WHAT IS AN I-SEARCH PAPER? The I-Search paper is designed to teach the writer and the reader something valuable about a chosen topic and about the nature of searching and discovery. As opposed to the standard research paper where the writer usually assumes a detached and objective stance, the I-Search paper allows you to take an active role in your search, to experience some of the hunt for facts and truths first-hand, and to provide a step-by-step record of the discovery. Your final draft will describe chronologically the process you went through in investigating your research question. The “I” in I-Search means you write in first person, that you are an interactive and reactive participant in the I-Search writing process. In a more formal research paper, which you will probably be assigned in other courses, the use of “I” is not appropriate. In a formal research essay, a writer cannot say, for example, “I think” or “I feel.” In contrast, the I-Search paper invites you to tell about your research journey from your point of view, asking you to reflect and analyze using “I.” This essay belongs in the personal narrative essay genre (genre means kind, or in this case, kind of writing), not in the formal academic research, argumentative, or explanatory essay genres. An I-Search paper calls for you to tell, in the form of a story, virtually every step of the search which led to the answer to your question, including the dead-ends and failures, which means that you can be drafting your paper as you proceed with the search rather than waiting until you have all the information you need before deciding upon what you will actually write. It also means that you can tell your readers of your frustrations as you underwent your search. Even if you have not found the answer to your question, you can still write your paper, explaining to your readers at the end of your paper that your question remains unanswered and describing what you did learn that was worthwhile or how you would amend your search on a future attempt. Ideas to keep in mind when writing an I-Search paper: Topic is private but the language must be public and appropriately academic, but not pretentious (more on language below) Citation procedures must be followed as though writing a research paper The paper must be appealing to a general academic audience
Your I-Search Question The focus of the I-Search paper in Core 102 is Researching the Future or Career Exploration, focusing on long term academic and life goals. You should spend some time formulating your question. Do some brainstorming to come up with a list of several possible questions. Here are some sample I-Search questions that focus on career and life goal exploration. Notice that your question will depend on where you are in your decision- making regarding a major or long term academic goal. If you are undeclared, you can focus on exploring the possibility of a tentative major, career, or life goal. If you feel fairly certain about your major or future goals, you can ask more specific questions.
Samples of General Questions: Do I want to be a Sociology or an English major? Do I want to be an English major? What kinds of careers are available to those who earn an English degree?
Samples of More Specific Questions: Do I want to work in the field of Publishing and Editing? Do I want to teach English and at what level? Do I want to be work as an school counselor or in family counseling? To add to in collaboration with different disciplines. The Career Search The Career Center at Eastern (Inlow Hall104) can supply you with useful information and tools to help you formulate your I-Search question. The Career Center will also facilitate an activity (an Interest Inventory) in the Core 102 course to help you in your inquiry. The Career Center website also provides helpful information, links, and activities that will help you discover or fine-tune your I-Search question. Visit the Career Center website at http://www.eou.edu/career/. Connections Between Core 102, WR 121 and the I-Search Paper Core 102 is a course designed to provide you with some of the information, tools, and activities you will need to write your I-Search paper. In Core 102, you will submit for points the assignments for each Core 102 class activity created to help you draft your ISearch paper. The Core 102 presentations will follow this sequence: Learning Style Inventory Reflection Personality Inventory Reflection Advising Reflection Health and Wellness Reflection Diversity Reflection Cornerstones Reflection (Service Learning, etc…) Residence Life Reflection The Career Service and Library activities will help you with formulating and researching your search question. The other presentations will advance your search as well, with the assignments serving as drafts for the Required Appendix (see below) for your I-Search paper.
You will receive points for completing Core 102 homework and assignments, and also for participating in class activities. Your points will determine your grade for Core 102. You will use these activities and assignments to help you write a final revised draft of your I-Search paper to be submitted in your WR 121 course for a paper grade. This paper will be only one of the papers required in your WR 121 course, and your WR 121 professor will determine the other paper assignments.
ORGANIZING YOUR I-SEARCH PAPER Part I--The Lead Where My Question Came From and What I Already Know All I-Search papers must begin with an interesting lead, something which pulls your reader into your paper. Most leads take the form of a narrative, a story relating where in your life your question came from and what you already know, assume, or imagine about your topic. Sample Lead: To be added. Part II—What I Want to Find Out In this section you write a few paragraphs which include questions about your topic, questions you want to have answered. These questions will lead you to those sources that will answer your questions. These questions will drive your search and will guide you through your journey, such as your library work and interviews. Part III—The Story of My Search In this section, you will write up your search in a narrative or storytelling form, relating the story of what you did to research and what you learned in the process. This section is in essence the Body of your paper. Not only do you report on what others have said about your topic, bout also your reactions and reflections on their perspectives. Do not feel obligated to tell the reader everything, but highlight the information you uncovered that was crucial to your hunt and contributed to your understanding of the information. What Your Search Must Include: Information you gained form Core 102 readings and activities as it relates to your I-Search question. In class, a series of facilitators will lead you through activities that will help you in your search. The Career and Library activities will be
inter\grated within your search activities from beginning to end. The other activities must be respresented in an Appendix to the I-Search Paper: At least 2 interviews, 3 journal or magazine articles, and 2 books. You are also welcome to include reliable website information, but this is in addition to the interviews, magazines/journals, and interviews. At least one other means of presentation besides the essay. (See Multiworking section below).
A Formal Bibliography or Works Cited, depending on your chosen documentation style. Required Appendix (See VI. Appendix below)
Keeping a Journal It is almost impossible to undertake an I-Search without keeping a journal, however informal. Carry a notebook with you while you are working on the I-Search and keep note of dates and times of everything you do, along with the following details: Every visit to the library, including the search method you employed, titles of books or articles perused, along with their call numbers, names of helpful library staff, and so on. Appointments made for personal interviews, including the locations. Each use of the computer, including URL’s of websites and email addresses of people, institutions, or websites accessed. Be sure to always include dates of access. Descriptions of places visited for interviews. (People who are undertaking job search interviews may find that the physical surroundings in which interviewees work could make a difference as to whether the job appears to be appealing or not.) Brief notes of your reactions to events, situations, and information you encounter. Letting your readers know how you react to what you find is most important.
Consider keeping a dual entry log. Simply draw a line down the center of your note paper. On the left side of that line write down notes and quotes from a source, whether it be a paper, online, or interview source. On the left side there might be quotes from an interview, lines from something you have read (noting name of source an page #), or visual impressions from a site visit you made. On the right side of the line, write your
reactions to and reflections on these notes and observations. Later, you can transfer the details and your reactions into your actual paper. Conducting the Personal Interviews The most important information in an I-Search paper can come from personal interviews. Very often, those interviews are with very busy people who have generously given up time to answer questions. Students locate such people through their university resources, through a library search, by looking in the Yellow Pages, or by personal reference from classmates, relatives, co-workers, or friends. Sometimes a helpful resource is discovered via an Internet source, in which case the interview might be via email. Some interviews can also be conducted over the telephone, although it is often preferable to see the interviewee in person because surroundings, body language, and other matters can offer valuable information. When making the interview appointment, be sure to mention how long you expect the interview to last and the kind of information you will be seeking. That way, the interviewee can set aside time and, perhaps, retrieve written information to give you when you come to the interview. Dress appropriately for the interview. Try to anticipate the kind of appearance which is expected of people in the environment you will be entering and try to blend in as mulch as your wardrobe and clothing expenses will permit. At the interview, remember that you must ask permission to use a tape recorder. That is the law. If the interviewee refuses permission, you must gracefully abide by that refusal. Have questions prepared that are substantial and really help your I-Search question. Ask open-ended questions, not ones that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.” For example: How did you get started in…? Can you tell me about your first day? If you were allowed to tell a beginner one thing about how to do what you’re so good at, what would it be? Or the thing that counts the most?
No matter what your questions, listen carefully to the responses you receive and be prepared to follow up on an interesting line of information. You are the time keeper. If time is running short, let your interviewee know and lit him or her decide whether or not the interview should be brought to a close or permitted to go on further. Sometimes a follow-up interview can be arranged if you want more information or if you run out of time. Always be polite, and follow up the interview with a thank-you. It would be even more professional to send a thank you letter. The Library Search
The Library will also be of enormous help in your search to locate journals, magazines, books, and online resources. In addition, in Core 102 a visitor from Pierce Library will lead you in an activity that will help you with your search. Visit the Pierce Library website at .
The Internet Search The Internet can seem readily accessible and fast, but the amount of information we often receive during our Internet searches can be overwhelming, and there is always the problem of knowing for certain that the information we receive is valid. Carefully validate your sources through the following procedure: Check the author. If no information on the author can be found, that might indicate a problem. If a website has no author’s name, check the name of the organization sponsoring the information. Look for sound qualifications and for any signs of bias. Check the sponsoring organization. Some organizations represent special interest groups, which means that the information they disseminate might be biased in favor of that group’s point of view. In the case of magazines and newspapers, make sure that they are reputable publications who are accountable for the accuracy and fairness of the information they publish. Professional and scholarly journals only publish articles that have been critiqued by the peers of the authors, which means that information contained in such journals tends to be more reliable than that contained in popular magazines or newspapers. In the case of statistics, government documents are the most reliable source. Check the publication date of the information. You do not want to be working with information that is out of date. Part IV—What I Discovered After concluding your search, compare what you thought you knew, assumed, or imagined to what you actually discovered. Assess your overall learning experience, and offer some personal commentary about the value of your discoveries and/or draw some conclusions. In this section you reflect on the entire experience, not only what you got out of it, not only what you’ve learned, but how this search affects your long range life plan and goals. Sometimes your conclusion might express your feelings of satisfaction, but also might express your disappointment or frustration. You may have discovered that you want to explore a different goal. You can explain how this experience has helped you to make this discovery, and what your new questions might be. You at least now have the tools for other researching-the-future explorations.
In essence, in this section you summarize your journey, whatever your experience, good or bad. Here are some questions that you might consider at this stage: How accurate were your original assumptions? What new information did you acquire? What did you learn that surprised you? Overall, what value did you derive from the process of searching and discovery?
Don’t just do a question and answer conclusion. Go back to the main point you want to make with this essay. What final message do you want to leave your readers? Sample Conclusion: To be added. Part V—The Bibliography or Works Cited To be added. Part VI—Appendix In this section, you will provide your reader any information that is important to your search that you do not include in the paper itself. In this section, the following documents should be included: Learning Style Inventory Reflection Personality Inventory Reflection Advising Reflection Health and Wellness Reflection Diversity Reflection Cornerstones Reflection (Service Learning…) Residence Life Reflection In Core 102 you will be lead through activities that will help you to do this writing. For example, the Learning Style Inventory helps you to discover how you learn. You will be asked to reflect on how to connect this information to your academic and future goals. These assignments will be no more than 1-2 pages typed, double-spaced, and you will draft them as the term proceeds. You may also include other documents that your think belong in this section.
WRITING THE I-SEARCH PAPER If you have kept a good travel journal about your search, you already have a working draft of your I- Search paper. In your final draft, you will put all of your information together, revising to make your I-Search paper reader-friendly for a general academic audience. Title A good I-Search paper will provide the reader a title that crystallizes the purpose or main idea of the essay. You are invited to be creative, composing a focusing title that captures a reader’s attention. Headings You might find that using headings will help you with your presentation and make your I-Search Essay reader-friendly. After your lead or introductory section, the headings might be: What I Want to Find Out The Story of my Search What I Discovered
You are also welcome to be creative with these headings, adapting them to your particular search. But it should be clear to any reader that these sections are in the paper. Each paper must have the following: Bibliography or Works Cited Appendix
The story of your search should be both interesting and informative. It should also be written in more formal prose, but not pretentious prose (see Honest Writing below). Some Pointers: The paper should begin with an interesting lead. The I-Search question should be explicitly stated following the lead. The information should be selected for a general audience of academic readers. Any information which might be too technical should be explained and any lengthy tables or technical lists should be avoided. They can be moved to an Appendix coming after the Works Cited or Reference page if necessary. Include actual dialogue or actual words spoken, in quotation marks, where you feel it would be appropriate.
Include rich descriptions of the places and people you visit where you feel such description would interest your readers and contribute to the answer to your question. After each piece of information, let your readers know how this information contributes to the answer to your question by providing analysis and reflection (if you have kept a dual entry journal, you will have your ideas already at hand). Follow the citation guidelines. You may select MLA or APA citation guidelines to follow. If you are certain of a major, find out which documentation style is required in that major, and use that style. Follow the documentation rules exactly as though you were writing a conventional research paper.
Honest Writing The first step to writing this I-Search paper is finding your own voice. This does not mean that you should write like your talk, use a lot of cliché, cursing, or slang. This means you do not have to adopt a pretentious voice to write well. Here are some tips: Get Rid of Pretentious and Lardy Writing. For example: (Provide example from Hacker or Lanham) Multiworking the I-Search Paper We encourage you to explore other forms and genres (kinds of presentation) you might integrate into or add to your I-Search paper presentation. Thus you are required to include at least one other medium of presentation besides the essay itself. Your choice will depend on your own interests, talents, imagination and creativity. The purpose here is to choose a genre, besides the written essay genre, to help you to communicate something that connects to your presentation and that matters to you. Try to find another medium that help you to communicate an idea that is connected to your search and discovery, an idea that matters to you. Some possibilities: Photographs integrated into the text or provided on cover pages or in the Appendix Drawings or paintings (your own or found art) Collage Music, a song or a composition Video or film Poetry Powerpoint Website
(Get help from Mark Shadle and multiworking tutors to expand the list of possibilities) Using Writing Tutors as Fellow Writers
Professional writers know that good writing is not done in isolation. They have discovered that testing out ideas and writing with others, having conversations about ideas, and sharing drafts with others helps them to advance their writing and work toward excellence. They know that revising with feedback is a key to good writing. Writing tutors in the EOU Learning Center/Writing Lab in Loso Hall 234 are available to your to help you with your writing. They can help you at all stages of the writing process. See Learning Resource Center/Writing Lab Addendum to discover how tutors can help and how to get connected to tutors. You are required to work with a tutor one-on one at least twice in the process of writing your ISearch paper. Do not wait until the last minute, but get connected to a fellow writer early in the process, and allow time for drafting and revising as you get tutor feedback.
References This document incorporates several sources that are based on Ken McCrorie’s The ISearch Paper. Information from the following educational resources was also incorporated into this document: “The I-Search Paper.” Delta College. 1 Dec. 2006. . “English 52 I-Search Paper.” Cerritos College. 1 Dec. 2006. . “I-Search Paper Format Guide.” Gallaudet University English Department. 20 Nov 2006. . Gosslee, Amber. “The I-Search Paper.” 1 Dec. 2006.
