Generating inquiry means learning to ask meaningful, research-driven questions that lead to deeper understanding rather than just surface-level answers. It’s about curiosity with purpose—identifying gaps, noticing patterns, and pushing past the obvious to explore why something matters. I practiced this skill in Task 1 by choosing a topic rooted in my personal experience—how native language affects academic writing—and turning that into a researchable subject. Instead of just stating that Portuguese and English are different, I began asking how those differences influence rhetorical choices, writing structure, and student performance. That shift from topic to inquiry helped guide my thinking and set the stage for a semester-long project.
In Task 2, I developed specific research questions focused on how multilingual students perceive the influence of their native languages on their English writing. These questions weren't just for the sake of asking—they were designed to open up real investigation, using interviews and text analysis as tools to uncover patterns and insights. This showed me how generating inquiry shapes the entire research process, from what you explore to how you interpret your findings. It taught me that strong writing often starts with strong questions—the kind that invite exploration, conversation, and contribution to a larger academic field.