quick, in-class writing which they will
exchange with a partner for feedback. You will circulate and assist.
Activity 6f
Approximate time required: 15–18 min.
Have students bring their working outline to class. Quickly review the section in the text about citing
sources during a presentation, and provide a few quick examples (which you also might display on
screen). Next, have students swap their outline with a partner to identify where sources need to be cited in
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Lecture Ideas. Some elements in the chapter lend themselves to careful review and/or some
supplemental material. Either way, you’ll amplify something that deserves amplification. We’ll offer
some suggestions, often providing one or more corresponding PowerPoint slides.
Lecture 6b: Work with a librarian at your school as well as your course director and fellow instructors to
develop a library unit that will assist students in their research for their speeches as well as their
development of information literacy (such as Assignment 6a below—complete with a form). Among
other things, help them understand the difference between a library subscription database and the World
Assignment Ideas. In order to have the students contemplate more fully and grapple with some of the
concepts discussed in the chapter, consider the following assignment—which you could do during the
time leading up to their first researched presentation.
Assignment 6a: Information Literacy.
While familiarizing students with the databases available at your school’s library (as well as how to
Exam Items. Testing, of course, can be an important part of instruction. We provide numerous,
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Information Literacy Exercise
Based on an exercise developed collaboratively at Southeast Missouri State University
Name: _____________________________ Class Hour: _______________________
1. What is your topic (and focus)?
2. Use a library subscription reference source to find background information on your
topic.
3. Use an article library subscription database to find articles about your topic.
4. Create the full citation to one of the background entries or magazine/journal articles
you found. Hint: You are using an entry/article retrieved from an online or electronic source.
5. Find and evaluate a Web site or page related to your topic.
a. What is the address (URL) of the Web site or page you selected?
b. Is this a Web site or an individual Web page?
d. What organization, person, or company is responsible for the content of the page or site?
e. Can you determine the qualifications of the page or site authors? (Hint: Check the
“About Us” or a similar link on the site/page.) Yes/No
List their qualifications.
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
f. Are sources for factual information given so that you could check or verify the information
if you wanted to? Yes/No
g. Does the site or page contain outside advertising? Yes/No
What connection, if any, can you determine between the authors and the
advertisements?
h. Can you determine when the page or site was created? Yes/No
When was that?
i. When was the page or site last revised or updated?
If there is no revision date, what clues on the page or site help you figure out how
current the information is?
j. Who do you think the intended audience of this page or site is supposed to be?
6. Cite the Web site or page related to your topic. (Hint: Web resources are not all the same
7. On a scale of 1–5 (with 5 being the highest) how credible is this online source? Why?
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
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Chapter Outline: Chapter 6: Responsible and Productive Research
Chapter Intro:
I. The success of John Walsh is an example of how informing yourself can help
you become a successful advocate.
II. Being knowledgeable allows you to formulate better ideas and have more
confidence when you speak.
III. You will also enhance your credibility.
I. A Productive Start
Learning Objective 6.1—Establish a focus to guide your research.
A. Begin the process of crafting a speech by formulating a working thesis to guide
your investigation.
B. Highlighting “How to Begin Your Investigation” provides good tips.
1. Many people begin with a Web search, but what your library has to offer
often produces faster, superior results.
2. When beginning your research, it is a good idea to visit the reference
section of your library. Its collections (such as these) may help you with
your research:
a. CredoReference
3. Discover what reliable news sources have provided.
a. News Bank Access World News
4. Explore government publications.
a. The U.S. Census Bureau
5. See what has been discussed and acted upon by policymakers.
6. Consult a nonpartisan fact tank.
a. The Pew Research Center
8. Conduct an online search for credible Web sites.
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
C. Finding Relevant Information: A High-Speed Pursuit
1. Skim through potential sources to detect which ones will be relevant and
useful.
3. Scan the drop-down menus of a credible Web site and quickly explore
(and bookmark) any links that seem on target.
5. Generate a working bibliography, making quick notes regarding the
usefulness of a source.
II. The Creative Enterprise of Building a Speech
Learning Objective 6.2—Take careful, thoughtful notes to develop insight and draft
your speech.
Section intro:
From the moment you begin contemplating your topic, you begin formulating ideas for
your speech. You have begun the process of preparing the speech and should log these
thoughts so that none escape. Log information and ideas and insights of your own as you
A. The Creative Process
2. An early start also allows time for reflection—time to evaluate
3. Most writers will have good days as well as days when they struggle to get
anywhere.
4. Along with quiet time, you may also benefit from some intense thinking.
a. Write down whatever pops into your head without stopping to
1) These formalized techniques advocate the use of
keywords and phrases and hand-drawn pictures to
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
c. Brainstorming strategies have many specific benefits:
1) Allowing speedy recording for less restricted flow of
thought
3) Stimulating recall of related information, such
previous learning or experiences
5) Promoting understanding of relationships
7) Unleashing creativity, especially for visual learners
5. Explain your thoughts to a friend and jot down any feedback or ideas that
emerge.
6. Allow yourself time for incorporation.
B. Productive Note Taking: Drafting as You Investigate Your Topic
1. Taking productive notes involves keeping track of where you got what
information and noting how it contributes to your speech.
2. Devise a format for recording source information, and stick to it.
3. For source information, the format should allow you to find, at a glance,
whatever you are looking for.
a. If you are using a library subscription database, use its built-in
citation feature to create a bibliography.
4. For taking notes: a variety of approaches, used alone or in combination,
can serve you well.
a. Limit each entry to a single idea and the information on which that
idea
is based.
6. Once you have created a rough outline, you will be able to evaluate what
you have produced—retaining the good, modifying what needs to be
7. The key to good preparation is working through multiple drafts. Whether
8. There is a constant flow between information and ideas as you check them
against each other.
a. Your investigation tests the tentative thesis you have constructed.
b. You will refine your thesis (and main points) in light of what your
investigation reveals.
III. Developing Information Literacy
Learning Objective 6.3—Recognize the importance of information literacy and know
its components.
Section Intro:
Among the most important skills we can learn as citizens in a democracy are those
associated with locating and gathering reliable information. These skills, called
information literacy, involve the ability to recognize when information is needed and to
locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.
A. Finding information means knowing where to look for good information.
1. Reference sources with peer-reviewed entries by recognized authorities,
2. Periodicals also vary in type and quality.
a. Scholarly periodicals report original research or experimentation
by researchers respected within a particular scholarly community
(e.g., Public Opinion Quarterly).
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
c. Popular periodicals are written by staff member or freelance
authors, generally providing little depth and rarely, if ever, citing
3. Government documents and publications (e.g., www.usa.gov and
www.statelocalgov.net) are highly trusted sources. They present census
data and other statistical information.
B. Evaluating information entails assessing the credibility of a source and the
information it offers.
1. Currency—Does the date of publication meet your needs?
2. Authority—Is the author an expert?
4. Audience—Who is the intended audience?
5. Point of View (Bias)—Does the information promote a particular
viewpoint or seem to have an agenda?
C. Information literacy requires responsible use of information, including:
1. Integrate information from a variety of sources.
3. Cite sources properly and accurately within a speech and in a
bibliography.
5. Respect others’ intellectual property and adhere to all guidelines
pertaining to copyrighted material and fair use.
IV. Searching the Internet
Learning Objective 6.4—Find quality information on the Internet more efficiently
and productively.
Section intro:
We take “the Web” for granted, but it’s quite a phenomenon. Since arriving in the 1990s,
it has grown exponentially and is now rich with all sorts of content. It increasingly
influences us in multiple aspects of our lives.
A. Locating Information on the Web has been simplified by easy-to-use browsing
software and highly refined search technologies.
1. Keyword search
a. Choose any popular search engine and search by keywords,
much as you do with a database.
2. Subject directory
a. Most search engine sites offer this alternative, providing
3. Traveling direct
a. Most Web addresses are kept simple so users can recall an
address or easily guess it.
b. The last three letters designate the organization’s kind of
Internet membership.
2) .edu (educational institutions)
4) .org (nonprofit organizations)
B. Evaluating Internet Resources
1. Five critical questions can help us evaluate information on the Web.
a. What is the source of this information?
2) Conducting an online search of the name of the
site’s sponsoring group may help you determine
who they are, or the browser’s “view” menu may
have an option to identify an opened page’s
sponsor.
b. What is the purpose of the page?
1) Remain aware of the source’s agenda and use that
information accordingly—checking other sources to
verify accuracy.
c. How balanced and accurate is the content?
d. How current is the site?
1) A page that has been left unchanged for a long time
should be viewed with suspicion.
e. When was the site created?
C. The Internet is not a one-stop research source.
D. Use the Internet in your research, but not thoughtlessly or exclusively.
V. Investigating like a Professional: Using Library Resources
Learning Objective 6.5—Utilize the library for obtaining materials and assistance.
A. Virtual and actual visits to a college or public library provide access to
information and sources you otherwise would not have.
1. Professional librarians are schooled in the latest information and
2. A library’s staff of professionals can help you locate and retrieve
current, reliable information about your topic.
3. Librarians offer this assistance in person and online.
B. Many people may think searching via Google or another popular search
engine is the best way to locate and gather information, but a library’s online
resources can produce superior and even quicker results.
C. While each library will vary, certain features will be pretty much constant.
1. Subscription databases are immense, searchable collections of indexes,
abstracts, and full-text materials.
a. Variety. Databases include a variety of materials, allowing you
to cast a wide net.
you can combine two or more keywords to focus the search.
2. Catalogs simplify finding materials, allowing users to search by
subject, author, title, or keyword.
3. Your library provides a gateway to other libraries’ catalogs, allowing
4. A library may also provide links to trusted sites on the Web which
have been evaluated for reliability.
6. The library’s site likely provides online access to reference materials,
such as almanacs, encyclopedias, yearbooks, and dictionaries.
8. Librarians will provide personal assistance in person, by e-mail, or by
messaging.
D. “Highlighting Databases as a Research Tool” provides good pointers for using
a database.
1. Determine the best search term(s).
3. Ask a librarian to assist, if needed.
4. Select the best full-text option (PDF, if available!).
E. Learn how to conduct “foot searches” of a library’s holdings.
F. Recognize that you may need to visit more than one library.
VI. Gathering Information Through Interviews
Chapter 6: Ideas & Materials for Instruction
Section intro:
Interviewing for information can yield numerous benefits. Interviews can furnish
information and a perspective that otherwise could be lacking—especially for local
concerns. An interview can also lead you to additional resources. The interviewee may
also be able to critique your ideas. To derive the greatest benefit, you will want to prepare
for an interview carefully, conduct it efficiently, and report it accurately.
A. Preparing the Interview
1. Interviewing can provide valuable information for your speech. When
preparing for the interview, follow these steps:
a. Determine what you need to know or confirm.
b. Determine who might supply the answers.
c. Contact the person to schedule the interview.
d. Devise and provide questions.
e. Fine-tune your questions as follows:
2) Asked closed as well as open-ended questions.
4) Ask any “tough” questions respectfully and diplomatically.
B. Conducting the Interview
1. Follow these tips when conducting the interview:
a. Be professional.
b. Quickly get down to business.
c. Let the person see what you know and don’t know.
d. Be genuinely involved.
e. Employ a good system for taking notes.
2. When conducting a phone interview, follow these additional guidelines:
a. Use a three-part introduction.
1) Indicate the person you are calling.
3) Briefly explain why you are calling.
b. Be considerate.
c. Be brief.
d. Be well prepared.
C. After the Interview
1. Review your notes and send a thank-you note to the person you
interviewed.
VII. Gathering Information Through E-mail and Online Networking
Learning Objective 6.7—Use e-mail and online networking to gather information.
A. E-mail source citations and full-text material to your account to use later on.
B. E-mail can be used to request information from a relevant person or agency.
C. E-mail can be used during the interview process (e.g., making long-distance
inquiries feasible).
D. Follow these guidelines when using e-mail:
1. Keep inquiries short and simple and to the point.
3. Craft a subject line that clearly identifies you and your purpose.
5. Keep the look simple and professional.
7. Critique and proofread the e-mail prior to sending it.
8. Do not disclose anything in an e-mail that you would not share in public.
E. Online networks may also assist your research if used with discretion.
VIII. Citing Sources of Quoted and Paraphrased Material
Learning Objective 6.8—Know how and when to cite sources in your speech.
A. Guidelines for Incorporating Material
2. Whether quoting a source verbatim or paraphrasing, reveal the source
during your presentation.
3. Follow these guidelines when quoting information:
a. Quote information when you wish to bolster your own ethos by
associating your ideas with that of a recognized authority.
4. Revealing sources during your presentation safeguards against plagiarism
and fulfills one of your most important ethical obligations as a speaker.
B. Guidelines for Citing Sources during Your Presentation
1. Do not provide complete bibliographic information while revealing
2. Although you may abbreviate source information during the speech, you
3. To ensure that you cite your sources orally during your presentation, cite
them parenthetically in your speaking outline.
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Instructional ideas for Chapter Six
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