First page:Research Methods for Writers is a different from other writing classes you may have taken, and you may already feel a bit lost because you don`t quite know what research methods are. That`s okay, and that`s exactly why we`re going through the opening module very slowly.



Many disciplines have research methods unique to their field, and you`ll notice that our next reading ("The Law, Politics, and Ethics of Qualitative Research") is targeted toward sociologists. It`s lessons about human subjects research is important for any field, and that is why I`ve assigned it.



I chose not to assign a standard research methods text precisely because most prepare you for academic research and in this class we are focusing on researching as writers in the workplace.



In other classes when you`ve written research papers, you`ve likely cited the research/work of others, e.g., a scholarly journal article. This is secondary research. In this class, we’ll discuss what it means to conduct original or primary research, e.g., conducting an interview or administering a survey. We’ll focus on how research methods can be used to address issues of usability (No, Usability Testing 1,2,3… isn’t the wrong book for the class).



What I have described thus far is a brief description of research methods and for this discussion, I want you to explore further by addressing the following in an organized post:



1. Google “research methods,” “primary research methods,” “secondary research methods,” “qualitative research methods,” and “quantitative research methods.” List at least 5 things you learn and link any sites you find particularly useful.



2. How do you think writers can use research methods on the job?



3. So far we’ve read two articles. What do you think they have to do with research methods for writers?



Second page: 



After reading "The Law, Politics, and Ethics of Qualitative Research" (Its in attachments) and viewing "The Beauty of Data Visualization". 

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_mccandless_the_beauty_of_data_visualization/transcript?language=en





discuss the following:



1. What you learned about ethics and conducting research.



2. What ethical issues might be faced when interpreting research.