Creating an Original Argument

Creating an Original Argument

Introduction:
Testing a hypothesis is an important skill whether you are a scientist, journalist, or politician. Producing an original idea or theory and attempting to prove it wrong is a universal skill that can be applied to many different areas and thus is important to practice and master. Once a hypothesis is formed it can be tested to see if it is falsifiable. If no evidence is found to falsify the hypothesis than it can be accepted.


Assignment:
Using the instructions below you will formulate your own hypothesis in regards to the DU community. After developing a hypothesis in regards to a group, event, idea, or practice you will construct a plan to sufficiently test this hypothesis. Topics to consider include DU idiosyncrasies, campus wide issues, dorm issues, and things you wish you could change about the campus. Take this opportunity to develop and test any issue on campus.

Instructions:
• Form a Hypothesis: For this project I want you to first construct a hypothesis. This hypothesis should be applicable to the University of Denver community so that it will be easily tested. Your hypothesis should be related to a local issue or idea, which you construct. Consider your interests in forming your hypothesis, as it will be easiest to test a subject with which you are interested.

• Create a plan: After constructing your hypothesis you will need to determine the most efficient methods for testing. You will need to create and document a plan to test and attempt to falsify your hypothesis. While your options are not limited you should keep in mind that primary sources and first hand information are always the most accurate and useful for constructing an analysis. Consider person-to-person interviews and expert opinions when conducting your research, as these will lend themselves to the most precise and realistic results.

• Record: After creating your research model, conduct your research by following with your plan. Record your findings accurately and in detail.

• Analyze: After conducting your research and experimentation of your hypothesis you will need to analyze your results. Your results will either support or refute your hypothesis. In some cases the results will be inconclusive, or in the middle. If this is the case it will be important to elaborate on this in your analysis and discuss why your results were this way and any errors that could have produced these results.

• Conclusion: After analyzing your research and experimentation you should produce some decision regarding your hypothesis. Depending on your analysis of the results, make conclusions regarding your hypothesis. What did you learn about your subject matter in relation to the DU community? If the results prove to be negative does a problem exists which requires attention?

How I developed my own Hypothesis:
For my own hypothesis I examined student use of Facebook in relation to Howard Rheingold and Neil Postman’s arguments. Both individuals write in regards to the rise in technology and the change in culture as technology progresses. I hypothesized that Facebook has taken over many forms of communication such as the use of written mail and the use of other Internet services such as instant messaging and email. To test my hypothesis I created a set of questions to ask students in one on one interviews. Through the interviews I was able to gather data regarding habits and patterns in Facebook use. Simultaneously I also examined a collection of randomly chosen profiles for patterns such as frequency in activity, participation in groups, and photograph sharing. After analyzing my results I came to the conclusion that Facebook had significantly decreased the use of some communication methods, but had not out right replaced them. The ease of Facebook makes it a popular choice, but concurrently trivial by nature. While this hypothesis was not case specific to the DU campus, the information was applicable. For your hypothesis I would like you to find a more focused and Denver specific topic.