Final answer:
To better understand a topic, identify the subject, know the writer's background, understand your audience, determine gaps in your knowledge, use reliable materials to inform yourself, and compare sources for credibility. Interviewing experts can provide additional insight.
Step-by-step explanation:
When exploring a topic, it is essential to ask key questions such as what your audience knows about the subject, what information is necessary for them to understand your paper, and what interests you have that align with the subject. To deepen your understanding, it is crucial to conduct research from credible sources. In researching, one should:
- Identify the subject and its scope.
- Understand the background and expertise of the writer.
- Know your audience and their existing knowledge on the topic.
Furthermore, to ensure comprehension and credible information, one must:
- Consider what is not understood about the topic and seek further explanation.
- Utilize various materials to inform about the topic and shape knowledge.
- Compare information from at least three different reliable sources and reconcile any discrepancies.
If interviewing an expert, questions about how they learned about the subject, its fascinating aspects, and commonly overlooked details can be very enlightening. All of this contributes to forming a judgment based on sound reasoning and evidence.