As I sit here at 10:30pm on a Sunday night procrastinating from all my work due tomorrow morning, I can’t help but kick myself for putting my work off all weekend. Why is it that we somehow always find a way to procrastinate from everything?

Source: Spongebob Squarepants

In my last blog post, I talked about the article “What Is It We Do When We Write Articles Like This One- And How Can We Get Students To Join Us?” which was about the idea of “hunting and gathering” in research and writing.

When I learned what “hunting” was it immediately made me think of myself and when I procrastinate my school work. “Hunting” is going into something knowing exactly what you are looking for and targeting that specific thing. When I wait till the last minute to write a paper I often find myself “hunting” for specific sources that will help me to finish the paper as fast as I can.

In high school, I found myself “hunting” the night before my U.S History paper was due. I knew exactly what sources I needed and I hunted them down. But, this is where the “gathering” comes in. In the process of hunting down these specific sources I was looking for, I found different ones that actually worked with what I needed. I “gathered” the best sources I could find with the short amount of time I had and I made them work.

I do not recommend writing a paper the night before (it is not fun). But, the next time you do find yourself procrastinating or looking for sources, pay attention to which methods you use. Are you a hunter or a gatherer?

I began writing this blog post to try and figure out why we procrastinate, but I realized I don’t even know why I do… Maybe I am just lazy or maybe I secretly like working under pressure, but the moral of the story is: we use “hunting” and “gathering” all the time when writing. It is interesting to see how often we do it especially in bad habits like procrastinating. Think about this the next time you write!

Last night I read an article by Michael Kleine titled “What Is It We Do When We Write Articles Like This One- and How Can We Get Students to Join Us?”. Throughout this article, Kleine talks about this heuristic of “hunting” and “gathering” that he thinks researches might be using to do their research.

Hunting and gathering??? Isn’t that what the cave men used to do?

Source: memegenerator.net

While that is what the cave men used to do, this is not what Kleine was talking about.

Kleine says how “a hunter finds what he is looking for; a gatherer discovers that which might be of use”

Throughout a research process, the researcher has times where they know exactly what they are looking for and have a clear strategy, while other times they will discover something by surprise that is completely new and then will adjust their research around that new discovery.

As I am currently in the middle of my research process, I found this to be very true. When I first went into the archives, my initial research question was “Who receives the majority of financial aid and has it changed over the years?” But, as I was looking through the archives for information on that topic, I came across some mental health reports that sparked my interest. I completely changed my research topic and decided to research the questions: “How prevalent are mental health issues in college students? What has caused these issues for the students? Is college and the environment surrounding it part of the reason why?”

I went into the archives as a “hunter” but I changed into a “gatherer”. This is what the research process is about. You do not have to be one or the other, you are both. As Kleine says:

“researches/writers need to collect data; then they need to sift the data rhetorically, keeping that which is relevant to audience and purpose,and throwing out that which is irrelevant; then they need to seek patterns in the data – and use those patterns to either to either make or confirm hypotheses; and finally they need to translate their findings into writing.”

Being aware that you need to be both a hunter and a gatherer in your research can be extremely helpful. Be open to discovering new information that may alter your research. It’s okay to not find everything that you wanted. But also, make sure to focus and work with a sense of purpose and if you discover something new that is interesting to your research, then adapt and accommodate it.

Researching is a process but if you go in with an open and focused mind, you will be successful. I promise!

In the archives, I came across a few documents from the SCU Counseling Center in the later 90s that briefly discussed mental health issues in college students. I was curious to find out how mental health care has changed over the past 20 years and if mental health disorder rates have increased. While my archival research mostly focused on mental health rates from the past, I found this statistical image that shows how they have changed.

Source: psychologytoday.com

I knew that mental illness rates had to be pretty high nowadays in college students, but this somewhat shocked me. 1 in 3 students reported prolonged periods of depression. That is an extremely high number. Not only that, but 30% reported problems with school work due to mental health issues. A document I found in the archives reported that “in 2002 11.6% of college students reported of a mental illness affecting their academics”. This goes to show how mental issues have gotten much worse in recent years. I figured they had, but I had no idea that it more than doubled.

So, why are the number of college students with a mental illness increasing? Is college getting too difficult? Is it society that’s causing this? Too college students have too much pressure on them?

I think that all of these could be true. College has gotten much more competitive and academically it is getting much harder. On top of that, society puts so much pressure on young people to try to be perfect. Social media has created this false belief that we have to show everyone that we are having the time of our life even when it may be the complete opposite.

I am not saying that this is the reason why students are struggling with mental illnesses, but it could be one reason why. I am looking forward to researching more so that I can find out exactly why our generation is struggling so much with this. Mental illness is a difficult subject to talk about but I am going to take on the challenge and try to answer this question I am so curious about.

The other day I went into the archives thinking I was going to research about financial situations of college students but I came out of the archives researching about mental health issues. I changed my mind and that is perfectly okay to do, especially in the early stages of a research project.

I change my mind all the time, and while some may see that as a weakness I think its actually a good thing. I found this quote on Pinterest and I think it perfectly explains this.

Not only did I change my mind on my topic for my research paper, but I am also in the process of looking to change my major. At first, I thought that changing my major was a really bad idea. I was convinced that it would put me behind in school and I would never graduate in time. But, after talking to my advisor and my older sister who both changed their majors in college, I realized that changing your major can actually be a really good thing.

My philosophy in life is “don’t do anything that doesn’t make you happy”. If I was stuck in a major that I was uninterested in, I would be miserable for the next 4 years. I would rather have to work extra hard for what I wanted than waste my time on getting a degree in a field I would never enjoy.

Changing your mind can lead to great things. Before I changed my topic for my paper, I was dreading what the research process was going to be like. I was not excited about the topic I originally chose and therefore, I was not looking forward to a whole quarter of researching it. However, now that I have changed my mind and chosen a topic that actually interests me, I am so excited. Even though I have only researched in the archives so far, I cannot wait to dig even deeper for my paper. Changing my mind was the best decision I have made so far in my CTW class.

Do not be afraid to do something different. Change your mind if you are not happy about something. Whether it is about something academically or even something in life in general, it’s okay to change your mind and completely switch it up. Next time you are on the verge of changing your mind, follow your gut and do it! Remember: Use you mind and change it!

I have been thinking a lot about what question I would like to research for my research project. Last quarter in my CTW class I wrote a synthesis paper on the effects low income rates have on students who come from that background. When brainstorming about my research paper, I kept going back to that topic. How does low income affect students in college? This questions and topic are very intriguing to me and I would like to research some more about them. So… drum roll please…

Source: The Office

My initial question for this research project is

“Who receives the majority of financial aid and has it changed over the years?”

I am very curious to research this question and learn more about this. Financial aid seems like it has become much more common in recent years or at least talked about more so I am curious to see how it has evolved over the last 50 years.

Today as my class goes into the archives of Santa Clara University, I am hoping to find old documents or papers that talk about financial aid or even the incomes of specific groups of people and whether or not race plays into that. What I find in the archives is going to be a big part of my research for how financial aid has changed or evolved. I am hopeful that I am going to find something that will help me learn more about this question.

A few days ago in class, we read an article by Katherine E. Tirabassi called “Journeying Into Archives”. This article really helped me to prepare myself before going into the archives. Tirabassi talked about the specific principles we should follow when researching in the archives.

Principle of Selectivity: The researcher’s understanding of how archivists select and omit artifacts for a given collection.

Principle of Cross Referencing: The practice of searching across documents for contextual traces that clarify an archival documents rhetorical situation or that confirm, corroborate, clarify, or contradict a fact or point cited in a given document.

Principle of Categorization: The development of keywords and finding aids that help researchers access information in the archive.

Principle of Closure: The researcher’s understanding that there are inherent gaps in archival records and that while the archive is complex and rich, it cannot be searched exhaustively.

These principles are going to be really helpful for me to use when I go into the archives. Because I have never worked with archival sources, it is important that I realize I am not going to find exactly what I am looking for. I need to be open to finding sources that might not be exactly what I wanted but will ultimately help my research. It is also important that I find multiple sources that both agree and disagree with each other and that confirm or clarify facts. The archives are going to be a whole new world for me but I am really excited to see what I find! Stay tuned to hear!

I am finally starting to feel the struggle of the quarter system…
It is only week 3 of spring quarter and I can feel my summer fever kicking in. The majority of my friends from back home are getting ready to take finals and I haven’t even taken a midterm yet. In the next 2-3 weeks my friends will be back at home soaking up the summer sun while meanwhile I will still be writing papers and taking exams until the middle of June. The struggle is REAL.

Source: imgflip.com

While starting summer 6 weeks after the semester system may suck, the quarter system does have to perks to it.

1. You go back to school later than everyone else
2. If you hate a class, it only lasts 10 weeks
3. You get a break between every quarter
4. You don’t have to take finals right before Christmas
5. You get to take more classes and can take more advanced classes sooner
6. No time to procrastinate so you can’t get behind (my favorite)

I only listed a few of the benefits of the quarter system, but you can see that there definitely are some great perks. As much as spring quarter may be a struggle for me right now, I actually do believe the quarter system is better than the semester system for me. This quarter may be hard for me to focus, but as long as I buckle down and work as hard as I can, I know I will get through it. Summer will be here before we know it and luckily the quarter system goes by fast so it really isn’t bad THAT bad.

I am sure the semester system is great too, but if any of those six perks I listed appeal to you, then I highly recommend attending a school on the quarter system. There are so many great things about it and I could go on and on, but all I can say is, as a major procrastinator myself, the quarter system really helps you get rid of that bad habit. Even if you are not a procrastinator, there are still great benefits to the quarter system. I would 10/10 recommend it. If you have any questions about it feel free to leave me a comment and I would love to tell you more about it!

To those of you making your college decision, Good Luck!

Source: New Girl

The anticipated college decision: Arguably one of the most important decisions in an eighteen-year-old’s life. Exactly one year ago, I was getting ready to make that life changing decision. So much pressure but so much promise lied before me. With the so many different and diverse options I had, making my final decision was a lot more difficult than I had ever imagined it would be.

This past weekend was Preview Day here at SCU for the admitted students of the Class of 2021. Seeing all the students and families around campus seemed extremely familiar, as that was me at this time last year. So many memories and feelings rushed back to me as I watched these bright-eyed high school seniors possibly have their first experience as a SCU Bronco. But this weekend got me thinking, what makes SCU stand out that students choose to come here over their other options?

I’ll be honest. SCU was not my first choice for college. I had hoped to get accepted into my dream school, but I was unfortunately denied. After coming to terms with the options I had, I began to narrow it down. By the middle of April, I had my top two choices: SCU and TCU. I wish I could say that I was 100% set on becoming a Bronco, but I was so confused. I loved both universities and I was scared that I would make the wrong decision. Any high school senior can relate to the pressure that is put on them during this decision time. Your choice could determine your future and this makes the decision so important.

So, what made me choose SCU over TCU? Before making the decision, I went old fashioned and made a pros and cons list on a piece of paper. Clearly, the pros of SCU ended of out weighing the other school.

Santa Clara provides their students with so many opportunities. Being in the heart of the silicone valley, there are tons of internships with tech companies like google, Facebook, twitter, and countless others. Santa Clara promotes a community environment that is welcoming and safe. When I toured Santa Clara, it felt like home and thats how I knew I had made my decision.

If you are trying to make a your college decision this year, I encourage you to do what I did and make a pros and cons list. It may sound dumb but it actually can be extremely helpful in choosing which school is the best fit for you. Follow your heart and I know you will make the right decision, good luck!

Source: Quickmeme

Researching can be very overwhelming. When I begin a research project, I often find myself completely lost in all the different sources available and I don’t even know where to begin. Being a first-year student in college, researching has become a very frequent activity in many of my classes. Because of this, I have had to develop some strategeies to help make my research process easier on myself and less overwhelming.

Here are some strategies that I have found work best for me

• Define your thesis before you begin: The way to find the best sources for your topic is to know exactly what you are claiming or arguing. Your sources must support your claim so the first step you should take before even beginning your research, is to figure out that thesis.
• Make an outline: Figure out what types of sources you want to find. Outline your paper beforehand so you know exactly what to look for. This will save you so much time.
• Break down your topic: One way to make the topic you are researching less overwhelming is to break it down into sections. Search key words. Find specific sections of your topic that will help narrow down your research.
• Go to the library: While many of you dread going to the library to search all through those thousands of books, it can actually be very helpful. You would be surprised at how helpful the librarians can be in your research. The internet should not be your only source.
• The internet can be very helpful but be careful: The internet can provide you with so much helpful information and sources for your paper, but it is very easy to plagiarize and not even know it. So be very cautious when researching and pulling information from the internet and make sure to cite the source!

Yesterday I read the article “BEAM: A Rhetorical Vocabulary for Teaching Research-Based Writing” and I found some really useful information that I will apply to my research process.

Joseph Bizup developed an acronym for students to use so that they can understand what exactly they should do when writing a research paper. “BEAM” stands for background, exhibits, arguments, and methods.

• B: Background refers to “materials whose claims a writer accepts as fact”. The background could be general information or evidence to support your claim.
• E: Exhibits are “materials a writer offers for explication, analysis, or interpretation”. Exhibits can be concrete examples that develop or support a claim. Exhibits can be simple or complex, but if it is complex it must be deeply analyzed and written with an eye open to possible objections and arguments against the claim.
• A: Arguments are “materials whose claims a writer affirms, disputes, refines, or extends in some way”. As Bizup puts it, “this is where writers enter into ‘conversation’ “. In you want your argument to be successful, you must consider both sides.
• M: Methods are “materials from which a writer derives a governing concept or a manner of working”. Methods can be key terms or specific procedures to follow.

If you are still confused this quote from the article might help you better understand

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

Researching can be confusing. BEAM is not to tell what your sources are but to explain how you should use your sources. There are so many different sources out there and it is easy to get lost in it all. Next time you have a research paper, try to follow this. Break it down and determine exactly what you need to make your paper as clear as you possibly can. Try your best to not get overwhelmed and use these strategies to help you along the way.