Writing Homework Help

Assignment instructions

Methods (1 and 1/2 to 2 pages)

This section acts as an overview of how you did your primary research; generally presented in a more objective, passive tone. It serves as the area to discuss your data collection process, including a description of what served as source materials for your primary research (i.e. textual analysis, media analysis, materials). What did you look at, where did you find them, why did you choose those artifacts? What is your sample size? What did you look for in the artifacts (like the Taylor Swift coding categories)?

This does not include library research (AB material), since that is secondary research. You should describe how you analyzed the data, and it should be thorough enough that any reader could recreate your process- the what and how (what you looked at and how you analyzed it). This section should conclude with notation of any necessary claims about your methods (weaknesses, strengths, limitations).

Results (about 1 page)

This section should also be written with an objective voice. It should summarize what you found in your research. Look for trends across your data. What did you see the most of? Second most? Least? You are in essence writing your findings into something cohesive. Save what is interesting or noteworthy for the Discussion portion (next assignment). This is about what you found. It is the most like writing a lab report- stick to what you saw, what patterns emerged from your data. It is not your reader’s job to interpret your findings into patterns. However, save what you think it means, or the implications, for the next section.

– MLA/APA formatting

-Works Cited/References should include the data for the artifacts you analyzed

-Title should be: Methods and Results

-Appendices should be attached with the rough notes of your analysis. They should be polished enough that the reader doesn’t need to organize them; think excel spreadsheet type of data collection.