LANG 1002 - English for University Studies I : Analyze Needs & Get Ideas

Before you start searching Google or Library databases, you should clarify "what you really need to find". Ask yourself these questions:

• What type of assignment is it?
  Research paper, short essay, short presentation, or others? 
   
• What types of information do you need to support your arguments or opinions?
  News articles, magazine, scholarly articles, statistics or others?
   
• Do you need current or historical information, or both?
   
• Do you need country/regional specific information?
   

If you are not sure about any of the above requirements, talk to your instructor.

Once you have a clear picture of what you need, you can then examine your assignment topic, break it down into small components (concepts and keywords) to make your search more efficient.

Read your research assignment or question carefully. This is your LANG 1002 assessment task:

An expository essay, in which you introduce a past game-changing idea and explain its impact.

• Why was it a game changer? (i.e., What did it change?)
• What were the conditions at the time that made it possible for it to succeed?
• Why has it had a lasting impact (and not just a short-term impact)?

Our imaginations often need a spark, something to get ideas flowing. Some of the sources listed below may help to "jump start" your thinking, to help you identify some game changers.

Important Innovations and Inventions, Past and Present

New Scientist - Topics

Nobel Prizes and Laureates

Lemelson-MIT Awards for Invention: $500K Prize winners, $10-15K Student Prize winners

Time Magazine's Best Inventions of the Year ( 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013,  2012, 2001-2010)

The Top 25 Innovations Of The Last 25 Years

Youtube - techNyouvids

LANG 1002 instructors' suggestions - Start Points for the Second Assessed Writing Task