Sometimes students have preconceived ideas about paper topics. There is something that has 'gotten their goat' so to speak, and they have already formed an opinion or designed their answer. So when they come to the desk, they know what they want to say, and are just looking to find articles that agree with their idea. Unfortunately, in almost all of these cases, there is either little to nothing which supports their point, or all the evidence overwhelmingly supports the opposite of their opinion.
A student approached the desk convinced that she could find lots of articles that said what she wanted them to say. We looked. Nothing. A few things that were close to her topic, but nothing direct. I tried another tack, and still came up dry. I discussed her ideas a bit more, listening carefully to see if I could state the topic in other terms. A few ideas surfaced and we searched with the new terms. Still nothing. We had been at it a good 2 hours. I am ready to call it quits.
I was about to turn her back to the professor to see if there was a related topic she might pursue, but she was unwilling to give up. She pressed me. I was impatient and tried to explain to her that not all topics have been researched and written about. She could not hear me. Her face was filled with hope and expectation. Surely I could work magic and suddenly make this work for her. She had limited time. I fight the urge to send her on her way. I asked if she and the professor had explored the topic at all, and she said they hadn't found anything and that was why the professor sent her to me. Gulp.
OK. I take a deep breath and broaden the search parameters to see what might come up. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I am beginning to think this is like the question I got from a student who wanted to find statistics about how many tattoos had been done in the Rochester area over time (!) as if someone out there were keeping a chart. Not happening.
Then a tiny little word comes up in one last ditch effort. Like some unlucky treasure hunter, I jump on the word and follow it down a rabbit hole. It leads to another little word, then another and slowly, ever so slowly, we begin to find some articles that, while not presenting themselves as addressing her topic, mention it in passing. A sentence here, a paragraph there. It's not much, but at least it is something. Another hour later, I *finally* find an entire article that relates, and a few more that give some chunks of information.
I keep looking at the student to see if she has enough yet. She is faithfully punching the printed articles and adding them to her organizer. We keep going. I find an entire article, but it is too old to use. I follow the citations forward and find two more that are helpful. She finally says she will begin with what we have found, and see if they lead her anywhere else. We stop, but I invite her to return if she needs more (all the while secretly hoping she does have enough). I applaud her for her persistence.
A week later, I run into this student and ask after her paper. Her face lights up and she smiles big. The research turned out to be exactly what she needed and led her in better directions. She discovered a whole other world beyond her own thinking and experience and broadened her position. Once she did that, it all fell into place. She is writing the last few pages and will turn it in soon. Whew! Glad I didn't quit when I wanted to!
A student approached the desk convinced that she could find lots of articles that said what she wanted them to say. We looked. Nothing. A few things that were close to her topic, but nothing direct. I tried another tack, and still came up dry. I discussed her ideas a bit more, listening carefully to see if I could state the topic in other terms. A few ideas surfaced and we searched with the new terms. Still nothing. We had been at it a good 2 hours. I am ready to call it quits.
I was about to turn her back to the professor to see if there was a related topic she might pursue, but she was unwilling to give up. She pressed me. I was impatient and tried to explain to her that not all topics have been researched and written about. She could not hear me. Her face was filled with hope and expectation. Surely I could work magic and suddenly make this work for her. She had limited time. I fight the urge to send her on her way. I asked if she and the professor had explored the topic at all, and she said they hadn't found anything and that was why the professor sent her to me. Gulp.
OK. I take a deep breath and broaden the search parameters to see what might come up. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I am beginning to think this is like the question I got from a student who wanted to find statistics about how many tattoos had been done in the Rochester area over time (!) as if someone out there were keeping a chart. Not happening.
Then a tiny little word comes up in one last ditch effort. Like some unlucky treasure hunter, I jump on the word and follow it down a rabbit hole. It leads to another little word, then another and slowly, ever so slowly, we begin to find some articles that, while not presenting themselves as addressing her topic, mention it in passing. A sentence here, a paragraph there. It's not much, but at least it is something. Another hour later, I *finally* find an entire article that relates, and a few more that give some chunks of information.
I keep looking at the student to see if she has enough yet. She is faithfully punching the printed articles and adding them to her organizer. We keep going. I find an entire article, but it is too old to use. I follow the citations forward and find two more that are helpful. She finally says she will begin with what we have found, and see if they lead her anywhere else. We stop, but I invite her to return if she needs more (all the while secretly hoping she does have enough). I applaud her for her persistence.
A week later, I run into this student and ask after her paper. Her face lights up and she smiles big. The research turned out to be exactly what she needed and led her in better directions. She discovered a whole other world beyond her own thinking and experience and broadened her position. Once she did that, it all fell into place. She is writing the last few pages and will turn it in soon. Whew! Glad I didn't quit when I wanted to!
