If I’m honest, hearing that we had a quarter-long research project in CTW 2 made my brain seize up a little – I’m not a huge fan of reading articles and having to answer questions that I don’t already have a good amount of knowledge about. However, after this week’s readings, I realize that I am actually very excited about this research paper and can’t wait to explore possible topics.
I will begin by explaining my quick change of heart; first of all, in The Craft of Research, Chapter 1, I realized that I actually LOVE to do research, and I do it every single day: “We all do that kind of research every day, and though we rarely write it up, we rely on those who write up theirs…” (Craft, 10). I research true crime, the lives of actors, and Coronavirus vaccines; I research cat breeds, exercises for toned muscles, and cake recipes. Now that I’m thinking about it, just yesterday I consulted Google during a debate with my mother (she won, as she is a veterinarian) about what color our Siamese cat is, and if he is a purebred (he isn’t). Knowing that research includes the simplest questions – whether I just want to know the age of an actor in a movie that I’m watching or I’m curious about what table salt is made of – makes constructing a research paper seem much less tormenting.
I will add that research papers are not something I have produced a lot throughout my education experience, most of my writing being argumentative; I’m so accustomed to having to prove a certain point that I’ve almost lost my ability to view alternative perspectives when I write. So, I am excited to use this paper as an opportunity to broaden my knowledge of a subject that I am passionate about; what that is, I’m not sure yet. I will find out soon.