Lesson Report:
**Lesson Report:**
### Title:
Key Term Definition and Literature Review Foundations
**Synopsis:**
This session focused on helping students define and contextualize key terms for their research papers and lay the groundwork for their literature reviews. The objectives were to ensure students develop precise, well-sourced definitions for fundamental concepts and to discuss strategies for organizing effective literature reviews. Key elements included individual presentations on chosen terms, identification of sources, and discussions on how to improve thematic structure and source credibility in literature reviews.
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### Attendance:
– **Mentioned Absent:** 2 students explicitly noted as absent (Messra and Sana).
– **Present:** Remaining students participated, including both in-person and online attendees, though intermittent technical issues (e.g., Masih disconnecting) occurred.
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### Topics Covered:
#### 1. **Introduction and Objectives of the Day**
– Recap of the prior session, focusing on identifying five key terms central to each student’s research.
– Objective: Creating detailed visual concept maps for each key term.
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#### 2. **Activity: Concept Map Creation and Presentation**
– **Instructions Given:**
Students were tasked to create a concept map for *each of their five key terms*, addressing the following components:
1. **Definition:** A scholarly definition with source, title, and page number.
2. **Source:** Citation of the text from which the definition was derived.
3. **Application:** Explanation of how the term will be used in the research paper.
4. **Relevance:** Justification of the term’s connection to the research question.
– The professor gave an example using “speech acts”:
*(Definition of Speech Acts: Asserts that language is a tool for action; application: using speech acts to analyze how media frames protests; relevance: evaluating political language’s ability to securitize issues).*
– **Class Clarifications:**
– Students were encouraged to locate missing definitions if terms were not well-defined in their chosen materials (e.g., using Google Scholar or combining sources).
– Illustrated differentiation between “good” sourcing (peer-reviewed articles) and “weaker” sources (NGOs or editorials), offering guidance for replacing weak sources.
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#### 3. **Student Presentations**
Students presented one term from their concept maps. Key takeaways are detailed below:
– **Amira:** Presented on *Institutional Trust* using Fukuyama’s text on social determinants of health. Application: Examines how trust impacts vaccine hesitancy. Advised to justify why Fukuyama’s definition is preferred.
– **Akhtar:** Presented on *Speech Acts* within *Securitization Theory.* Application: Media’s role in transforming social issues into security concerns via language. Commended for strong alignment with research.
– **Hamdam:** Presented on *Core-Peripheral Theory* from World Systems Theory. Application: Evaluates Afghanistan’s role as a dependent state affected by core international actors. Advised to clarify author selection.
– **Masiha:** Focused on *Rule of Law.* Struggled to provide a specific definition. Professor emphasized selecting a definition soon, as it’s critical to her thesis.
– **Tuba:** Defined *Accessibility* as human interaction with opportunities and discussed its implications for inclusivity for individuals with special needs. Encouraged to elaborate on why the chosen definition fits the research.
– **Hafaza:** Defined *Resource Mobilization,* citing McCarthy and Meyer. Application: Resistance movements in Afghanistan. Emphasis placed on explaining the choice of foundational text.
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#### 4. **Detailed Discussion on Literature Review**
– **Key Points Covered:**
– Importance of organizing literature reviews around *thematic clusters* rather than summarizing articles in isolation. Suggested structuring reviews by themes such as “media framing of protests” or “application of securitization theory.”
– Avoid summarization; instead, synthesize texts to highlight scholarly debates, including agreements, conflicts, and gaps.
– Use literature to establish connections to research questions and identify the “gap” that the paper will address.
– **Common Mistakes to Avoid:**
– Using non-peer-reviewed or unreliable sources as the foundation for research.
– Failing to align the literature review with thematic issues relevant to the research question.
– **Illustrative Example:**
For a paper on media framing of Palestinian activism, the professor suggested thematic categories like “historical evolution of media portrayals” and “patterns of securitization.” Highlighted framing shifts from Cold War (communism) to post-9/11 (terrorism/Islamophobia).
– **Actionable Steps:**
– Replace weaker sources with peer-reviewed articles where possible.
– Categorize chosen research materials into 3+ thematic issues by relevance to the overarching research question.
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### Actionable Items:
#### **Key Term Development**
– **Urgent:**
– Students missing definitions for essential terms (e.g., “rule of law,” “radicalization”) must find applicable scholarly definitions immediately. Use sources like academic articles or books for credibility.
#### **Literature Review Enhancements**
– **High Priority:**
– Ensure sources within literature reviews are credible (peer-reviewed preferred). Identify and replace weak sources.
– Create thematic subcategories for literature reviews focused on major scholarly debates rather than individual articles.
– **Medium Priority:**
– Students with broad or conflicting terms (e.g., “radicalization,” “accessibility”) should refine definitions or justify why specific definitions are selected.
– Check that thematic categories traced in the literature review demonstrate the evolution of scholarly thought and directly relate to research questions.
#### **Next Week’s Preparation**
– Students must bring revised categories for their literature reviews to class, where the session will begin with a detailed workshop on thematic structuring and prioritization.
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This session helped students clarify foundational terms for their papers and improve their ability to leverage scholarly literature effectively. Moving forward, students must focus on developing coherent and credible literature review frameworks.
Homework Instructions:
ASSIGNMENT #1: Concept Maps for Key Research Terms
In this assignment, you will create detailed concept maps for the five key terms that you identified during the first session. This exercise is essential to building a strong foundation for your research paper, as it ensures clarity in defining and applying these critical terms.
**Instructions:**
1. **Create Visual Concept Maps**
– For each of the five key terms you identified in the previous session, create a distinct concept map.
– Use a clear handwritten or digital format. The map should centralize the term in the middle and branch out into the following components.
2. **Define the Term**
– Write a precise definition for each term.
– Include the author of the text where you found the definition, along with the text’s title and page number.
3. **Identify the Source**
– Clearly indicate the source of the definition.
– Specifically note the text’s full title, author(s), and the relevant page number.
4. **Explain the Application**
– Describe how you plan to use this term in the context of your research paper.
– For example, if your term is “speech acts,” you might explain how it will help you analyze how media frames particular events like protests.
5. **State the Relevance to Your Research Question**
– Explain why the term is significant to answering your research question.
– For instance, if your research question relates to media framing in politics, you should show how the term contributes to analyzing such framing mechanisms.
6. **Finalize and Review**
– Double-check the accuracy of your definitions and source citations.
– Ensure that your application and relevance sections are specific and directly tied to your research focus.
**Submission Details:**
– Submit your concept maps as a single document or PDF file. Ensure each term is on a separate page or section for clarity.
– Include your name and topic at the beginning of the submission.
– The concept maps are due by [insert deadline].
**Purpose of the Assignment:**
This assignment is crucial in equipping you with a well-defined theoretical framework for your research paper. It will also prepare you for future sections such as the Literature Review, where these terms and their academic background will play a central role.