1. Start a new post with a title indicating it is about your website evaluation.
In the body of the post, include the URL of the site you evaluated, and your 2-3 paragraph evaluation summary. Be sure you have edited carefully for grammar and mechanics before you post!
2. Post it.
3. Between now and class on Thursday, please choose THREE classmates’ blogs to read and comment on. You should visit the URL they’ve provided and read their evaluation. Your comment should reflect either an agreement or disagreement with their evaluation citing specific reasons for your opinion.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Research Topics
Steps:
1. Post FOUR topics that interest you to your blog. If you have already done this, skip to the next step. Underneath each topic you should write 2-3 sentences for why you are interested in this topic.
2. Visit your classmates’ blogs. YOU SHOULD READ ALL (that means 19 total) OF YOUR CLASSMATES’ POSSIBLE TOPIC CHOICES POST. However, you need only comment on FOUR. Your comments should be thoughtful and insightful with the goal of helping your classmates’ narrow down their ideas. Please write 2-3 sentences per comment.
3. Evaluate the Possible Topics from your list using the following criteria: Choose a topic with 2 sides. The purpose of your paper is to defend or refute a thesis which means the thesis must be debatable.
a. Check the scope of your thesis. Consider the length of the paper and whether or not you can do justice to the topic in that space. Think of this as your unique “angle” on the topic.
Too broad: simply stating that your topic is “gun control” is too broad. In a 6-8 page paper, you need to narrow the focus of gun control to something like “civilians should be allowed to own a firearm as long as they are put through an intensive background check.” This is manageable in the paper length assigned.
Too narrow: stating that your topic is “allowing criminals already convicted of a shooting to own firearms once they leave prison” is too narrow. You’ll end up trying to “find” things to write about in order to meet page length which is never a good thing.
4. Go back to your blog! Read over your classmates’ comments. Next, post a comment of your own (to the original topic choice blog) that evaluates each of your possible topics. You should write the topic, a sentence explaining the two sides of the debate (or noting that there aren’t two sides if that is the case), and the scope of your thesis (you do not have to know exactly what you would write about, but need to present your “angle” from above).
5. After this evaluation process, it’s decision time! Think about steps 1-4. Of your four topics which are you most interested in? Which received the most positive feedback from your classmates? Which came out as the strongest topic in step 3 & 4 – evaluation. These are some questions that will help you decide which topic to choose. Note: see my “pieces of advice at the end of this sheet.”
6. Once you have chosen your topic - Go online! Spend a few minutes doing some preliminary research on your topic. Please use the following sites:
http://scholar.google.com/
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ (click on “advanced search” and then check the box for “only show full text…” Print an article from each (1-3 pages).
7. The final step is to turn in your topic choice. Please do so in the format attached to this paper. I will not accept a paper that does not fit the format and include the proper information. Please attach both articles.
Pieces of Advice:
1. Choose a subject that you are interested in, but do not get “in over your head.” Don’t choose something that is totally foreign to you.
2. Your goal is to objectively argue. If your position is too emotionally charged, choose a different topic. It’s impossible to argue you well if you can’t be objective.
3. Argument doesn’t mean a fight. Many topics don’t involve traditional debate but still have varying opinions.
4. Be unique! Don’t simply choose “pro-life” as a topic. Think outside the box!
1. Post FOUR topics that interest you to your blog. If you have already done this, skip to the next step. Underneath each topic you should write 2-3 sentences for why you are interested in this topic.
2. Visit your classmates’ blogs. YOU SHOULD READ ALL (that means 19 total) OF YOUR CLASSMATES’ POSSIBLE TOPIC CHOICES POST. However, you need only comment on FOUR. Your comments should be thoughtful and insightful with the goal of helping your classmates’ narrow down their ideas. Please write 2-3 sentences per comment.
3. Evaluate the Possible Topics from your list using the following criteria: Choose a topic with 2 sides. The purpose of your paper is to defend or refute a thesis which means the thesis must be debatable.
a. Check the scope of your thesis. Consider the length of the paper and whether or not you can do justice to the topic in that space. Think of this as your unique “angle” on the topic.
Too broad: simply stating that your topic is “gun control” is too broad. In a 6-8 page paper, you need to narrow the focus of gun control to something like “civilians should be allowed to own a firearm as long as they are put through an intensive background check.” This is manageable in the paper length assigned.
Too narrow: stating that your topic is “allowing criminals already convicted of a shooting to own firearms once they leave prison” is too narrow. You’ll end up trying to “find” things to write about in order to meet page length which is never a good thing.
4. Go back to your blog! Read over your classmates’ comments. Next, post a comment of your own (to the original topic choice blog) that evaluates each of your possible topics. You should write the topic, a sentence explaining the two sides of the debate (or noting that there aren’t two sides if that is the case), and the scope of your thesis (you do not have to know exactly what you would write about, but need to present your “angle” from above).
5. After this evaluation process, it’s decision time! Think about steps 1-4. Of your four topics which are you most interested in? Which received the most positive feedback from your classmates? Which came out as the strongest topic in step 3 & 4 – evaluation. These are some questions that will help you decide which topic to choose. Note: see my “pieces of advice at the end of this sheet.”
6. Once you have chosen your topic - Go online! Spend a few minutes doing some preliminary research on your topic. Please use the following sites:
http://scholar.google.com/
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ (click on “advanced search” and then check the box for “only show full text…” Print an article from each (1-3 pages).
7. The final step is to turn in your topic choice. Please do so in the format attached to this paper. I will not accept a paper that does not fit the format and include the proper information. Please attach both articles.
Pieces of Advice:
1. Choose a subject that you are interested in, but do not get “in over your head.” Don’t choose something that is totally foreign to you.
2. Your goal is to objectively argue. If your position is too emotionally charged, choose a different topic. It’s impossible to argue you well if you can’t be objective.
3. Argument doesn’t mean a fight. Many topics don’t involve traditional debate but still have varying opinions.
4. Be unique! Don’t simply choose “pro-life” as a topic. Think outside the box!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side
If I had to create a bumper sticker that modeled my philosophy for life, it would be "the grass is always greener on the other side."
Many times in my life I've found myself saying, "if only I..." and usually filling in the blank with "had this, could do this, was able to, was in a different situation." When I was in college my most common "grass is greener" complaint was that I was completely paying for my own education while many of my friends had parents putting them through school. I would think, and sometimes say, "it would be so nice if someone was paying for me to go to school. Then I wouldn't have so much debt, have to work full time and take classes, or feel tired all my life." It wasn't until I graduated college, got my first "real" job and actually found myself making it in the world of adults that I realized how valuable paying my own way had been. While many of the people I knew struggled, lived at home, couldn't budget (and therefore couldn't always eat), I was fine. The idea of working 9 to 5, coming home to relax, finding pleasure in the small things, and always looking forward to the weekend was nothing new to me. This is about the time I adopted the phrase, "the grass is always greener on the other side." If I had not supported myself through school perhaps I would have struggled when it came time to join the adult world.
In my life these days the biggest "grass is greener" complaint I hear is among my girlfriends who are raising young children. I have two sets of friends - the moms who stay at home and the moms who work. The ones who stay at home think they would love to go back to work full time and enjoy being their own person again. The ones who work think they would love to stay at home with their kids so as not to miss the everyday things that go by too quickly. I find myself happily in the middle. I work and I love it. I stay at home with my son some days and love it. I'm happy doing both because I realize that neither way is better. Now that I understand that everyone wants what they can't or don't have, I'm actually a happier person. I like what I have in my life and feel lucky to be where I am.
Sure it would be nice to have five million dollars, look like JLo, and sound like Beyonce, but I'll bet if you asked them they'd tell you they have problems too!
Many times in my life I've found myself saying, "if only I..." and usually filling in the blank with "had this, could do this, was able to, was in a different situation." When I was in college my most common "grass is greener" complaint was that I was completely paying for my own education while many of my friends had parents putting them through school. I would think, and sometimes say, "it would be so nice if someone was paying for me to go to school. Then I wouldn't have so much debt, have to work full time and take classes, or feel tired all my life." It wasn't until I graduated college, got my first "real" job and actually found myself making it in the world of adults that I realized how valuable paying my own way had been. While many of the people I knew struggled, lived at home, couldn't budget (and therefore couldn't always eat), I was fine. The idea of working 9 to 5, coming home to relax, finding pleasure in the small things, and always looking forward to the weekend was nothing new to me. This is about the time I adopted the phrase, "the grass is always greener on the other side." If I had not supported myself through school perhaps I would have struggled when it came time to join the adult world.
In my life these days the biggest "grass is greener" complaint I hear is among my girlfriends who are raising young children. I have two sets of friends - the moms who stay at home and the moms who work. The ones who stay at home think they would love to go back to work full time and enjoy being their own person again. The ones who work think they would love to stay at home with their kids so as not to miss the everyday things that go by too quickly. I find myself happily in the middle. I work and I love it. I stay at home with my son some days and love it. I'm happy doing both because I realize that neither way is better. Now that I understand that everyone wants what they can't or don't have, I'm actually a happier person. I like what I have in my life and feel lucky to be where I am.
Sure it would be nice to have five million dollars, look like JLo, and sound like Beyonce, but I'll bet if you asked them they'd tell you they have problems too!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)