IBL and The Encyclopedia, Take Two

I continue to think about the ways that I can connect IBL to my use of the Encyclopedia of American Studies, and I think I’ve figured out a good way to continue to use this resource as a way to promote the asking of “good” questions.

After I asked students to peruse the website and come up with “good” questions about its structure and choice of topics, I asked students to explore the encyclopedia with an eye toward coming up with ten topics that were of particular interest to them.  

This was “pitched” by me as the “first step” in our yearlong term paper writing process. The goal, aside from familiarizing students with the Encyclopedia itself, was to spark student interest in topics that are beyond the scope and sequence of our course materials, topics that they might want to investigate further for their American Studies term paper. 

The first step of the term paper writing process — choosing a topic – is often, for students, one of the hardest This is not only because students don’t know the scope and sequence of American history well enough to make an informed choice. It’s also particularly hard for students to choose a research topic because, frankly, over the course of their entire education, most students have never been given freedom – ever — to choose what they want to learn about. And now, in their eleventh grade year, not only do we ask student to select a topic, but we also allow – even encourage – them to “think outside the box” and consider doing a paper on what really interests them, even if their interests run more toward video games and MTV than art and philosophy. One student remarked that, after perusing the Encyclopedia, she couldn’t wait to start the research process, because, in her words, “I had no idea that we are allowed to choose topics that are actually interesting!”

And so, when I gathered my students in the library to commence their encyclopedia-based assignment, I must say, it was a revelation. One student asked: “You mean, we can study about birth control for our term paper? Really? That’s allowed?”

Another was amazed that television sitcoms would not be considered off-limits as an academic subject.

 I know that the idea of investigating birth control or sitcoms for a term paper would not come as a shock to any of us sitting in this room, but I have to tell you, for many high school students, it’s shock and awe. They can’t believe that they are allowed, even encouraged, to choose something that truly interests them. 

So, that’s the first step — just asking them to identify what they MIGHT be interested in for their term paper topics. The next step involves asking them to actually choose their topic and then form a research question. When it comes time to do that, I’ll definitely remind them about what we’ve been discussing re: the “art” of asking “good” questions, and I’ll ask them to come up with several questions that they want to research as a focus for their term paper. I’m looking forward to it.