Research Methods Reading Response #1

In “What Are Research Methods?” by Jennifer Clary-Lemon, Derek Mueller, and Kate
Pantelides, the authors go into great detail about the subjects of critical conversations and
research. A critical conversation is “a grouping of recognized ideas about that interest” (Clary-
Lemon et al 3). A critical conversation can be related to research because it allows a researcher
to develop information based on previously conducted research on a similar topic. Kenneth
Burke uses a party scene analogy to better describe critical conversations. This greatly helped me
to better understand the concept of critical conversations. Much like during a conversation at a
party, researchers respond and reflect on other researchers’ work to develop their own ideas on a
topic, potentially agreeing or disagreeing with the conclusions.
The authors further explain research as a concept of genuine inquiry. They suggest that the
topic of research be something that you are genuinely curious to know the outcome of. The
authors further state that “developing an effective question might in itself be the most important
part of the research process” (Clary-Lemon et al 6). In my experience with research, I have
leaned toward “answering” a question that was already familiar to me, and simply looking for
evidence that supported my premade conclusion. While it is human nature to research something
we think we already know the answer to, the most successful research comes from having a
genuine inquiry on a topic and being prepared to surprise yourself with the outcome.
This article taught me a lot about diverse types of research methods. I was most familiar with
surveys, and the idea of collecting either qualitative or quantitative data. However, this chapter
broadened my knowledge of research methods. In addition to qualitative data, quantitative data,
and surveys, the authors also discussed interview protocols, case studies, and textual analysis.