Exercise 2.1: Finding the Questions


1.


In the space below, write the title of your tentative topic (e.g. Internet addiction)

pirates



2.


Briefly state why you chose this topic.

I chose this topic because I've always wondered what a pirates life was really like.


3.


Spend about five minutes listing what you already know (if anything) about your topic. For
example, are you aware of any interesting facts, common misconceptions, your own
assumptions, important people or institutions involved, key schools of thought, the extent of
the problem, current trends, etc.?

Each pirate captain had his own jolly roger that is no two flags were the same.
Pirates actually had a code of conduct.
When a pirate did something that was considered inappropriate to the other pirates he would be marooned on a deserted island.
There were women pirates.
There was no such thing as walking the plank


4.


Now spend at least fifteen minutes brainstorming a list of questions about your topic you’d
love to learn the answers to. Make this list as long as you can, and don’t worry whether
every question is a good one.

Did pirates take their families out on raids?
How much income did a pirate earn on an average raid?
Was poverty a motivating factor in choosing piracy as a means of income?
How did a pirate get employed by royalty?
Was Blackbeard aka Edward Teach as bad as his reputation?
How much fortune did Blackbeard acquire in his lifetime.
Is it true that pirates buried their treasures.
Where was a pirates most favorite place to party after a long trip out too sea.


5.


If you’re working in a computer lab (or generating hard copies of the exercise), your
instructor may ask you to comment on other students’ responses to Steps 1-4. Focus
particularly on what your classmates did in the fourth step. For each you view, do two
things: add a question you would like answered about the student’s topic, and mark the
question you find most intriguing.




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