When I was initially deciding on a research topic, I had narrowed my choices down to three. From there, I had weighed the pros and cons of each, but continually returned to just one; should our history be censored or should we let everything be told as it happened? It is a topic that I have felt strong about after I had taken my first history class in college. I could not believe the things that had been omitted from my history education over the years. I felt betrayed and lied to by my secondary education. After reading about textbook controversy in Texas a few years ago, I had a desire to learn more.
In the process of writing a research essay, I have gained knowledge of many different tools that helped guide me through the research process.
…show more content…
In particular, within the MindEdge modules, Module 1: Introduction to Research and Topic Selection, 1.24 Narrowing a Topic That Is Too Broad, has helped me focus on the topic I had chosen. When I began the research process and was trying to find keyword that would provide me with academic material to support my research question. I began to notice that I was looking too broadly for material on my subject. There was just too much information out there that included other countries such as Japan and how they have censored their history textbooks as well. Module One guided me on how to narrow my search if I have too many articles returning on my searches. It also taught me on how to change my keyword to bring the focus in closer to my ideal target research topic. The instruction that the modules provided throughout this course were effectual. The modules were also invaluable as we approached our …show more content…
One of the milestones I had never accomplished before but found it a beneficial tool, the annotated bibliography. How I had dreaded week two’s work, just the name of it made me nervous, the thought of summarizing someone else’s entire work was very intimidating. Little did I know that when I began the research process that it would make me look deeper than I ever have at the sources I wanted to use for my research essay. At that point, I had already found a handful of articles and journals that I wanted to use to support my topic. But come to find out what I had found was not scholarly or credible. I had assumed that what I had found in the Shapiro Database was completely reliable, but I was mistaken. I learned quickly how to narrow down my searches so they would produce peer-reviewed material for my research. I also stumbled upon some pleasant surprises during this process, good old hardback books. They were easy to get and were sent quickly through the mail by the Shapiro Library. They ended up becoming some of the best sources for information that I had found. The annotated bibliography made me analyze my sources more than I ever had, and produced fewer results but of much higher quality than I ever dreamed of
List one criterium for a secondary source of literature, and describe how you would use it correctly. (1 pt.)
Other than learning how to argue (my boyfriend loves my new ability) I learned how to source my research using MLA format. This new skill is tremendously important in college because most professors, if not all, require their papers to be submitted using MLA format. Throughout my upcoming years at Valencia and then The University of Central Florida I will find writing papers significantly easier because sourcing will be practically second nature. In class we were taught how to use the in-text reference throughout our papers, build our own citation and how to set up our work cited page. Although in high school we used the MLA format for papers, prior to taking this class I hadn’t noticed how many small details go into the actual citation, the authors name is last name then first name, the commas must be in the proper place, page numbers etc. In some classes you “learn” how to do things however it is only stored in short term memory because you don’t consider it an important attribute or useful for future classes. Personally, I made sure I knew how to do MLA, every aspect of it, I reviewed the rules, did my assignments, and then reviewed my assignments in order to store this new skill in long term memory. By doing this I have successfully transferred the information to long term memory and made it into a skill.
Countries worldwide actively call for the banning of books that are found to be politically inconvenient, religiously awkward, or embarrassing in one form or another. But for writers like Russia's Vasily Grossman, a book's ban means far more than just a dip in sales. In 1961, he pleaded with the Soviet censors, "I am physically free, but the book to which I have dedicated my life is in jail." (Merkelson). A book represents an idea, thus limiting access to a book is banning the representation of an idea. The banning of books in American schools should not be allowed, because banning books will prevent students from learning the reason for the controversy and alternate viewpoints they can come to on their own.
For my third source I used information from a book rather than a journal or a book review so I could get different information on the topic.
I failed to find any scholarly sources for this assignment. Ms. Schwartz said, “You MUST include some scholarly, academic sources for your research to achieve the desired ethos (ethos represents credibility)”. With the reminder Ms. Schwartz gave me I was able to go back to the UA library database and look for scholarly sources to support my research topic. As I looked ahead to Module 3 and began to work on future assignments I was able to correct this problem. For example, in the Module 3 assignment, The Exploratory Essay, I used a mixture of both popular and scholarly sources. I am now able to locate sources for other assignments from the library and feel confident going forth that I will be able to use this knowledge in other classes I take.
In schools around the nation, many books have been banned from the teaching curriculum. Some of them deserve to be banned due to the explicit content only suited for adults. Some books like the Harry Potter series, The Catcher in the Rye, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Hunger Games. Granted, there are language issues in Catcher and Huckleberry Finn, but that language exists everywhere. The censorship should not be as strict as it is because many great books are being banned that students should be reading in order to gain an understanding on who some great writers were. Some of the banned books should be reconsidered on whether they should be censored or not.
Writing can be very frustrating; laying your ideas out on paper so that others can grasp the concept you are trying to convey is a very difficult task. In Writing 101 I have learned how to formulate good theses that are arguable and also how to validate articles that have to do with my topic. The most important element of a paper is the thesis statement. It captures the reader's attention and tells them what the essay is about. Having a well-structured thesis along with evidence to support that thesis are the main ingredients to a well-written essay. I have also learned how important it is to research an author’s background to ensure their credibility. This is a very important step in writing because today we can find information on a topic, however, it is not valid. By researching the author, we can see if he or she is an expert in the area and so this would make his or her information more credible. There is a ...
I try to read as many scholarly and reliable sources on the topic as possible, taking in to consideration opposing viewpoints. By critically analyzing each source, I
The current debates surrounding the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 are both positive and negative. Many politicians and people that previously supported the Act are now standing against it. In the beginning many supported the new Act because everyone was aware that a change needed to happen in the education system and the proposal of No Child Left Behind seemed like the answer we were looking for. As the No Child Left Behind requirements began to be felt in the school systems across America and the assessments results started coming in, everyone took a step back and really began to look at the new law. The results were not what everyone expected, what was once considered an answer was now becoming the problem.
The subject of censorship is a very controversial one, especially the banning of books. Many people believe they must protect themselves and others from the "evils" of many classic books and works of art because they can be deemed "indecent" in one way or another. Many believe that this is absurd and censorship in its current form is a violation of our First Amendment right to free speech. Personally, I align myself with the latter, however I do feel there are occasions where censorship is justifiable.
Censorship in School Libraries The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional.
I have learned many things throughout the course of the term, including such things as: how to write an essay and how to improve on essays that I have already written, how to locate and composite better research through the use of numerous resources found at the campus library, the internet, and the “Common Sense” textbook, how to cite research, examples, and quotations properly within the contents of my research paper as well as document it accurately according to MLA standards. Through the exploration of the “Subjects and Strategies” textbook, I have learned nine different methods used when writing an effective essay and how the different writing styles affect the overall theme and tone of the essay when used properly. This past semester, I have encountered many difficulties when trying to write these essays, but through the use of the textbooks, the aide of the instructor, and once I was able to classify the different types of essays and styles, I found them possible to overcome.
The new and improved Automated Essay Writer automatically writes your assignment, essays, articles, research papers for you. All you need to do is enter your assignment requirements and the Automated Essay Writer will present you with a unique and original essay within just few seconds. The only problem is that it has not yet been developed.
In Rikki Tikki Tavi my writing is enhanced by technology by the use of pictures to help the viewer understand. In my narrative piece my writing was enhanced by technology by using many slides of text so that there was not too much writing on one slide and so it was easy to read. It was also enhanced by digital media through the many pictures that were used to help the viewer to understand the writing. I think that in this piece I used technology to my advantage must better than I did in the Rikki Tikki Tavi project. In all three pieces my writing builds strong content knowledge through the use of extensive research before and during writing. For example, in my argument essay, Animal Cruelty in Relation to Human Entertainment I did a lot of research on the negative use of animals for human entertainment to support my
In textbook adoption systems, a committee selects or recommends what books and other primary instructional materials actually get to local classrooms. This process is practiced in up to 25 states. Adoption is done mainly in the South and West and dates back to the Reconstruction era. Procedures for selecting textbooks arose in the states in the late nineteenth century. By the early twentieth century, a balance between the numbers of states using state-level or local-level adoption procedures had been established.