Topic question

In Chemistry Connections we have adopted a separate approach, collecting in one volume an assortment of provocative, topical questions that are raised by our everyday experiences and that are answered by the application of chemical principles. 

Meanwhile, new questions have been raised. Is there indeed a relation between soil health, plant health and human health as expected in organic agriculture Is the quality of genetically modified and hybrid varieties less coherent , and if so, is this a health concern Do food crops with increased levels of vitamins or phenols enhance health What do coherence and ripeness mean in terms of taste and consumer health These questions are very topical, but they are based on vague notions of food quality. A new conceptual framework for these topical questions is needed, as well as better-defined concepts to operationalise these questions. 

At present the iron-based alloys diffusion saturation by nitrogen is widely used in industry for the increase of strength, hardness, corrosion resistance of metal production. Inexhaustible and unrealized potentialities of nitriding are opened when applying it in combination with cold working [1-3], It is connected with one of important factors, which affects diffusion processes and phase formation and determines surface layer structure, mechanical and corrosion properties, like crystal defects and stresses [4, 5], The topical question in this direction is clarification of mechanisms of interstitial atoms diffusion and phase formation in cold worked iron and iron-based alloys under nitriding. 

The guideword process can be supplemented by additional topics/questions based on an analysis of previously experienced design deficiencies and operational incidents. For instance, ICI has collated a database of over 350 operational incidents that it uses to refine its CHAZOP Study process. Some example questions for the CHAZOP Study are given in Appendix 8E at the end of this chapter. Of particular interest to the study is the effect of partial or catastrophic failures, recovery mechanisms (e.g., rollback and roll-forward), and the general usability of the system (e.g., the need for multiple screens to access data, screen refresh times, meaningful information displays). The list of questions can be expanded with operational and regulatory experience. 

Taboo Topics questions that can t be asked, doubts that can t be shared, misgivings that can t be voiced. For example, Where does all the money go. or Does Yogi sleep with his secretary. ... 

Chloride is known to form compact ordered monolayers on copper surfaces under open circuit conditions in simple halide solutions for example, c(2 x 2) Cl on Cu (100) [80, 134, 246, 247]. However, little is known about the adsorption geometry of the inhibiting PEG-C1 or the catalytic SPS-C1 complex, both highly topical questions for further research. 

It is evident that elucidation of the interfacial behavior of proteins is not a simple matter and requires contributions from several disciplines. In recent years considerable progress has been made in applying spectroscopic techniques to proteins in the adsorbed state (e.g., 7,8,9). In such studies a (small) part of the molecule is analyzed in detail. In our laboratory we study protein adsorption from a more classical, colloid-chemical point of view. Arguments are derived from experimental data referring to whole protein molecules or to layers of them. Information is obtained from adsorption isotherms, proton titrations and both electrokinetic and thermochemical measurements. Recently, topical questions such as reversibility of the adsorption process and changes in the protein structure have been considered. This more holistic approach has produced some insights that could not easily be obtained otherwise. 

The problem of synthesis and photostability of high fluorescent aqueous solutions for the visible based on soluble semiconductor nanocrystals is a topical question. 

The first section of this book focuses on the development of a thesis statement, a declarative sentence that tells your reader what you think about a topic. In other words, it is your opinion. It is also a response to what we have called the topic question. 

If you are in school, your teachers often will present you with a topic question in the form of an essay question. Your job is to answer that query and to organize an argument using the available sources. In this case, you may turn directly to Chapter 3, How to Write a Thesis Statement. However, if you are writing a research paper in which you have to determine your own topic question, read Chapters 1 and 2. 

Chapter 2 shows you how to identify the topic question that will direct your research and lead directly to your thesis statement. This is the most important, and often the most neglected, feature of essay writing. If you do not have a topic question, you will not be able to formulate a thesis statement. 

Chapter 3 shows you how to turn your topic question into a clear and forceful thesis statement. It also provides you with ways to evaluate your thesis. Have you stated it fairly Can you prove it in the time and space available ... 

This chapter shows you how to find a topic that can be explored in the amount of time available and with the research materials on hand. It also lists some questions that you need to ask at this stage of the research process. It is crucial for you to ask many questions about the topics you are exploring. Questions help you to refine your thinking and to formulate a good topic question they also shape the direction of your research. 

A subject is the area of knowledge where you will search for a topic and a topic question. Think of the subject as a large box filled with smaller boxes of the same size and shape. 

A topic question, on the other hand, allows you to direct your research toward a realizable goal, to formulate a clear and coherent thesis statement, and to present your argument in an organized and logical manner. 

Of course, finding a topic question is not easy often, it is one of the hardest things that you will do. The best place to start is with the questions that you asked about your topic (see Chapter 1) How do you feel about the books you have read Do you agree or disagree with the opinions of the leading authorities on your subject Why is this topic particularly important and/or relevant at this time Consider these questions, and see if you can add more to your list. Finally, ask yourself whether you can organize and write an answer to any of these questions. Why is it important and interesting to do so ... 

Tip Ask open-ended questions, that is, questions that permit more than one possible answer. At this stage of the writing process, you do not need to formulate an answer to your topic question. You only need to ask it. Once you have done more research, you state... 

A topic question asks an important and relevant question about your topic that you answer in the form of a written essay. 

A. YOUR TOPIC QUESTION MAY BE ONE THAT OTHER WRITERS OR SCIENTISTS HAVE CONSIDERED. 

A. A TOPIC QUESTION ALLOWS YOU TO FOCUS YOUR TOPIC ON AN ISSUE OF PARTICULAR RELEVANCE TO YOU AND PRESUMABLY TO YOUR READERS. 

B. A TOPIC QUESTION LEADS DIRECTLY TO YOUR THESIS STATEMENT. 

When you answer your topic question, you state your judgment or opinion. This is your thesis statement. 

The Economic Relationship between the United States and Brazil Topic question ... 

C. A TOPIC QUESTION HELPS YOU TO IDENTIFY THE METHOD OF ANALYSIS THAT YOU WILL USE. 

Without a topic question, you face the task of collecting and organizing seemingly random facts. A topic question, however, encourages you to collect only relevant pieces of information. 

A. A GOOD TOPIC QUESTION ASKS AN /MPOBTAWTQUESTION ABOUT A TOPIC. 

B. A GOOD TOPIC QUESTION IS AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION THAT PERMITS MORE THAN ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER. 

C. A GOOD TOPIC QUESTION CAN BE ANSWERED IN THE TIME AND SPACE AVAILABLE. 

Do not censor yourself. At this point, you need only to identify possible topic questions you do not need to answer them. 

V. How Do You Ask a Topic Question Think about the Kind of Essay That You Want to Write. .. 

In this case, your topic question should take the following form ... 

---