What connects you to your friends? Do you have the same interests? A similar sense of humor? Shared opinions, beliefs, and thoughts? Usually, it’s the things we have in common that help us make connections with others. However, sometimes the differences between you and a friend make the two of you a good match. For instance, you may be drawn to someone who is more adventurous than you because he or she inspires you to overcome your fears.
Making connections isn’t just important for friendships, though. To understand the world around you, you also need to make connections among ideas, and this idea applies to assigned research projects as well. You may find that you naturally examine your sources to see how facts and figures are related. If not, keep in mind that one of the easiest ways to find connections is to look for similarities and differences. As you review your notes for each of your sources, ask yourself the questions in the table below. Click the text in each shaded row to see a question that will help you compare the information you gathered from each source.
What information does this source provide about your topic?
Is the information in this source similar to other ideas you’ve read?
If it is similar, what does this information add to what you already know?
Is the information in this source different from the ideas you’ve read in other sources?
If it is different, how important is this information for understanding your topic? Why is it important?
