Most research papers are written essays to try and prove the writer’s views and opinions about a certain topic of concern. For these kinds of papers, you do lots of research for pieces of information that would strengthen and support your specific point of view. However, in the kind of paper that we as a class are about to write, you ask a question that interests you, and research sources to find answers that will provide educated answers to your area of concern. You aren’t necessarily looking to support your argument, rather looking for answers to a question that you want a real answer to.
In the essay, “An Experience With Acronyms”, Jay Holmquist makes his paper a discovery essay rather than a traditional research essay by asking a question and researching different sources to find answers. The author asks, “What would make these people feel so passionately about their pro- and anti-drug views?” (Holmquist B24), then resumes his paper with, “To understand this completely, I think we need to first understand why people even do these drugs.” (Holmquist B24)Instead of writing a paper filled with sources that support a position Holmquist takes, he asks a question and searches for different answers that relate to his concerns. Holmquist searches for information regarding certain popular “rave drugs”, and his experience with using them, along with the pros and cons of using ecstasy, LSD, and others, and eventually ends the essay with his lesson learned. He turns his essay into a discovery paper by asking what make people feel so passionately about their stance on the drug views. You get the feeling that he is writing not to persuade his audience, but to search for answers for himself, just as Ballenger says a discovery essay should, “Actively use the information to explore or answer questions or to test the truth of an idea or thesis.” (Ballenger 433). Holmquist uses credible sources and useful information to show his audience, as well as himself, different reasons that would shape how individuals feel about drugs. The author definitely adds his own voice into his paper using the phrases, “I personally” and “After that we…” He includes his personal story while also pursuing the answers for his questions, thus looking for something he is interested in and not trying to prove a point. The controlling idea of Holmquist’s essay stems from curiosity, he wants to know for himself and for his audience what the dangers of the drugs are, while also discovering information that may help people form their own opinions on the subject.
In another example essay, “Why Do People Tan?” by Amy Garrett-Brown, the author researches a topic she has questions about and searches for answers to fulfill her curiosities as well as inform the reader. Garret-Brown states that she can’t understand why people tan when they know the dangers of it, “I don’t necessarily wonder why people tan, but why they completely gyp themselves of the pleasures of the sun to be rewarded with a battle with cancer at worst and saggy skin at best.” (Garrett-Brown 460) she is asking a question to the general public, opening up a door for more research. Bruce Ballenger says that a discovery paper should be an essay in which, “Academic research is driven by questions, not answers.” (Ballenger 432) and this element is present in her essay. Amy Garret-Brown successfully includes her own voice in her essay by regularly interjecting her thoughts about the topic as well as including quotes and evidence from credible sources, “I disagree. But I’m no expert, so I sought proof of my hunch that the sun is really our friend and found it.” (Garrett-Brown 460). Overall, Garrett-Browns paper includes most the essential elements that Ballenger would consider necessary to create a discovery paper, not a research paper.
After reading these essays, I have a better understanding of how I can write my second essay. I think it is interesting how Holmquist integrated his own story into his paper, which gave you a perspective into why that topic interested him and what role it played in his life. As for the “Features of The Form” that Ballenger wrote, it is helpful to have some sort of rules to a discovery paper to help guide you as you write your essay, especially when you don’t have any ideas on how you may start writing.
Three possible “discovery” questions:
Why is ecstasy of interest to so many high school students and does the drug really have long-term effects on your health?
Is methadone properly prescribed to recovered drug addicts? Why may some people be opposed to the distribution of this drug as a relapse preventer?
Does society look at people with tattoos in a different way? What are some of the origins of the tattoo culture and why is there sometimes a negative views of people with body art?
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3 comments:
Caitlin,
I know you're planning on discussing Ecstasy use (your first question), and I think it's a strong topic, but I also like your third question. It's interesting to think about the ways in which people are marked, both physically and more intangibly (think about how quickly a person's accent may cause others to stereotype him/her, etc.). You may want to hang on to this idea for our third paper, in which you'll be doing first-hand research (such as interviews). I think it would be really cool to interview heavily tattooed people to find out why they've chosen to "mark" themselves in that way!
Your observation that Holmquist begins his essay "looking for something he is interested in and not trying to prove a point," is an important one. I agree that he did a good job of remaining open-minded and allowing his research and reflection to guide him to a conclusion. You're also right that his citations make the essay much more credible.
You did a great job with this reading response and I agree with your points. The only thing that I would change is the structure. I would make an introductory paragraph instead of just jumping right into the meat of your paper.
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