When Worlds Collide [microform] / Ronald Shook

The traditional research paper is a hothouse flower, existing only in the quiet recesses of English departments. There is much research being done outside the university but approach, format, and philosophy of both research and the research paper differ dramatically from the models presented to students. Classes on the writing of research papers can be made more realistic by: (1) having students find some problem in their professional, personal, or academic life that needs to be solved by research; (2) making sure that students already know quite a bit about the topic on which they will be doing research; and (3) having students choose a topic that is practical rather than theoretical, and technical rather than academic. Students should be encouraged to use well-designed magazine articles as models for the format of their papers, and all the writing the students do in class should be actually and immediately connected to their paper. (Author/RS)