Blog #17: Final Blog
Walking into class on the first day and hearing everything we had to do definitely made me question what I was doing in this class and my abilities as a writer. I was very nervous and anxious the first couple of weeks, but as we started the whole writing and research process my nerves and anxiety calmed down a little. I wouldn’t say they went away completely because there was so much work to be done and I still was not sure how I was going to accomplish everything that needed to be accomplished.
I think I used this to my advantage because I knew there was no time to procrastinate. That if I procrastinated that I would get so far behind that I would not be able to catch back up. I knew I had to keep up with all my work and keep on top of everything that I had to do. I think this made me a stronger writer because I tried not to let myself get to stressed out about what I had to do. I knew that by staying on track it allowed me to put the time in that I needed to write a good research paper.
As far as my future as a writer I believe this class has made me stronger. It allowed me to have the confidence that I need to be a writer. It allowed me to have confidence in my writing and the fact that I could start from nothing and come up with my own research topic and do the research that I needed to write a good paper that I was proud of.
Blog #16: Reflection
When writing my research paper the document that was most helpful to me was Anne Lamott’s Shitty First Drafts. I found this document was very helpful because it reassured me that I didn’t have to write a perfect research paper the first time. That I could go back and rewrite it and fix it as many times as I wanted. It was nice to see that even writers who have written many papers go back and rewrite their paper, that they just don’t write them once and bam they are perfect.
The most helpful feedback that I received throughout this process was the feedback I received from the peer editing. I found this information helpful because they were able to point out what needed to be changed in my paper and they were able to tell me that I was on the right track. Also I found it helpful because I knew the peer editor was going through all the stresses I was going through writing their own paper.
The hardest part when writing this paper for me was starting the paper. At first I had no clue where I wanted to start. I wasn’t sure where to start. I wasn’t sure what I should write about. After taking some time to research I just decided to sit down and start typing and I was surprised how easy it became than. The easiest part for me was making all my sections flow together. It was easy for me because once I started my paper everything just seemed to fall into place. I feel my final essay show that I am really passionate about my topic. It is a very personal topic for me and I feel that when someone is reading my paper they can tell that.
Blog #15: Peer Review
After completing the peer review projects I learned when editing a paper it is easier to have someone else read it for you. Whenever I read over and edit my papers I miss things, but when I have someone else read it they catch the things that I had missed. It’s nice to get someone else’s opinion on your paper. They are able to point out things that do not sound right or give you their opinion on what they would change if they were writing it.
When I got my paper back after it was peer edited I was happy with the feedback that I had received. The peer editor pointed out some mistakes I had made with grammar and some citation mistakes. It was nice to get someone else’s perspective about my paper. It was also nice to get some positive feedback and reassurance that I was on the right track.
I also enjoyed peer editing for someone else. It was nice to take a break from my paper and read someone else’s paper. I really liked reading about their research and what they were doing and it also once again reassured me that I was on the right track with my paper by reading what the other person was doing.
Blog #14
Results:
-Statement of your results.
– Present in a format that can be easily read.
– Make sure to explain all graphs and tables.
– Add an appendix if needed.
- Make sure not to put too much detail in your paper. Add an appendix if your results need more detail.
Discussion:
- Interpret your results.
- Make sure you address each result separately if you have more than one.
- Do not introduce new results into your discussion.
Conclusion:
- A chance for you to put your last thought in about the subject.
- Summarize your thought.
- Talk about any limitations that you encountered.
- Rap up your paper.
Writing Research Papers
The purpose of your results section is it allows you to present and illustrate your findings. When writing a results section make sure you clearly explains’ your results and summarize your findings. Add table or charts if you need them. Always you past tense when writing your results.
Fourteen Steps to Writing an Effective Discussion Section
In your discussion section explain your interpretations and opinions. Explain the implications that you found when conducting your research. Being your discussion section by restating your hypothesis. Try not to make this section too long.
How to Write a Research Paper.
The conclusion is one of the most important parts when writing a research paper. This section allows the writer a chance to sum up everything that they had just wrote. When writing a conclusion the writer should analyze the complications and implications that they came across when writing their paper.
References:
Conclusions. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html
Fourteen steps to writing an effective research paper. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sfedit.net/discussion.pdf
How to Write a research paper. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tailoredessays.com/how-write/research-paper/introduction-conclusion.htm
How to Write a paper in scientific journal and style format. (2008, September 25). Retrieved from http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWsections.html#discussion
Writing research papers. (2007, August). Retrieved from http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/report/reportform.html
Writing up research results. (2003). Retrieved from http://www.languages.ait.ac.th/EL21RES.HTM
Blog# 13
Putting together all three sections of my paper was a little harder than I had expected. At first I wasn’t sure how to go about it, so I just decided to read through each section. After I read through the sections I just started to type and add things to it to make each section flow together. Once I got the the first two sections to flow together the last one was easy.
Right now i feel my introduction needs some work. After I started doing some research and writing my paper I feel my introduction does not fit with the rest of my paper. I don’t have to change much. I just need to rearrange and add some things to it. After I make the changes to my paper I will continue my research. I will do this my getting participants to take my survey and write out the results from it.
Blog #12
Begin thinking about your research methods; Participants – Who will your research subjects be? How will you find them? How many will you need? Are there any potential dangers to your participants in undertaking this research? How will you protect your participants from harm and safeguard their privacy? What questions do you have about methods and data collection at this time and how will you answer them?
When conducting research for my project I will be doing so by giving out a survey. I will be giving out approximately fifty surveys. I feel that this is enough to gather the information that I want. My participants will basically consist of IUP students. I will be giving the survey to random students. By giving the survey to random students I am hoping it will give me a variety of opinions on my topic.
My survey will be completely anonymous. I will not be taking any names of the students that I give it to, so they don’t have to worry about anyone finding out. If at any time the student feel uncomfortable answering the survey or at the end decide they rather not turn it in than they can do not have to. The only thing I am unsure of is the number of surveys I should give out. I want to be able to give out enough to gather information, but not too or too many so I am not stuck with not enough or too much. In order to figure this out I will do more research about methods and I will probably ask some classmates who are giving surveys how many they are giving out.
Blog #11
Method and Research Design:
- Answers two main questions:
- How was the data collected or generated?
- How was it analyzed?
- Don’t put unnecessary information of how you obtained the information.
- Decide on your type of research.
- Keep the purpose of the method section in mind.
- Make sure you keep good notes of what you did to obtain the information.
- Keep your audience in mind.
Study Guides and Strategies
- Give enough information so that your readers can follow your procedure.
- Define your samples.
- List the variables used.
- Keep the purpose of your research in mind.
- Give enough information to prove your topic.
The most important thing that I learned was to make sure that as the writer you provided your readers with enough information about what you did, without over doing it. I think that is going to be the hardest part. I want to make sure I provide my readers with enough information about my topic and what I did to obtain my facts, but I don’t want to bore them with too much information or confuse them with not providing them with enough information.
Blog #9
Interracial Dating Attitudes Among College Students
Paragraph 1: 620 University students completed an anonymous questionnaire that was designed to assess their feeling towards interracial dating. Those with previous experience in interracial dating were significantly more likely to express an openness to become involved in an interracial relationship.
Paragraph 2: Less than 5% of all marriages in the U.S. are of interracial couples. Has been around this percentage for decades. However a greater acceptance in recent years by society may result in a higher percentage in the future.
Paragraph 3: Among the people questioned 63% were women and 37% were men. 80% Were freshmen and sophomores and the other 20% were juniors and seniors. The median age was 19 yrs. old.
Paragraph 4: There were 24 questions on the questionnaire. The students were asked to respond by answering strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. There was also a category for neither agree or disagree. Students who circled neither agree or disagree were eliminated from the study.
Paragraph 5: Almost half of the students polled reported that they were open in being involved in an interracial relationship. About a quarter of the students polled said they have been involved in an interracial relationship before.
Paragraph 6: Blacks were twice as likely as whites to report that they were open to involvement in an interracial relationships. Studies have shown that this is because that there is a greater acceptance with blacks than there is with whites about interracial relationships. Explanations may include more benefits for blacks joining the majority than vice versa.
Paragraph 7: In black families mothers play a key role in accepting or not accepting their child’s interracial relationship. While in a white family it is the other way around. The father is in charge.
Paragraph 8: Such openness to interracial dating is characteristic of both women and men and students of all academic ranks. Someone who is black and has dating interracially is more accepting of interracial relationships.
Historical Analysis of College Campus Interracial Dating
Paragraph 1: Interracial dating on college campuses has had a relatively stormy past. Until the past three decades it was outlawed in some states. The younger generations are more open to interracial dating than older generations.
Paragraph 2: Interracial dating in the U.S. has faced many struggles. Caucasian and African American relationships are not new. There is evidence that they date all the way back before the time of slavery. Infractions often resulted in imprisonment, beating, or death. As recently as 1967 sixteen states still banned interracial dating.
Paragraph 3: Opposition to interracial relationships continues to exist. However it has lessened over the last few decades. Interracial relationships are becoming more accepted and the occurrence of interracial marriages are increasing.
Paragraph 4: Age and generation seem to affect the openness to interracial relationships. Younger generations are more open to these types of relationships. However they are still influenced by their parents and grandparents. Non-Caucasian males reported more disapproval from their Caucasian partner’s friends and family than their own family. While Caucasian females predicted more opposition from their family members.
Paragraph 5: Many parents disagree with their children being involved in an interracial relationship. Therefore many interracial couples will hold off tell their parents about their relationship. After tell their parents about their relationship they may shy away from seeing them for a while depending on how they take the news.
Paragraph 6: More research is needed on the generational aspect of interracial dating. Researchers need more information before they can fully see the effects of family influence on interracial relationships.
Paragraph 7: Interracial marriage has been studied extensively, however little research has been done on interracial dating. Sine marriage and dating are two different things, one should not assume that someone who has been involved in interracial dating and who is in a interracial marriage share the same characteristics. In our society dating is viewed as more of a temporary thing.
Paragraph 8: Studies have shown that people who interracially date are younger, African American and Caucasian men. Studies have also shown that intraracial couples and interracial couple look for the same characteristics. Some of these characteristics include mutual attraction, common interests, affection and commitment.
Paragraph 9: Unlike interracial dating, interracial marriage occurs between an older generation. Whereas interracial dating occurs primarily among young adults and college students. With the U.S. becoming more racially diverse the number of interracial relationships are increasing.
Paragraph 10: One of the most well know contemporary case of opposition to college interracial dating is the Bob Jones University former ban. After much criticism over the ban, university President Bob Jones III lifted than ban. Since then the university has sought to increase minority recruitment and repair their tarnished image.
Paragraph 11: The Bob Jones University reasoning for the ban in the first place was due to the opposition to the one world government and the anti-Christ. They also believe that they Bible teaches separation of races.
Paragraph 12: The universities views on race can be attributed to their membership in two categories: the Christian fundamentalists and the Southern culture. Studies suggest the Christian fundamentalists tend to be more opposed to interracial relationships. They are known for their religion and traditional ways of life.
Paragraph 13: The Bob Jones University is rooted in the South. Southern culture has also been known to hold on to its traditions and way of life. Some studies have shown that southerners show more aggressive tendencies than northerners; especially when it comes to race.
Paragraph 14: In the survey 60% of the college students who had lived with their partner reported openness to interracial relationships. Compared to the 40% who have never lived with their partner. 92% of the students surveyed who had been involved in previous interracial relationship expressed interest in continued interracial involvement. The goal of this study was to provide the university faculty and students regarding the occurrence of interracial dating on the college campus.
Both of the blogs that I had chosen only had an introduction. In both of my blog’s the author attempted to hook the reader’s by providing interesting facts in the introduction. Both of my articles caught my eye right away once I started to read them. I found that the authors got right to the point in the introduction. They showed what they were writing about and backed it up with facts. As a reader I liked this because it allowed me to decide if the article’s were worth my time to even read.
For both of my articles they pretty much had the same purpose; which was to uncover students opinions about interracial dating. The significance of both these articles was to find more about people’s perceptions and opinions on interracial relationships. The main research method was case studies and interviews. The results from both articles were primarily the same. They both agreed that their still needs to be a lot more research done on interracial relationships, but it does seem that the younger generations are more open to it than the older generations are.
Blog #8: The Introductory Paragraph
The introduction is a very important key point when writing a paper. The writer wants to open with something that will catch the reader attention and intrigue them to keep reading. In the introduction paragraph the writer should have at least two to three sentences telling the reader what their paper is about. They should also provide details about your writing process.
The second website I looked at stated that writing an introductory paragraph first can sometimes “hinder the writers process,” (Thadra Petkus). Instead the writer should write the thesis statement first to “guide” their writing and save the introduction until “after they have written the body of their paper,” (Thadra Petkus). This will allow the writer to be able to go back once they have finished their paper and write a complete introductory paragraph that goes along with their paper. In the introduction paragraph the writer should identify their topic and state their opinion.
After reading the two documents I think the most important thing I learned was to try writing a thesis statement first and writing the body of the paper and than going back to write the introductory paragraph. Most of the time whenever I write a paper it seems like I always goes back and rewrite the introduction to make it flow better with the rest of my paper. I never really thought of writing my paper out and than going back to write my introduction.
References
Fleming, G. (n.d.). The Introductory paragraph. Retrieved from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/paperassignments/a/introsentence.htm
Petkus, T. (2009, February 21). How to Write a strong introduction paragraph. Retrieved from http://lesson-plans- materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_strong_introduction
