10 Self / 10 World Questions: A guide for getting started in research

We mean it! We really do want you to find your own area of inquiry, your own niche of expertise, exploration, and excitement. What are you already good at? What do you dream about, wonder over, and want to inquire into? What are you passionate about? That's what good research is really about. Starting with 10 self and 10 world questions is a great way to begin!

Set up:

1. Create a Document in Google Drive.
2. Title it Journal.
3. Using the Insert tab on the toolbar, insert a Table of Contents into the top of your page.
   • You will be adding to this document frequently. You should title each enrty, and make the style for each title Heading 3.
   • Notice how you need to refresh your Table of Contents from time to time.
4. Click the Share button, and add your teacher's email address in the box under Add people. Use the default Can edit.
5. Click Change... under Who has access and choose the top option: Public on the web.
6. Put an edit link on this document:
   • Copy the URL address of the Link to Share
   • Type the word Edit on the first line of this document
   • Highlight it and click the Insert link button
   • Paste the URL into the URL Link box, then choose Open in a new window (_blank) as a target
7. Under File go to Publish to the Web... and click the button, Start publishing.
8. Copy the Embed code and paste it into the Bio box on your Bio page on Youth Voices. (Log in -> Member Home -> My profile -> Edit -> Bio -> Bio box)
9. Once you see the code insert these exact words between <iframe ...and... src these exact words and punctuation: width="100?" height="300"
   It should look like this when you are done: <iframe width="100%" height="300" src 
10. Put a title above your embed code. it should read <h2>Journal</h2>
11. Your most recent entry should be at the top of this document. Entries should go from newest at the top to oldest at the bottom.
12. Your first entry on this document should be titled 10 Self/10 World Questions. (Use Heading 3 for this and every other title on this document.)

Let's get started!

1. Write 10 questions that you have about self and 10 questions that you have about the world.

2. In parenthesis, type at least 5 keywords after each question. (See examples below.)

3. Next, pick one question and write about it as though you are the expert. Make this your second entry on your Journal document. Write about why it is of interest to you and all that you already know about it. Write about what you would like to know about it that you don't already know.

4. Follow up with a focused sentence and more freewriting. (See the mission: Freewriting, focused sentences, and generative themes: Finding your niche.)

5. When you are done, remember to refresh the Table of Contents on your Journal Document.

6. Next, search on Youth Voices for Discussions that relate to the same topic. Comment to those writers who are writing, recording posts, and uploading images and videos about topics that are also of interest to you.

7. You might also want to use the "Youth Voices Badges and Quests (aligned with Common Core Learning Standards), June 2012" to guide you in how to publish and participate in interesting conversations and make new friends on Youth Voices.

Here's an Example:

Questions about self:

1. Am I capable of reaching my goals? (Objective, determination, potential, doubt, ambition)
2. What would I accomplish in the future? (Inspiration, curiosity, career, ambition, desire)
3. Where do I prefer to live more, Bogota or New York? (Preference, nostalgia, memory, self-exploration, home)
4. What would I be now if my infancy were different? (Regret, curiosity, past, wonder, imagination)
5. What is the thing I hate the most? (Likes, details, characteristics, anger, distinction)
6. Do I have abnormal thoughts? (Self-analysis, deception, incredibility, fiction, allusion)
7. Is my character and behavior really normal? (Incredibility, dislike, nonconformity, doubt, conscience)
8. What would I discover of myself? (Curiosity, self-exploration, confidence, unknown, surprise)
9. Am I doing well now? (Doubt, nonconformity, reasoning, expectation, association)
10. How do others see me? (Personality, autism, perspective, nature, quality)

Questions about the world:

1. Is the existence of a God reality? (Creation, expectation, divinity, evolution,disbelief)
2. What happens when people die? (Life, cycle, explanation, reincarnation, )
3. How would the world be 500 years later? (Future, curiosity, technology, advancement, imagination)
4. What can I contribute to better the world (ambition, responsibility, hope, greatness, contribution)
5. Are people really "connected"? (psychology, theme, human interaction, society)
6. Is it true that people have only seven degrees of separation? (psychology, theory, incredibility, confusion, proximity)
7. What society is so cruel? (nonconformity, disdain, injustice, problem, society)
8. Are we living in some sort of dimension? (Curiosity, possibilities, description, world, challenge)
9. What is the universe in reality? (Curiosity, explanation, perception, allusion, unknown)
10. Is free will an illusion? (Behaviorism, will, power, control, belief)

Why we use questions to begin inquiry projects - Our Essential Questions

• What questions do you have and how can you find information that helps you answer those questions online?
• Why are some things important to some people and how and why do people share their interests and questions online?
• How can an online community help you find answers to questions that you have?
• How do you make sure that your questions come to the attention of those who can help you online and how do you connect with people to get them to help you and for you to help them online?