Writing Assignment: A Spark 

You spend all summer trying to get close to your crush.  You go bowling even though you hate bowling.  
You send emails and IM and finally you are out on date, just the 2 of you.  Unfortunately, the 
conversation is forced, your date is answering text messages all through dinner, and you just want it to 
be over.  Luckily, it will be because you aren’t married. 

At this point, you are not married to your research topic yet either.  You are in the dating stages and if 
things are not going well, you can look for a new topic or give this one another chance.  The work you 
are doing in this assignment is like dating your topic.  You are seeing if you like it and if there is enough 
substance to take this topic all the way.  

Nothing is more frustrating than discovering at the eleventh hour that there is not much information 
about your topic, that all the sources say the same thing, or that the topic isn’t as interesting as you 
thought.  To avoid these pitfalls, this assignment will give you a little preview of how the project will go 
and give your instructor enough information to guide you toward successful discovery.  

1. Complete the chart that presents your overall research question and the series of questions you 
will explore in relation to the main question. Add as many additional squares as you like to the 
middle levels.  Feel free to complete more than one chart if you are considering more than one 
topic or more than one direction in the same topic. 

Topic    
Family Issues

Main   Does couple’s education level affect the number of kids?

(General) 
Discovery 
Is the
Question  Relationshi
p
Focused   Why do kid’s numbers vary How
  do researchers Between
 What is the nature of theth
Discovery  ? How can
study the relationship Current day e
Which between level of researchers
education Family? education
Questions  Other factor be sure that
And kids in families? Level and t
Affect the their Is this issue he
Specific   
What decisi  
Number of What
   
observation   issue of
An  Number of
Discovery  ons does ed Kids in studies is actually Concern or Kids a long
ucated cou Married have been caused by Is it just a Term or
Questions  
ple make Couples? done on Education? Small issue? Short-term
this
Follow up   What could/should be done about
Subject?
this if it really is a problem?
Question 

© KC Distance Learning 

 
  

EXAMPLE  

Topic   Video Games 

Main  Does playing violent video games lead to violent behavior? 
(General) 
Discovery 
Question 

Focused  Which video games are  How do psychologists  What is violent behavior? 

Discovery  considered violent?  study the relationship 
Questions  between violent behavior 
and influences? 

Specific  What kind  Which  What  How can  Is the  Are the 

Discovery  of violence  demographic  studies  psychologists  violent  violent 
Questions   is  purchases or  have been  be sure that  behavior  behaviors 
portrayed  plays this  done on  violence they  anything to  exhibited 
in these  game?  this  observe is  be  immediately, 
games?  subject?  actually  concerned  or are they 
caused by  about, or is  long term? 
games?  it minor 
violence? 

Follow up  What could/should be done about this if it really is a problem? 
Question  

2. Use the following graphic organizer to complete at least 3 source cards on your topic.  Source 
cards are used to create your Works Cited page and to help you assess how successful your 
research will be. Create as many source cards as you like. 

© KC Distance Learning 

 
http://link.springer.com/article/10.2307/2060941

Stevenson David, and David Baker

Family size and the quality of children

Judith Blake

Family size and the quality of children

Washington D.C :Springer-Verlag

March, 1981

125

The source states that there is a significant influence of the level of education on
the number of kids a family can have, and that the size of family determines the q
uality of their life.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1972528

Knodel John, Napaporn Havanon, and Werasit Sittitrai

Family size and the education

John Knodel

Family size and Education

Califonia: Population Council

March, 1990

325

The source states that there is a significant influence of the level of education
on the number of kids a family can have, and that the size of family determine
s the quality of their life.
 http://link.springer.com/article/10.2307/3004027

Anh Knodel, and Lam Friedman

Family size and the Children education

Knodel

Family size and children Education

Califonia: Springer-Verlag

March, 1998

250

The source states that there is a significant influence of the level of education on th
e number of kids a family can have, and that the size of family determines the quali
ty of their life