Just a College Kid Thinking and Writing

I was reading my friend Courtney’s blog and I really liked her blog post about rhetorical triangle and how it related to the research process and specifically her research project.

pixshark.com

Rhetorical triangle is a format and strategies for persuasive writing.  It includes logos, ethos, and pathos.  Logos appeals to facts and logic.  Ethos appeals to credibility and trustworthiness.  Pathos appeals to values and beliefs.  These all can be incorporated into your paper through its content.  However, it is also important to direct your tone, style, and purpose towards logos, ethos, and pathos.  Tone is how you say something.  Style is the type of writing you are doing.  Purpose is why you are writing.  It is incredibly important to have a balance between logos, ethos, and pathos.  Additionally, its important to make sure you tone, style, and purpose align and are balanced.

Source: Animated Gifs

So how am I going to use this in my research process?

My topic is a hot topic right now, so it will naturally draw in emotions.  I will take the feminist view point which will be easy since my focus has a feminist viewpoint.  Although some of my research I found was incredibly sexist, the majority of my research is feminist.    Also, I can use class sizes to show the incorporation of women into SCU and facts about what life was like on campus at that time to appeal to logic and fact.  Additionally, by using quotes from the president of SCU at the time and from the first women admitted into SCU, I can add credibility.  I think this can be very helpful to make sure that I appeal to all different aspects.

Source: Pixar

I know this is kinda boring, but it will be very useful when writing my paper.  I promise.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

The next step in the research process for this big quarter long research project is surveys.  We need to get opinions from current SCU students to see how they feel about our topic.  This was the first opportunity since figuring out the general theme of our topic to begin to decide exactly what specific topic we want to research in more detail.

I decided I wanted to focus on comparing and contrasting how sexist current SCU students think SCU was when women were first admitted and now.  I also was interested to see how many people knew when women were admitted.  My juicy question asks if they (current SCU students) think the tradition was shattered when women were admitted.

Source: Bravo TV

Ok so maybe not that exciting, but its the most important question in the survey.  I am very likely to shape most of my final paper around that question.

One problem I can already predict is that my results are going to be biased.  I am going to end up with a lot more females responding to my survey rather than males.  This will result in biased results.  I spoke to my teacher about this concern and she said although this is not ideal this is something that I can talk about in my next assignment.

Source: Giphy

So what are the results?  Well …

Survey Says… Source: Sydicated

You will have to wait till next time.  Sorry but I am still collecting data, but I wanted to update y’all on my process so far.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

In my other class called Technology and Education, we were talking about education and curriculum.  We discussed how almost everything you learn in schools is in case you may need it later and rarely do you learn anything that you actually need at that moment.  This idea is differentiated between just-in-case learning and just-in-time learning.

Just-in-case learning is when you learn things or you are taught things just in case you may one day you need that information.  For example, learning about the planets because maybe you will become an astronaut or maybe you will need it in your future workplace.  However, there is no guarantee that you will ever need that information.

Source: Disney

Just-in-time learning is when you learn things in the moment you need it.  For example, googling how to get gum off your clothes in the moment you are trying to get gum off your pants or googling the order of the planets when that topic comes up in conservation.  With new technology, we have so much information and answers right in our hands.

Source: The Huffington Post

I thought this was a really cool concept and the more and more I thought about it the more it made sense.  It kind reminded me of this English class.  Because although we are doing research because it interests us now, we are also learning how to research which is good information to have for future research projects or when we need to research something in our free time.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

For my English class, we had to read an article that discusses how when were are doing research we are either hunters or gatherers.  Hunters have a purpose and know exactly what they are looking for.  Gatherers are looking for the surprising discovery that can come up.  I think this quote really sums up the idea.

“A hunter finds what he is looking for; a gather discovers that which might be of use.” ~Michael Kleine

At different times, we can be both of these in the same project.  I know I was when I did my archival research.  So the question is when was I a hunter and when was I a gatherer?

Source: The CW

I’m not Gossip Girl, so I will tell you.  I was first a gatherer when I didn’t know my topic, so I was hoping to find some amazing discovery.  I found my inspiration and discovery pretty quickly, so I would say I am a pretty good gatherer.

Source: Disney

After I decided on a topic, then I was determined to find as much information as possible.  This is when I transitioned into a hunter.  I looked through the entire folder on my topic making sure I recorded everything that could possibly help me write my paper.  My most hunterish moment was when I really wanted to find the original newspaper.  I snuck up on the book of old newspapers and BAM I found the one I wanted and metaphorically got the kill.  So I am also a really good hunter apparently.

Source: robdedel.com

I thought this was a really cool analogy and maybe next time when I am doing research I will imagine myself as a hunter or gatherer.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

Ever since I was in the archives, certain parts of different articles have stood out to me as more interesting or more shocking.  Although I knew that sexism was worse in the past, it still baffles me whenever I see real life examples.  Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the special classes that were offered starting the first year women were admitted.  Some of these classes include Shopping “A” and Fundamentals of Washing Machine Repair or Vacuum Repair.  But the class that really shocked me was Philosophy of the Kitchen and the main textbook for this class was Betty Crocker’s cookbook.  I am sorry, but a philosophy course discussing philosophy not cooking.  Anyways, I was also thinking about the Fundamentals of Vacuum Repair and I was reminded of a sexist ad from the 60s (the same time women were first admitted into SCU).

Source: Hoover

This Hoover vacuum ad depicts a a women on Christmas morning who is very excited because she was given a vacuum.  The ad makes it seem like the best way to make her happy is to give her a tool to clean the house.  This ad supports the idea that a woman’s place is in the home.  That whole concept is so sexist I can’t even begin.  Anyways I know there are a lot of Hoover vacuum ads that are very sexist, so I was interested to see what Hoover ads look like now.  Honestly, it was very difficult to find a current ad since the first things that pop up are the sexist ads, but I eventually found one.

Source: Hoover

So obviously Hoover cannot no longer produce sexist ads and be a successful company (plus hopefully it goes against their morals now).  This looks like a typical vacuum ad, and no one would ever know this company is known to be very sexist.  (Side note: I do think it is kinda funny that the one modern Hoover ad I found does include family in its headline.)

This information as of right now if mostly food for thought for both all of you and myself as I begin to try to develop my argument around my super awesome feminist artifacts.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

So I finally went into the archives last week.  I was slightly worried since I had not picked a to0pic and I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough time to pick a topic and get enough information about it.  Luckily, I found my inspiration and future topic relatively early on in the session.

Source: GIFSoup

Flashback to 2 weeks ago in English class… We were looking at a few example artifacts.  This was one of the artifacts we looked at and analyzed.

Source: SCU Archives

It was the front over of the student newspaper on the day after it was announced that women would be joining the SCU undergraduate program.

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Ya.  I know.  I was shocked too.  I could not believe how rude and sexist those writers and editors were.  I get that they were shocked by the news and scared of the big change, but come on “Tradition Shattered” thats horrible and mean.  I have no idea how SCU didn’t remove that from every news stand.  I could go on, but that is not the point of my blog post.

When I was in the archives, I found something that caught me off guard.  Something similar to the newspaper above yet also very different.

Source: SCU Archives

This is what I call perfection.  This is what I call girl power.

Source: Tenor

I love this new and improved headline.  It is perfect and amazing.  I love that the girls (the first SCU girls) wanted to fight back against a headline that probably really hurt them at the time it was published.  I was so excited to find this artifact.  I knew immediately I wanted this to be my focus.  The rest of the artifacts I found are either from the 25th anniversary of the admission of women at SCU or from the original “Tradition Shattered” newspaper.

It was interesting to see how sexist the male view was at SCU at the time of the decision.  It was also cool to see that although these women went to a very different SCU than I do there were still some similarities.  I also found it strong that the women did not hold grudges against the men even though many of men were extremely rude to the women.

I’m not quite sure which direction my final paper will take or what my argument will be.  But no matter what I decide I know that I will be super interested and excited to continue to uncover new facts.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

On Tuesday, my English class and I will be traveling into the depths of the library to find the archives.

Source: Gifbin

Over the past 2 weeks, we have been preparing for this moment and it is about to arrive.  We have read many articles that have helped to create a list of tips when entering the archives.  Some are

-have an open mind

-keep everything in order and in its place (order is very important when trying to piece together a story)

-follow all leads: obvious and crazy ones

-look in unexpected places

-it will be hard, but find a good stopping point (you could research forever, but eventually you need to do your paper or project)

-ask questions (questions are softened answered or followed by more questions and these questions typically lead to more sources and information)

-remember that everything is in layers

Just replace archives and ogres… Source: DreamWorks

I have no picked a topic yet for my project, so I am going into the archives with an open mind and hopefully something speaks to me and gives me inspiration.  I am super indecisive which probably has a lot to do with why I have not chosen a topic.  Another reason is that any topic that involves Santa Clara University is super interesting to me, so it will be hard to pick on.

One of the tips we have found when learning about archives is to enter with a plan.  My plan is to enter first and foremost with an open mind.  I am going to carefully examine as many pieces as I can until I find inspiration.  I will take notes on topics that are particularly interesting to me.  I will try to read more than just the header on the page, so I can really get a feel for each page.  Once I pick a topic to focus on, I will follow leads and context clues.  I will ask questions and record my thoughts.  I will take pictures of different important articles that will contribute to my paper.  If class ends and I feel I need more information, I will revisit the archives within the next few days, so my ideas will still be fresh in my mind.

Source: HBO

I am really excited to explore the archives and find a topic that is interesting to me.  Next time, I will let you know my topic and show you all the amazing things I find in the archives.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

My English class this quarter is surrounded around our one project.  This one project is a research project and its first step is to travel to the Santa Clara University archives to begin our research.  But instead of just throwing us into the old documents, our teacher had us read a chapter by Katherine Tirabassi which gives us tips on how to approach an archival research project.

Source: VH-1

Tirabassi broke her chapter up into four main tips or principles.  She wrote this chapter because she has had a lot of experience working in archives and wanted to help others as they enter the sometimes confusing world of archives.

Principle of Selectivity: This is the understanding of how and why certain archives are chosen and why some are omitted.  Archivists looks at documents for what they seem to be, what they are, and what they have the potential to be.

Principle of Cross-Referencing: This is the practice of viewing multiple documents to create a well-rounded unstinting of a document.  Archival researchers and archivists use contextual clues to piece together information and stories.  This can also included examining original documents as well as modified versions

Principle of Categorization: This helps archival researchers and archivists to learn where and how to find more information.  Artifacts are often organized by person, group of people, event, or series of events.

Principle of Closure: This is the understanding that there are gaps in the archives and that there is a point where research must stop.  There will always be more to search through, but researchers need to find a place in their research that is a good stopping point.  Additionally, researchers need to analyze all of the data they have collected, so they can either find more information or start their project.

Source: Comedy Central

Tirabassi’s tips have opened my eyes to how complex and rewarding archival research can be.  Tirabassi also adds that it is important to bring the necessary and effective note taking material necessary.  I did not really think about how important this is and how beneficial it will be to be fully prepared in all aspects: mentally and physically.  I am very excited to go to the Santa Clara University archives, so I can learn more about my school’s rich history.

Source: tenor.co

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

After writing my last post about my research process, I started thinking about my past research projects specifically the research project I completed last quarter.  I took a Child Studies course called Information Literacy which teaches us the best ways to conduct research and write a well-round research paper.  In this course, we choose a topic and spent the entire quarter researching that topic and finishing with creating a website about our topic.

Source: tenor.co

I choose to write about Common Core and whether or not teachers are being properly supported after the transition.  We began by writing why we wanted to research a certain topic and we were encouraged to think broadly by also have a more narrowed research question in mind.  Once we picked a topic, we met with a librarian, so we could begin to find credible sources in the library databases.  Following my meeting with the librarian, I conducted my own research using the library databases and advanced Google searches.  Every time I found an important or useful article, I would save it using Zotero which is an application that helps you organize your articles.  Once we had enough information, we were instructed to annotate our articles which really helped when it came to finding quotes and evidence.  Next, we practiced synthesizing which is when we put multiple articles or authors into conversation with one another.  We practiced by using our own articles which helped us prepare for when we actually wrote our paper.  Next, we turn in a rough draft, so we could get feedback from our teacher.  One huge part of the class was peer review.  In fact, we have peer review teams specifically for our revision process.  We discussed many revision tips; many of which I spoke about in my last blog post.  My revision process went on for 2 weeks and I probably could have continued on, but my essay was due.  When I did turn in my essay and website, I was very proud of my work.  If you would like to see all of my hard work and my website on Common Core Teacher’s Resources, you can visit it here.

I really liked how we took small steps throughout the entire process.  This was especially helpful since it was the first time I had to write a large research paper.  I think this process and class will help me in future research projects including the research projects I have to do for my English class that this blog is for.

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.

When I am assigned a research project, I am immediately faced with a long process.  Here is how I would approach a research project.

Source: Pixar/Disney

1. Pick a topic.  This can be one of the most challenging parts.  I typically review my class notes and assignment description.  If I am still stuck, I turn to social media to find inspiration.
2. I start researching.  I begin with a simple Google search to get a basic description.  Then, I read my topic’s Wikipedia page to get a big picture idea.  (I don’t use Wikipedia as a source nor do I assume it is all fact.  It is simply an opportunity to become familiar with the topic.)
3. Next is more detailed research.  I begin with Google; I often use Google search tools to find only academic or credible sources.  (For example, if you put site:.edu in your search bar, only .edu sites will appear).  I like this tool because it allows me to not have to weed through not credible sources.  I always save articles I find that pertain to my topic, so I can refer to them later.
4. Often Google does not provide enough resources, so my next step would be the library. I will search through library databases and catalogs of books in order to find more information.
5. I go back to all of my different sources and annotate with highlights and phrases.  These highlighted sentences often become the sentences I quote in my paper.
6. I build a very rough outline, so I know which direction my paper will go in.  I often include my researched information into my outline to make my life easier later on.
7. Now, I can write.  I try not to write the entire paper in one sitting, especially if it is long, because my attention will fade and my writing will worsen as I get more distracted.  This also allows me to have multiple opportunities to look back at my work to guarantee consistent flow.
8. The most important and often the hardest step of any paper is revision.  I reread my paper multiple times: online and in paper, out loud and in my head, in different locations, and different times of day.  I also try to have one of my friends read it as well so there is a second set of eyes examining it.  Revision is an ongoing process that can continue forever.  But when I do feel confident in my paper, I turn in my paper and pray for a good grade.

Source: Disney

For my English class, we read an article the described BEAM and how it could help our research processes.  I liked their tips, so I am going to share them with you.

So what is BEAM?

Background: This is the facts.  It is often common knowledge or perceived to be common  knowledge.  The author may use this information as background or for their argument.  Because these facts are strong points, it adds authority and credibility.

Exhibit: This is the example or the evidence for the claim.  It can be very simple and not need more description or it could be more complicated and need more explanation.

Argument: This is the author’s claim that often stems off of another author’s claim.  This can be described as authors getting into a conversation with each other.

Method: This is the main concept.  It can also be similar to background information.  This can also be complex vocabulary.

By keeping BEAM in the back of my head while researching, I think it will allow me to find and collect a more well-rounded set of information.  This will force me to find all necessary information not just easy to find information.  Additionally, BEAM can be used at the end of your research process during revision.  It is a check list to make sure you have a comprehensive research project.  I will end with how the article quickly describes the differences and importance of background, exhibit, argument, and method.

“Writers rely on background sources, interpret or analyze exhibits, engage arguments, and follow methods.” –JOSEPH BIZUP

 

Well its goodbye for now…

Source: Disney

But I promise there is always tomorrow.