On Wednesday, I shared why teaching doesn’t have to pull you away from research. Your students’ curiosity, confusion, and challenges can sharpen your scholarship — if you know how to capture them properly.
Today, I want to share a practical framework: the exact process I use to turn classroom sparks into potential research questions.
It’s easy to follow and begin using this week.
You’ll also notice it’s brief. I’m realistic; the last few weeks of August are always hectic.
I want to make doing this feel doable, even for those with heavier teaching loads and no additional support from a research assistant.
Why You Need a System
We all intend to take notes when something interesting happens in class, but grading, email, and meetings usually devour those good intentions. Without a system, your best insights will evaporate.
With a system, you build an archive of potential sparks — questions, clarifications, and moments of student curiosity — that may eventually grow into an article, talk, or even a book.
Here’s the framework I use to turn those sparks into a research and writing system.