Forum #2: Research Project
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This forum is worth 10 points and has three questions for you to answer: One, what is your project idea (research question)? Two, why do you want to explore this topic? How do you plan to research your topic? You are not required to respond to any other students in this post. I will be doing the majority of the work and will respond to your posts instead.
What is your project idea?
Your research can involve observations, interviews or both. Think about a place where you want to conduct research. It could be at your job, at your home, in the community, or wherever you feel comfortable. Whatever you choose, I don’t want you to compromise your health or the health of others, so choose your topic with this in mind. Covid and RSV cases are ticking up again. I had Covid a month ago, and it knocked me out.
For example, students have researched the division of labor in the household, and how gender shapes the work we do in the house. You might also research how your family handled the recent pandemic. Or, you might research the child rearing practices in your home, since a few of you mentioned you have children. Or, if you have children, you might focus on how your children experience their education. There are a lot of research questions that don’t involve leaving your home. If you want to study out in the world, do so. But, if you aren’t comfortable, feel free to conduct research in your home, as long as your family agrees to it. I want you to have as much leeway in deciding on your project topic, so be creative with your ideas, and I’ll help you narrow it down for this class in my feedback to your forum posts.
There is another option called an auto-ethnography, which involves a systematic study of your life. Pick an experience or multiple experiences that you would like to study. For example, I grew up in a multi-racial household to a white mother and black step-father. So, if I were to do a project in this course, I might offer a systematic reflection of my experiences, and maybe interview my parents to get their perspective. Again, I want you to have a lot of leeway in your project choice, so be creative. I have included an optional article that helps explain auto-ethnographic work if you choose this option.
