Topic Development in the Freshman Engineering Paper: Finding a Focus

ABSTRACT

Topic development and focus are relatively neglected areas of the student research process. This study examined how students in a freshman engineering writing class developed initial research paper topics into focused thesis statements. A mixed methods approach was used, incorporating online surveys, qualitative interviews, and a rubric to track topic development and assess thesis statement focus. The survey results and student comments indicated that participants were more competent at the mechanics of finding sources and writing than at developing appropriately scoped thesis statements. Closer collaboration between writing instructors and librarians is urged to more effectively support and scaffold topic development.

KEYWORDS:

• Topic development
• focus formulation
• novice researchers
• engineering education

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Dr. David Reinhold and the WMU Office of Undergraduate Student Assessment for the University Assessment Fellows Grant (Award 02-2016-17) which provided the funds to support this study. In addition, he would like to thank librarians Michael Duffy, LuMarie Guth, and Carrie Leatherman for their assistance in testing and using the different rubric drafts. Finally, thanks go out to Dr Joshua Naranjo, professor and Director of the Statistical Consulting Center at WMU for his advice on testing inter-rater reliability in the rubric assessment.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the WMU Office of Undergraduate Student Assessment [02-2016-17].