Other Connections Resources
Web Directories and Search Engines
On-Line Newspapers and other News Sources
Resources for Writing Instructors
Scholarship on Hypertext and Computer-Assisted Pedagogy
English Home Page
Allyn & Bacon Home Page
ab_webmaster@abacon.com
©1997 Allyn
& Bacon
Here are two student research queries that were posted to newsgroups as part of a larger research project. As you read through the two messages, consider how successful each posting appears to be.
Anatomy of Two Student Posts
Post One
Hello. My name is Tim Berkman and I am interested in Cuba (Don't ask why, I just am...sorta). For anyone out there, if you have any info on this wonderful island, please, I repeat, PLEASE, send it to me as soon as possible. Some things I am most interested in are:
1. any opinions or info you might have about the United States economic blockade on Cuba
2. info about Comecon (has to do with Russia?) and how it pertains to Cuba.
3. info on the conditions of Fidel Castro's dictatorship.
If you find any extra info, I'm interested in it, too. Thanx in advance.
Tim Berkman
tiberk@mail.utexas.edu
P.S. You can also post any info as a thread.
Not surprisingly, this first query received almost no useful feedback. For one thing, although Tim seems to realize that he needs to ask detailed questions, his query remains far too broad; any one of his three "specific" questions could be the subject of a separate book-length project. Note that he ends the post by asking for "any extra info," demonstrating his complete lack of focus. His posting also fails to show an in-depth understanding of the issues. He is able to ask about "Comecon," but his comment, "has to do with Russia?" shows that he is unsure about what Comecon actually is. Finally, the tone of Tim's message is damaging to his purpose. Despite the fact that he is asking the on-line community to do him a favor, he announces that he is only "sorta" interested in Cuba but almost demands that he get the information immediately--hardly an inviting request.
Post Two
I'm doing a research paper on the current economic situation in Russia and how the U.S. is helping or hurting the current reforms.
I was wondering if anyone can give me a first-person account of how the average citizen in Russia views the U.S. and how they perceive the current leadership. I know one person cannot speak for the whole country or possibly give an account of some of the things going on over there, but if you could give me your impressions or opinions, I would really appreciate it.
Also, I would like to know how the people feel about Vladamir Zhironovsky and Boris Yeltsin. Here in the U.S. (Austin, Texas), we only hear and see what is available in the news media. What I would like is a more personal view and opinion and how you/they feel about the current leadership and the reforms they have implemented or proposed.
I know that not everyone will be able to answer all or any of these questions, but if one answer is all you can give, that is fine.
Thank You.
Julie Coleman
This second message is a much more successful research query. Although Julie might have been able to show more of her prior research in the post, she still manages to come off sounding intelligent and interested. Her topic, the U.S. impact on economic reform in Russia, is fairly specific, and she is asking for a particular kind of response--personal opinion--that taps into the expertise of her newsgroup audience. Knowing that she will be able to find background information in the library or on the Web, Julie has written a post with the aim of soliciting responses from people who are more intimately connected with the situation and who can offer an account of their experience that will probably not be available in any other context.
Adapted from Connections: A Guide to On-line Writing