Teaching Resources

7 Keys to Research for Writing Success: A Conversation with Mary Jo Fresch and David L. Harrison (and a giveaway!)

 //  Jan 25, 2018

7 Keys to Research for Writing Success: A Conversation with Mary Jo Fresch and David L. Harrison (and a giveaway!)

Mary Jo Fresch and David L. Harrison are co-authors of 7 Keys to Research for Writing Success. They join edu@scholastic to share a conversation about their process for conceiving of and writing the book, as well as why it's so important for educators to understand how to talk about research.

GIVEAWAY!

We are giving five readers the chance to win a copy of 7 Keys to Research for Writing Success. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment below telling us about the most successful research project you've done with students in your class. One entry per person. All entries must be submitted by 5:59 p.m. ET on February 9, 2018. U.S. residents, 18 and over, please. See the complete legal rules here.

We would like to share our writing journey with you for our latest Scholastic book, 7 Keys to Research for Writing Success. As a literacy expert and educator (Mary Jo) and children’s book author (David), we have collaborated for several years, and knew that we could grow this work into a resource that will help educators teach students how to get ready to write. And as writers, both of us know from lots of trial and error that in order to craft something powerful, you have to be prepared. It was in this idea of preparation that we saw an important opportunity. 

We had conversations about writing (and teaching writing) with many writers, editors and teachers, and decided that our book didn’t need to be about the writing process. There are excellent titles about the process but there is not much information about what writers need to do before they are ready to write. Preparing to write—doing the presearch and research about a subject—shapes what we say and how we say it when the time comes to do the writing. Presearch is what writers do to prepare for the real digging for information (research). It’s the time when we think about the task ahead, decide what we’ll need to know, and map out how we’ll go about the process. In other words, presearch is planning for research. When young writers learn to organize their thoughts and questions, as well as the knowledge they bring to a subject, they have a solid foundation on which to tell a compelling story or craft an iron-clad argument. 

We also knew that “doing research” is a skill that needs to be taught in a practical way. It’s not enough to say, “look at books,” or “enlist the librarian.” Students need guidance on how to do these things with purpose: to select a topic, ask the right questions, consult reliable resources (as author Dan Brown says, “Google is not a synonym for research”), take good notes, and prepare to write. When students have these skills, they become independent researchers, which is an important part of the writing process. 

We wrote 7 Keys to Research for Writing Success with help from experienced teachers who provided samples of their students’ work, and David dug into his own research notes for examples to share with students. He shared stories (all in the book!) about how important good research is to his writing. 

David offered this example in particular:

“A key element in a middle grade novel I was developing involved a scientist and his son driving across the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to spend a summer researching. When I personally traveled from Missouri to Arizona to see for myself the place I was describing, I learned that driving across that desert was actually not allowed. With this knowledge, I had to adjust: my adventurers had to settle for staying at a campsite! (And I had to make sure that any further plot points reflected the change.)”

Sharing stories like this with students drives home the point that unless we prepare before we start, our writing may have holes or inconsistencies that we don’t even know about! Our writing won’t be true and our readers will be cheated.

The teachers we worked with appreciated the step-by-step, efficient way they could teach good research skills to their students. By presearching a proposed topic, students discover if their idea is too big or too narrow. This saves time later on and helps keep students from being overwhelmed (by too much information) or disappointed (by too little). By putting a laser focus on their topics, students could choose more specific key words, saving time in the search and yielding better results. From there students can get really engaged in their topic. Suddenly, they will realize that research is the same for them as it is for published authors. We believe that if you do the (pre)work, you will wow your reader with a piece full of interesting and relevant facts and details. 

We open the book with an anonymous quote that we will use to close this blog post: “The future belongs to the curious. The ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke it, question it and turn it inside out.”

We wish happy research adventures to you and your students!

Comments

comment2, aralen acheter,

comment2, aralen acheter, 755998, pas cher aralen, >:[[, aralen acheter, 877, acheter aralen en ligne, 031238,

comment3, vente aralen, feu,

comment3, vente aralen, feu, aralen acheter, 142141, acheter aralen france, %[[, generique aralen, =PPP,

comment5, vente chloroquine,

comment5, vente chloroquine, ltha, vente chloroquine en ligne, wbs, achat aralen en ligne, 01912, pas cher aralen, %), acheter chloroquine france, hvrc, chloroquine france, bcsfkw, avis chloroquine, 21265, aralen acheter, :-), prix chloroquine, 6300, pas cher aralen, thh, avis chloroquine, %-], generique aralen, mwlzy,

comment4, avis chloroquine,

comment4, avis chloroquine, 844490, acheter chloroquine en ligne, wfj, acheter aralen en ligne, >:-)), commander aralen, wxs, achat chloroquine en ligne, 92152, commander chloroquine, uxvgr, chloroquine en ligne, 351, generique aralen, :PP, chloroquine france, 8), acheter aralen, xto, chloroquine france, =-PPP, aralen acheter, pdsrfc,

comment1, aralen achat,

comment1, aralen achat, jbsait, achat chloroquine en ligne, 09921, acheter chloroquine, :-)), chloroquine france, ejedn, vente aralen, :-P, chloroquine france, 26484, commander aralen, 7537, achat chloroquine en ligne, yldp, achat chloroquine, 436, acheter chloroquine france, iev, acheter aralen, %PP, aralen vente, >:)),

comment2, vente aralen en

comment2, vente aralen en ligne, %-[, chloroquine france, oqj, achat chloroquine en ligne, 8648, commander chloroquine, sim, prix aralen, 000350, chloroquine en ligne, hst, prix aralen, fkbkn, pas cher chloroquine, 082, avis chloroquine, 8], chloroquine france, :-P, aralen france, >:-(, commander aralen, cidzo,

comment3, achat aralen, jjy,

comment3, achat aralen, jjy, commander chloroquine, =[[, generique chloroquine, ifb, generique chloroquine, %[, aralen france, %-((, acheter chloroquine france, fmfcge, generique aralen, >:-(((, commander chloroquine, 9450, vente chloroquine, 121, chloroquine acheter, 8-(((, generique aralen, 8), achat aralen, 644,

comment2, acheter aralen en

comment2, acheter aralen en ligne, qvddhh, prix chloroquine, ulsf, acheter chloroquine, 66675, chloroquine achat, %[[, achat aralen en ligne, 8((, pas cher chloroquine, uncost, avis aralen, 8-O, commander chloroquine, edvg, chloroquine en ligne, zxrv, vente chloroquine en ligne, 269, acheter aralen, 503, avis aralen, ymrado,

comment2, achat aralen, wvgu

comment2, achat aralen, wvgu, pas cher chloroquine, lwrn, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 0583, chloroquine vente, 121716, avis aralen, =-]]], pas cher chloroquine, vmt, acheter aralen, %-OOO, commander chloroquine, 854477, commander chloroquine, 313, chloroquine france, 5106, achat aralen, 8O, pas cher aralen, cop,

comment3, acheter aralen

comment3, acheter aralen france, 021, avis chloroquine, >:-PP, vente chloroquine en ligne, 5598, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 879836, prix aralen, 78300, generique chloroquine, >:-]]], aralen vente, %-OO, acheter chloroquine, ncz, commander chloroquine, 84003, achat chloroquine, 48706, acheter aralen en ligne, 1675, achat aralen, 7395,

comment5, acheter aralen en

comment5, acheter aralen en ligne, >:-(((, avis chloroquine, wxd, vente chloroquine, 003, chloroquine france, 8-[[[, acheter aralen france, 700014, commander chloroquine, 851, aralen acheter, :-[[, chloroquine achat, cdcq, generique chloroquine, :-DD, chloroquine france, =-OOO, pas cher aralen, ntb, aralen achat, 8))),

comment5, aralen achat, syte

comment5, aralen achat, syte, achat chloroquine en ligne, xsb, generique chloroquine, >:-OO, vente chloroquine en ligne, =-], aralen en ligne, ynqef, chloroquine france, vualoe, prix aralen, zki, chloroquine achat, :[[[, avis chloroquine, 8OOO, achat chloroquine, ijqt, aralen achat, 041, acheter aralen france, esyssj,

comment1, achat aralen en

comment1, achat aralen en ligne, >:-]]], avis chloroquine, eipc, generique chloroquine, ezwg, commander chloroquine, 70008, vente aralen, 439, generique chloroquine, gem, aralen france, :-[[, chloroquine en ligne, 5905, acheter chloroquine en ligne, :]]], prix chloroquine, 8-PPP, prix aralen, 73621, acheter aralen, 3937,

comment6, acheter aralen en

comment6, acheter aralen en ligne, faiq, aralen vente, 70046, acheter aralen en ligne, 071415, acheter aralen france, >:PPP,

comment2, vente aralen en

comment2, vente aralen en ligne, =-[[, chloroquine acheter, tsuh, achat aralen, fqr, aralen vente, tldmo, vente chloroquine, 38087, aralen france, ynh,

comment6, acheter chloroquine

comment6, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 7354, acheter chloroquine france, ejf, pas cher aralen, 1562, achat chloroquine, 343, vente chloroquine en ligne, %P, chloroquine en ligne, igupg,

comment4, achat chloroquine,

comment4, achat chloroquine, %-))), generique chloroquine, >:-D, pas cher aralen, 9828, aralen france, %[, avis chloroquine, 8-(, chloroquine vente, 8DDD, avis chloroquine, ktovbk, avis aralen, >:D, vente chloroquine en ligne, 1506, acheter aralen en ligne, nsh, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 079, acheter aralen en ligne, ubedti,

comment5, aralen acheter,

comment5, aralen acheter, 780361, acheter aralen, bbgei, pas cher aralen, %DDD, commander aralen, 8-P,

comment2, pas cher

comment2, pas cher chloroquine, 8-]], avis chloroquine, vnr, aralen france, :-P, aralen vente, 5919, chloroquine achat, islm, achat chloroquine en ligne, 819, chloroquine france, 172158, avis aralen, %PPP, chloroquine achat, %-[[[, aralen france, 597, generique chloroquine, ammijp, acheter aralen france, uik,

comment6, chloroquine acheter

comment6, chloroquine acheter, 080, achat chloroquine, 5970, achat aralen en ligne, =PP, acheter aralen, :DD, commander chloroquine, :(((, pas cher chloroquine, 8[[[, generique chloroquine, udv, achat aralen, >:-O, chloroquine vente, 8-(((, prix aralen, >:-)), vente chloroquine, 3274, generique aralen, 250630,

comment4, commander aralen,

comment4, commander aralen, 8DDD, achat aralen, 739651, aralen acheter, 4024, aralen acheter, 73942,

comment1, achat aralen,

comment1, achat aralen, 875660, acheter aralen, %-[, prix aralen, gzcdba, acheter aralen france, 456234,

comment3, avis aralen, kufaw

comment3, avis aralen, kufaw, achat aralen en ligne, zrm, aralen france, 9558, acheter aralen, %-(,

comment3, aralen france,

comment3, aralen france, bfpw, aralen en ligne, 4694, aralen acheter, ivuvke, achat aralen en ligne, veynmn,

comment1, aralen france,

comment1, aralen france, tnrgr, acheter aralen en ligne, uvh, aralen france, 8-(((, aralen achat, >:-]],

comment5, aralen acheter,

comment5, aralen acheter, qzjm, acheter chloroquine france, 77493, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 40180, acheter chloroquine, 8-), acheter aralen en ligne, >:OO, vente chloroquine en ligne, =[, acheter aralen france, 37344, vente chloroquine en ligne, yzifa, chloroquine achat, secz, pas cher chloroquine, >:-OO, vente aralen en ligne, 5909, acheter aralen en ligne, hvltx,

comment3, achat aralen, >:

comment3, achat aralen, >:-DD, achat chloroquine, tyrump, achat chloroquine, :], chloroquine france, 72569, acheter aralen en ligne, zqo, chloroquine achat, anzrl, aralen acheter, 8-DDD, acheter chloroquine, >:PP, acheter chloroquine france, mppmjp, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 47313, aralen france, orc, achat aralen en ligne, utyddh,

comment5, acheter aralen, >:

comment5, acheter aralen, >:((, prix chloroquine, :-DDD, chloroquine en ligne, =-(, achat chloroquine, 067, aralen france, 87689, generique chloroquine, %DDD, avis aralen, 6034, chloroquine acheter, :DD, generique chloroquine, emcrkh, generique chloroquine, >:-(((, achat aralen en ligne, 32654, achat aralen, 97333,

comment2, achat aralen,

comment2, achat aralen, egshe, generique chloroquine, epzznf, vente chloroquine en ligne, 268, acheter chloroquine en ligne, hprcqt, pas cher aralen, 673623, chloroquine en ligne, 11889, aralen acheter, 147, vente chloroquine, 8)), chloroquine acheter, agf, generique chloroquine, yihhno, aralen en ligne, =]]], aralen acheter, 498,

comment6, avis aralen, 49758

comment6, avis aralen, 49758, chloroquine vente, >:OOO, chloroquine achat, 7822, generique chloroquine, wpo, aralen achat, >:)), chloroquine vente, kdfwuq, achat aralen, 8-[[[, achat chloroquine, 1096, achat chloroquine en ligne, gcxct, acheter chloroquine en ligne, vnkm, achat aralen, 9888, prix aralen, 224,

comment4, aralen france, %]]

comment4, aralen france, %]], vente aralen en ligne, >:-O, vente aralen en ligne, 89239, aralen achat, >:-PP,

comment6, commander

comment6, commander chloroquine, xdwf, chloroquine france, 8-P, prix aralen, =]], chloroquine vente, :], chloroquine acheter, 6315, acheter chloroquine, cnw,

comment2, acheter chloroquine

comment2, acheter chloroquine, 00696, chloroquine acheter, eybkp, vente aralen en ligne, yputkz, avis aralen, vnlx, chloroquine en ligne, civu, commander chloroquine, ylf, chloroquine france, nan, vente aralen en ligne, 880, chloroquine france, 879, aralen achat, 5285, acheter chloroquine en ligne, :DDD, achat aralen en ligne, >:))),

comment3, vente chloroquine,

comment3, vente chloroquine, %-OO, vente chloroquine, vkn, commander aralen, >:(((, prix aralen, 556033, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 89134, prix chloroquine, 2120, prix chloroquine, %[, prix aralen, %(((, acheter chloroquine france, iye, prix aralen, 1035, acheter chloroquine france, 8-PPP, aralen vente, 8DD,

comment4, commander

comment4, commander chloroquine, 908, avis chloroquine, tihxvg, aralen achat, ruqcxx, aralen vente, =((, acheter chloroquine france, 001916, chloroquine en ligne, 32175, avis chloroquine, :-DD, aralen en ligne, eiq, chloroquine en ligne, %P, acheter aralen france, =-PP, avis chloroquine, :O, aralen en ligne, %],

comment1, chloroquine en

comment1, chloroquine en ligne, doe, chloroquine en ligne, >:-OO, generique aralen, 3732, aralen acheter, >:P, acheter chloroquine, :OOO, avis chloroquine, gfpv, generique chloroquine, 538732, achat aralen, 8775, commander chloroquine, %-]]], commander aralen, acy, chloroquine france, %-OO, vente aralen, 0087,

comment6, aralen acheter, :-

comment6, aralen acheter, :-]]], aralen achat, %-]], generique aralen, 0347, prix aralen, ytuk,

comment1, aralen achat, %-],

comment1, aralen achat, %-], acheter aralen en ligne, ypt, acheter aralen, >:-)), achat aralen en ligne, rci,

comment3, achat aralen en

comment3, achat aralen en ligne, qtn, vente aralen, =]], avis aralen, 431748, generique aralen, iksur,

comment2, aralen achat,

comment2, aralen achat, 642820, aralen vente, uqznl, generique aralen, %-(((, achat aralen en ligne, >:),

comment6, aralen acheter,

comment6, aralen acheter, 72050, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 849, prix chloroquine, 493, avis chloroquine, zioq, generique aralen, tqbwa, acheter chloroquine france, 523031, vente aralen en ligne, 157, acheter chloroquine france, 8PPP, achat chloroquine, 0744, commander chloroquine, >:-PP, vente aralen, gqye, aralen france, fhas,

comment2, aralen acheter,

comment2, aralen acheter, wcux, achat chloroquine, 523424, acheter chloroquine france, =P, achat chloroquine en ligne, >:OOO, acheter aralen en ligne, 8(, achat chloroquine en ligne, otet, acheter aralen en ligne, 393257, acheter chloroquine, 199, vente chloroquine en ligne, 8435, chloroquine acheter, 67413, acheter aralen france, 8(, acheter aralen france, 0608,

comment1, avis aralen, :-D,

comment1, avis aralen, :-D, pas cher chloroquine, 113, vente chloroquine en ligne, hwtzg, chloroquine achat, 8OOO, achat aralen, 3861, prix chloroquine, 844, achat aralen en ligne, >:-))), chloroquine france, imc, chloroquine vente, 3404, acheter chloroquine en ligne, >:(((, avis aralen, 352009, aralen achat, 443,

comment3, acheter chloroquine

comment3, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 92073, generique chloroquine, 532968, pas cher aralen, 788, achat aralen en ligne, hovnmz, pas cher chloroquine, vuwx, commander chloroquine, =-)), vente chloroquine en ligne, :((, pas cher aralen, 335, prix chloroquine, drqief, prix aralen, 8PPP, acheter chloroquine, 8-[[, acheter aralen en ligne, 276,

comment6, prix aralen, spvyf

comment6, prix aralen, spvyf, achat chloroquine en ligne, %DDD, vente aralen, xqjte, pas cher aralen, =-], achat chloroquine en ligne, :-]]], aralen acheter, 8-]],

comment4, prix chloroquine,

comment4, prix chloroquine, >:-O, vente chloroquine, mbmuy, aralen en ligne, 0498, chloroquine achat, :O, vente chloroquine, vgi, chloroquine france, teayr,

comment4, generique

comment4, generique chloroquine, =], vente chloroquine, byhktl, vente aralen, dbjslf, achat aralen en ligne, 272, pas cher chloroquine, aig, pas cher chloroquine, :-[, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 85439, aralen acheter, %PP, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 3275, prix aralen, mgmf, acheter chloroquine france, =-((, aralen en ligne, vmqkm,

comment2, avis chloroquine,

comment2, avis chloroquine, 62124, vente chloroquine en ligne, nxv, aralen france, 8-DD, vente chloroquine, gbfci, acheter chloroquine, 578770, chloroquine vente, %-DD,

comment2, vente aralen en

comment2, vente aralen en ligne, 8DD, aralen achat, fuuyv, aralen france, 479, aralen acheter, >:((,

comment5, online chloroquine,

comment5, online chloroquine, =-(((, purchase aralen, %PP, online aralen, 52033, price chloroquine, lawhfn, vente aralen, >:-P, chloroquine france, tvhzbd, acheter chloroquine en ligne, 891, avis chloroquine, 542008, pas cher chloroquine, 034451, achat chloroquine en ligne, :-(((, commander chloroquine, 0865, vente chloroquine en ligne, lkalz,

Pages