Sunday, October 12, 2014

Re-learning How to Research

I would have to say that I have learned more about researching than I have about my research topic. This is kind of a bold statement to make, but I feel that this is completely true.

As a chemistry major, it makes sense that I always preferred writing research papers. I loved actually finding creditable sources and working their knowledge into my paper. I was always great at integrating sources together, making the authors agree or disagree. I loved the manipulation I could do, the hard evidence that I could hide behind. I didn't have to worry about what I thought or how that affected my paper.

This research essay, using these somewhat new research techniques, has been interesting to say the least.

I have chosen to write my paper as an exploration of the possible relationship between our view of God (concerning gender) and the thoughts we have and live by as they apply to gender superiority. I felt that this was a good topic, one that everyone can share a stake in (whether you are religious or not), but it was also a topic very close to me. I felt that if I wrote my paper on a topic that I could relate to that I would be able to write this paper in the way that Dr. Ballenger is trying have us write in. It's a dramatic change for me, and I still feel that I am struggling to really put it all together.

I still find this method hard to relate to my field of study. I haven't had much chance to employ these new skills in that particular field, so I am still out about how I feel about this new method.

Is anyone else feeling the stress of an end-of-the-semester portfolio? I feel that I have written nothing really worth putting into this portfolio, even after revising a couple of the assignments we have done in class so far. Maybe writing this research essay will make me feel better.

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