Questions About Controversy

Onward and upward to Project 3. Here's to hoping that I have a sudden epiphany while writing this post and creativity floods to me. I have chosen to stick with my topic for Project 2 (its really interesting to me) of Koko and her communication skills or lack thereof. In this post I will draft focusing questions (after our angsty class discussion today, not 25 but instead 15) that will help establish what I need to know more about the controversy.

Goehring, David "It Looks Insoluble" 11/26/11 via flickr.
 Attribution 2.0 Generic

• Write 3 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about about WHO is involved in the controversy.

Who else is involved besides Patterson and Koko? Are there other scientists directly involved?

Who has interacted with Koko aside from Patterson?

Who is a credible insight into this topic?

• Write 3 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about about WHAT is up for debate in this controversy.

What viewpoints have been covered already in the conversation?

What is the whole history behind Koko and Patterson?

What are the direct statistics when it comes to this debate (revenue for gorilla foundation, Koko's signing capacity etc.)

What has been the world's reaction to Koko thus far?

• Write 3 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about WHEN this controversy has unfolded (and the larger contextual details of that time period that may be relevant).

When did Koko and Patterson first meet?

When did Koko start learning signs?

When was the last time that Koko learned a sign? 

When has Koko made a big splash in the news?

• Write 3 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about WHERE this controversy has unfolded - and I mean both physical spaces and cultural spaces.

Where has Koko's story been told? Worldwide? America?

Where is Koko being currently housed?

Where is Koko currently being studied (where are scientists looking at her case in the world?)

Where is Koko originally from?

• Write 3 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about HOW this controversy has unfolded in the media (including general popular media, scholarly media and social media).

How has the public reacted over the years to Koko's skill?

How is the controversy changing over time?

How does Patterson present Koko's signing (what methods does she use)?

How does Koko's case affect the nature of animal communication as a whole?

How have other arguments of this topic been presented publicly. 

I guess I ended up doing 4 for most of them. But for the most part I am feeling confident about this start to this project. I feel like I have  basis of what I need to know to make a good analysis of this topic.