"Exploring Creativity and Context in Research and Writing"

 

Greetings!! Everyone. This blog is based on a thinking activity on 'Research and Writing' given by Prakruti Ma'am Bhatt.

"Research and writing" refers to the process of gathering information through investigation (research) and then communicating those findings in a structured and coherent written format. It is typically used to present arguments, share knowledge, or analyze a topic with evidence to support claims.

# Key aspects of research and writing:-

• Research phase:

  • Defining a research question or topic
  • Identifying relevant sources (books, articles, data sets, interviews)
  • Analyzing and evaluating information
  • Taking thorough notes and organizing data
• Writing phase:

  • Developing a thesis statement or central argument
  • Constructing a logical outline
  • Drafting the text, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
  • Citing sources appropriately using a specific style guide
  • Revising and editing for clarity, accuracy, and grammar

  
  

# Different types of research writing:-

• Academic papers: Research articles, essays, dissertations, theses
• Journalistic writing: News articles, feature stories
• Technical reports: Scientific reports, business proposals
• Creative writing with research basis: Historical fiction, biographies

Let's discuss some points regarding the thinking activity:-

1. In your opinion, should research always strive to achieve something new and creative or is it ok to pursue an existing direction and arrive at a newer understanding of the same? In which one of these two categories would you classify the topic that you have chosen for your dissertation?

> Research can pursue both paths—striving for novelty fosters innovation while exploring existing directions deepens understanding. Revisiting established ideas with fresh perspectives can reveal nuances and connections, enriching the field. Creativity lies not only in discovering the unprecedented but also in reinterpreting and expanding upon the known. Both approaches are equally valuable.

My dissertation topic, 'Can the Subaltern Speak?: Revisiting Spivak's Theory in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things and Kavita Kane's Karna's Wife - The Outcast's Queen' aligns with revisiting existing directions, as it reinterprets Spivak's theory through the lens of Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things and Kavita Kane's Karna's Wife. The research aims to uncover nuanced understandings of subaltern voices in diverse cultural and literary contexts by applying Spivak's concept to these texts.

2. Ask a chatbot of your choice to paraphrase the following passage. Check the paraphrase it gives you by answering the questions attached below the paragraph: 

• "There is little to be gained from seeking to isolate any artistic form or movement from its antecedents and counterparts. Myopia is the product of critical segregation, wherein readers disengage practices from those contexts that have forged their contours. This might seem obvious, but there is value in rearticulating the axiomatic in times of transformation--when something "new" emerges, many of us fall into the trap of isolating our darlings, whether old or young, from all those other contexts that play a significant role in their construction. How does one look at electronic literature without considering the literary, the ludic, that which we can see, touch, and hear---how does one look critically at anything without such frames of reference, and how do we overcome natural limitations in capacity when attempting to do so? The best we can do is look to those who have gone before, build upon their foundation, and indeed, emphasize those aspects of an exploration we deem worthy of greater emphasis." (Sullivan)

• After receiving the bot's response, answer the following questions:

1. Is the paraphrase approximately the same length as the original passage?

Yes, the paraphrase is approximately the same length as the original passage. Both contain a similar level of detail and complexity while rephrasing the ideas in a new way, maintaining the original's depth and structure. 

2. Has any part of the passage been copied word for word?

No part of the passage has been copied word for word. The paraphrase rephrases the original ideas using different wording and structure while preserving the meaning and intent of the original passage.

3. Does the paraphrase have the same meaning as the passage?

Yes, the paraphrase retains the same meaning as the original passage. It conveys the importance of considering historical and contextual influences when analyzing art, literature, or any form, emphasizing the need to build on past foundations and avoid isolating new developments from their broader contexts.

3. What is the full form of CIS? Discuss some of the types of searches that can be employed to search for sources in a library equipped with CIS.

Full form of CIS:- Central Information System in research methodology.