How to Meet Research Deadlines

Please keep in mind that it is very important for every group member to attend all three research meetings and to contribute ideas as well as written and spoken words to the group research project. There is no "group grade," since everyone is graded individually, but if one member does not participate fully, it will likely be bad for the group.

Week one: In our first meeting, I will explain the topic that you will research. You will discuss and write down in English your first impressions. This "pre-research" stage is very important. Every group　member will write her impressions of the topic at the blog and put her full name under her comments BEFORE starting research. It is important that everyone share her personal impressions. For this, what each member needs to do is to consider carefully the topic and the documents that I recommend.

Once this meeting　has taken place, you will have one week to conduct your research. Do your best to find as much information you can about your topic. Share your findings with your group members. Decide what is important, and what is not. Decide how to construct your blog article. Who will write about what? What do you think the other students should know about your topic? Be as bold as possible. Try to impress me with what you are able to discover. Do not be hesitant and do not expect me to know everything about the topic. Even though I chose the topic and even though I know something about it, the topic is yours, not mine. Before our second meeting, all four of you should write your findings, including links to important sites and your ideas about the topic, as a single blog article, and save the article as a DRAFT.

Week two: During our second meeting, I will carefully read your blog article with all of you. I will correct your English if necessary and I will suggest how you can develop your ideas. Do your best to follow my suggestions and to develop your article.

Week three: In our third meeting, I will make final revisions of your blog article. At the end of this meeting, we will PUBLISH your blog article so that others can see it. Once our meeting is over, you will meet as a group to plan your presentation. There are two main points you must keep in mind if you want to have a successful presentation: one: make sure that every group member has a role to play. Everyone must speak at some point, and speaking is not the only role to play. Group members may also distribute handouts or questionnaires, draw diagrams on the board, explain special vocabulary, perform music, perform dramatic skits, etc. You are in control of the class, so everything that helps to convey your ideas is acceptable. This is the second point to keep in mind: it is important for you to be creative. Do things that other groups may not do. Take risks. Carefully plan your presentation. Do not simply stand and read from a sheet of paper in a monotone voice. Use the entire classroom and make sure that every group member plays an important role.

Philip Adamek