Blog Post 3 – Research
As I enter my fifth week of college, I can already see how much I have learned about research and how important these skills will be throughout college. At first, the process felt a bit overwhelming with figuring out where to look, how to know if a source was reliable, and how to cite correctly. After learning to use the library’s website and practicing APA format, I feel more confident and prepared to take on more research assignments in the future.
One of the most valuable things I have learned is how to determine the credibility of a source. Before this class, I usually would just search on Google, but obviously it usually wouldn’t lead to the best or most accurate information. Now I understand how to find peer-reviewed journals, articles, and other sources. This is important because, as someone interested in psychology and working with children, I know that I will need strong and trustworthy research to back up my ideas. I can already imagine using these skills when writing papers on child development or mental health issues.
I’ve also realized that research is more than just finding quotes to insert into a paper. It’s about using evidence to support my own ideas. I feel much more comfortable now combing my voice with the research I’ve gathered, instead of just repeating what other people have said. Learning how to paraphrase has been a big part of that. I was nervous about accidentally plagiarizing, but after practicing, I’m starting to trust myself a little bit more.
There are still areas where I need to improve though. For example, I can identify basic primary and secondary sources but sometimes I still get confused about which is which when dealing with articles that mix data and analysis. I also want to get better at narrowing my research questions so I’m not wasting time looking through stuff that just isn’t relevant.
Hi Thomas,
I really liked your reading your post and could relate to a lot of what you said about learning to do research in college. When I started using the library website instead of google and felt the same way you did. It’s like seeing a whole new world of information. It definitely takes practice to understand which sources are credible or not. But it seems that you have a good concept of finding those sources.
You made a great point about how research isn’t just about filling your paper with quotes. That is something that I’ve and many other people have learned the hard way. When I was in high school I used to get sources just to have them. I wouldn’t use them at all because all I needed was google. I understand now that to make a stronger argument you need to connect your sources to your paper. I like when you said mixing your own voice with your research. That is such an important part of becoming a strong and confident writer. It shows that you aren’t just writing down what you find but are thinking critically about the topic.
I like that you connecting your research to your future career. Knowing how to find trustworthy sources in this field is extremely important. In this constantly changing field you need to know what to believe and what not to. It is very smart that you’re already thinking about how this class will help you in the long run.
You mentioned how you find it hard to the difference between primary and secondary sources. I totally understand that I used to have the same problem. Especially when the sources seems that it is a primary source but it is actually a secondary source. Now it is easy to distinguish between because if they collect the data then it is a primary source. If it seems that they are just summarizing then it is a secondary source.
Great piece thank you for writing it. Looking forward to the next.
Cody