In one of my courses I wanted to teach my students how to do a proper research report.

First Attempt

• I listed topics and gave the students the freedom to choose the topic that interested them and wanted to write about

• I layout the report structure, how it should like and what to include in each

• Abstract: What is this paper about? You can mention the flow of the paper and what the reader expects to read

• Introduction: Talk about your topic

• Body of the report which can include details about your topic, comparison, advantages, disadvantages, usage, future implementations, history, charts, graphs, tables, etc.

• Conclusion: Summary of the whole topic.

• References: books, website and other resources you used to write your report.

Second Attempt

• I chose a single topic, WiMAX

• I broke down the research report into sub assignments so they can build the report as they go along

• For the first assignment, I asked them to write questions that popped in their mind when thinking about the topic. Imagine you’re asking a WiMAX technology expert. For example, What is WiMax? What does it stand for? etc. For assignment 1 a list of questions typed on a single A4 paper.

• In the second assignment, I handed them questions about WiMAX I have prepared and told them now you can compare if you have listed some of the questions you see in the paper or not. In this assignment, they had to answer these simple questions in a line or two and then at the end list all the references they used. All question numbers should tail the end the reference that they used to answer the question.

• Example Question: Q1: What factors affect, if any, the range and signal strength of a WiMAX network?
• Example Reference: www.anywebsite.com–Q1,Q5&Q8

• In the third assignment it was a matter of grouping similar questions and relative information together in a form of a paragraph under a heading. I wanted them to visualise how the report will look like. So there should be a heading, a small description of what they are going to include or write about and list the questions that will form the paragraphs under that heading. Also, the listing of the headings or paragraphs should make sense, for example you can not start with Challenges of WiMAX as the first heading.

• In the fourth assignment, they had to write the report. This will be the first draft.

• The fifth assignment was the final report.

I actually thought this would work. Well it didn’t! This also failed!

I’ve attended an interesting lecture at DAI on “Islamic Heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina” given by Mr. Kenan Music. What’s really interesting and I liked was what he said within his talk and the Q&A segment.

“We need to build on common values”

He was discussing that different concepts and ideologies can co-exist, different religions within a region can be peacefully practiced, if the society or as he frequently referenced, human civilization, was built on good values that are common amongst all beliefs.

We are so focused on the things that set us apart and to prove the other wrong which eventually leads to clashes.

Education, Education, Education … Education without hidden agenda, Education without control, Education from qualified scholars who set minds free to think on their own.

Islam today was discussed. What he said is that we are too busy and focused on defending Islam and what Islam is NOT, that we forget what Islam is.

I LOVE examples, it always helps me understand things better. This is how he put the above argument.

It’s like arguing 1+1 does not equal to 3, does not equal to 4 does not equal to 5 … endless possibilites!

He said for us to move forward we need to speak one language, and I immediately thought English, but he said “art”. Which I didn’t get! Some of us don’t get art or appreciate it, myself included, I can’t say I fully understood this point.

Across centuries one civilization rises and is strong but eventually comes weak and dissolves and another takes over. Civilizations need to be built around humans, built to respect, value and cherish human lives, and not upon labels, regions and differences.

I thought the lecture would’ve been better if he had spoken in his mother tongue language and someone translated through headphones. I really felt he wanted to express himself more but couldn’t find the proper words.