Congrats Home Fries. You've just turned in your first high school research paper. You made it. It must feel... well, just how does it feel?
I would like two posts.
Post 1: Please summarize your experience writing this paper. What did you learn about the process? What did you learn about the demands of an honors class? What did you learn about yourself as a student? What will you change next time. How do you think you will change when you get to next year's English class? Let it spill
Post 2: Please respond (with details) to the post of another students.
As always, posts must evidence authenticity, reflection and original thought. Please spend some time with this.(20 points)
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oh what fun this essay was. i have never done an assignment before that put in so much effort. i learned about my stregnths in researching and gathering information. i still believe that my weakness is my ability to truly look at the information/quote/piece of evidence, and say why it is important. i found it quite difficult to keep my thoughts in line with my thesis. i worried i would get off track, like how ms. Gerber explained one of her 10th graders did. it will be so exciting to see what i got(well only if it is good) because i know that grade will reflect how i really did try my best. In the future i need to remember to take more time on say/mean/matter. just sit down with all of my quotes and really reflect. Honors class has taken a whole different meaning now. it is not just read a couple difficult books. it is also the grueling mla as well as six pages on a controversial topic. i am glad the topic(controversial)was so open because i was able to choose something to write about that i felt passionately towards. As a student i can be lazy sometimes, i don't always feel like giving something 100% of my attention. but there was no slacking off in this project. The school year is almost over, which means it is on to bigger and better things...like 10th grade english honors. Just the name frightens me. I know next year's class will be even more rigorous but i know if i take my time i can succeed. i think a clean slate will be good for me next year. my silly mistakes as a freshman behind me, there will be nothing i can't do. Next year's research paper i must remember to plot out and plan more(outline)for the essay. know exactly what i am going to say BEFORE i jump into it!
ReplyDeleteThis essay was most likely the most difficult I've ever done. It may have been that I don't actually watch the news, and certainly don't keep up with it. I knew right away that for any topic I picked I would have to learn about it before I could even write anything. I am certainly glad that I picked racial profiling though. I was initially going to pick illegal immigration, and I can't even imagine how hard THAT would be.
ReplyDeleteBecause this essay was ultimately the most important one of the year, I am actually glad we had done so many before it, so we could get use to the MLA style. However, I still had much to learn, especially concerning the in-text citations and works cited.
I came into this class knowing it would be hard work from start to finish, and this essay certainly proved my suspicions right! But I also know that this is the English level I know I should be at, and that I want to be at, and so if I have to push myself a little to keep at it, so be it. I know that with all of the experience I am earning by being an honors student, I will have an easier time in college. It also helps me to learn more about my faults, and even about my strong points. I am quite the procrastinator, but I also can find perfect ways to word my sentences to get my point across successfully. However, my procrastination may have won over a little this time, and so I have decided that next time I am faced with a massive project such as this one, I won’t leave it till the last minute.
Next year I am sure that it will be just as tough, but I know that will all of the experience from this year, I will be able to push through and create my best work possible.
I agree with Megan, it was difficult to connect all of my paragraph with my thesis, especially with the knowledge that Ms. Gerber's horrendous 10th graders would be compared to me if I did! I also did the unthinkable and got too attached to my thesis. I felt the wording was perfect, and that if I changed it I would never be able to attain the same depth my first did. So instead I make more work for yself and tried to change my paragraphs instead. But I soon realized how silly I was being and just changed a few words in my thesis instead. I never did make it as good as the first, but oh well. Such is the price of a good grade.
ReplyDeleteThis essay was exhausting! At first i thought it would be fun to pick any topic we like and do an essay on it. But after countless nights of staying up late and rewriting and rewriting, I grew tiered of my topic. Towards the end I wished I picked something easier, but now that it is over, I'm glad I chose the death penalty. This was my first research paper, so I had no idea what I was doing. Ms. Gerber explained everything and it turned out pretty good. I am proud of my work, even if I get a bad grade. I learned how to cite sources and use numerous quotes in a paragraph effectively. Next time, however, I will focus mroe on the say/mean/matter. I did not dig as deep as I could have after my quotes. I also want to work on thesis writing, because I find research paper thesises are much harder to write than analysis paper thesises.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Frankie, that procrastination is not the answer. This is a big problem for me, even though I have improved significantly this year. I had to learn all about my topic before I could even start writing, which took some time. Then I had to keep track of my sources and creat citations for each. Like Frankie said, this is an honors class and I signed up for it. So if research paper writing is part of it, I'll write a research paper! This whole experience has amde me a better stufent and I feel more prepared for next year. Now I can say I have atleast one under my belt!
ReplyDeletePost 1:
ReplyDeleteFirst off, this essay was definitely much harder than it was for me to do the other essays! Yes, I learned more about my topic, but I realized that I have a problem staying on the same idea in one topic and not randomly starting to talk about another topic, in the same paragraph! In the process of making my essay, I had to stop after one paragraph and revise and edit it like a lunatic. I had to take a break after typing one paragraph because otherwise I would start to go off topic and just babble why illegal immigration is 'bad'. I learned that the process of making the essay takes time, and a bit of skill to have to research so many topics just on illegal immigration. And, also while making the essay, I made a new friend, his name is the thesaurus :)
I learned that the demands for honors are class are very 'high'. Not just because it is an honors class, but because it is a formal essay. I have to learn that when making a formal essay, I have to watch my wording carefully and how I phrase things. Also, the demands for an honors class are different than a regular English class, but I knew I could do it, even though it was extremely hard for me.
I learned some interesting facts about myself, as a student: A) I need to learn how to write more in a scholarly way B) I need to stay on topic C) I need to STOP making assumptions and get the facts! D) I can actually understand what I am writing about. And, next time I will change the way I look at things and make sure that I stay on topic.
In next year's English class, I think that I will learn from my past mistakes and make sure not to procrastinate, start to make assumptions and know what is expected. But, I think that I will try even harder knowing what we are supposed to write and have in our essay.
Post 2:
ReplyDeleteLike Micah, this essay was EXTREMELY exhausting! Just like Micah, I had stayed up late and finally my topic became so boring, that I was fed up with even hearing illegal immigrants. I think I am also proud of my work because I had worked my hardiest and tried so hard, to get it perfect. Even though my computer because highly annoying because it would change the MLA format, I still worked through it. This time though, I think I had trouble with placing my quotes in certain places and also getting a correct lead- in. In the future, I will know what I am supposed to do and how I will set everything up. And again like Micah, thesis' in research papers are so much harder than in regular paper's. I do not know why, but they just seem that way!
This essay was challenging. Year round school was interesting and I feel I learned a valuable lesson on the topic. This essay was time consuming and I had to learn to manage my time better. aIso liked how the essay was spaced out though. It was nice to see my paper evolve from draft 1 to the final copy. Next time, I hope to focus more on say/mean/matter, instead of mastering the MLA format. In tenth grade, I will develop a more evolved thesis and focus on the say/mean/matter of the essay.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kaley and Micah, the computer changing the MLA format, was frustrating. Also the works cite was frustrating. However, because the drafts were spread out, and the final copy was not due until many weeks after the first draft, it helped me not procrastinate.
ReplyDeleteIn short words, I used to love essays until this. No, I'm just kidding. :) I definitely found it challenging, as I'm sure everyone did, but in a way, it was constructive and taught me many lessons. After each draft, I found myself changing several sentences, paragraphs even, because of all the contructive criticism I received from the people who edited my essay. At one point, I even changed my position on the topic because I thought there was more evidence to support that side! But when I got to the 2nd body paragraph, I realized there was nothing else to say, and I went back to my original position.
ReplyDeleteI was never really up that late doing my essay, and I'm not sure if that means I didn't spend enought time on it, or I...didn't spend enough time on it. Wow. I just realized I didn't spend enough time on it. On the upside, I learned what it really means to be an Honors student. And I feel truly honored to be able to say I finished my first real research paper. The rest of high school is only going to get harder, and I think this really prepared us and gave us a little insight as to what we will face in the years to come. As a student, I further supported my self-thesis that I cannot make decisions for my life; it is one of my greatest weaknesses.
Next time I do a research paper, I will definitely have different people edit my paper. I wish I would have had more of a variety of people look over my paper (no offense to the people that did). Since I really want to pursue writing, I feel that if more people give you feedback on a piece, you will be able to please more readers. Another thing I would change for next time is my time management. Though I was never up too late, I wish I would have spent more time on my introduction and conclusion. Those were the first paragraphs I wrote when we were doing our first draft, and they were the paragraphs I made the least changes to.
Now that I have this essay under my belt, I think I can speak for many people when I say that the next research paper will be just a tad easier because of this paper. Next year we will have more common knowledge, and we will be more familiar with the MLA format.
Is that enough spilling, Ms. Gerber? :D
I agree with Megan when she said she found that her weakness was still analyzing data, and I am completely like that too. It must be a runner's thing :). I also side with Emily when she said it was nice to see her paper evolve from the first to final draft. I actually found my first draft in the recycle bin the other day (yes, I go green), and I read it to myself and nearly laughed aloud at how simple it was compared to what my third and final papers looked like. Lastly, I know what it is like to sit at a computer for so long, Kaley. I cannot sit too long in front of a screen or else I feel like I'm being hypnotized by an inanimate object. Trust me, it's happened before. I am actually surprised I haven't taken a break from these posts yet. I must be in a focused mood...
ReplyDeleteI think many of us feel the same way about this essay: It was helpful, but boy am I glad it's OVER! :)
I had a lot of issues with getting myself into the subject. In almost everything, I hover in the in-between, a gray perfectly centered between black and white. Given that pattern of thought, I tried to write the paper in that shade of gray. I learned this is not a smart idea. It’s amazingly hard to write a gray paper, and that’s not even what we’re supposed to write in the first place. My biggest problem was finding sources that could reflect my point of view. It’s easy enough to get blatantly feminist sources, but sources that are horribly sexist are few and far between, as are truly gray sources. The worst part was finding the opposing side! My problem is that there really isn’t one. The process outside of sources was fine, but the grueling effort of finding sources and quotes made the project arduous. If everyone had the same problems I had, everyone would get the bad grade I will and bemoan the horrors of English Honors, like I am so fond of doing. My worst gripe is that I am such a procrastinator. Before each draft was due, I was working on it the night before, or the morning of. This does not make for a good paper, as my grade will undoubtedly attest. So if I could get the chance to rewind time three or four weeks (or more) I would try to outline and work on S/M/M before the paper was due in five hours. Prewriting would help my end result, for sure. Maybe I should make a big red banner with some little quip about prewriting so I’ll remember come next year.
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem as Frankie with the MLA. I felt like I had it nailed, and then, lo and behold! There’s something new to learn. Like Kaley, I made friends with a thesaurus, on Word. I would just click synonyms and click synonyms and forget I was even writing a paper because I was so engrossed with all the interesting yet stupid words Word has in its little mechanical brain. Then I basically let Word write up my paper with synonyms, then changed it using my own more highly developed (or less developed) vocabulary. That synonyms thing is now my second love, besides video games. In fact, I’m toying with it right now! But not using it, Ms. Gerber. I still have a small remnant of my neurons firing (what’s left of what small amount there was before the research paper.)
ReplyDeleteI did not like writing this essay. I thought it was a really long time to spend on one paper. But i guess that is because i have not had experience in the field of research papers. For the past four years, i have only been assigned essays dealing with rhetoric. I learned i had to prove my point using just the facts, Jack. I had to rely only on my sources to get my information. An honors class is much more demanding because the work load is more and the deadline comes up sooner then expected. But the pressure to turn everything when it's due is good because I KNOW I will i will be pushing those deadlines in the years to come. As a student i learned I'm pretty good at researching and googling information. For my next research paper, which hopefully will not be until next year, I will focus on content rather then the little details. I thin k next year, my writing style will sound more professional and will be less opinionated.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Abby's post, i agree with her when she said finding evidence was hard. It was! Having to constantly back up anything stated in our essays was so tedious. And like all posts, procrastination took its toll on the 9th grade English class. I find it funny we all put it off :p
ReplyDeletePost One:
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard Ms. Gerber announce the requirements for this research paper, I thought about late nights staying up, being booked everyday, and the easiest one; procastination. But over time, I gradually developed a motive to constantly add and correct my essay, perfecting it to the fullest. In this process, I learned that nobody writes a perfect paper first try. It takes revisions and edits, which is why Ms. Gerber assigned weekly rough drafts for us. I admit, as the year flowed by, I thought this class would be super easy, but I suddenly changed my mind when the research paper and HUGE stack of MLA papers bombed my desk. Oh well. I did bubble in "honors" on my registration form. Was I to expect this class getting any easier? As a student, I simply learned that this tremendous world I am living in is called life; I just have to deal with it. It is just like the old prase, "The easiest day was yesterday." Hopefully when another 400 point paper strolls into my life, I will make minor adjustments to the draft each and everyday for 15-30 minuetes. Most importantly, I cannot procastinate. In next years honors class, I have to be more organized, more awake, and more industrious for anything assigned.
K.J/Kevin Qualls
Post Two:
ReplyDeleteI wish there was any boys to comment on at this time. Otherwise, I agree with Micah. It was an exausting paper, but I am also glad I did not take the easy way out. Although in my opinion, I don't agree with what you said about the thesis statement. I felt it was easier to write a thesis in a research paper, rather than literature. But another thing that I agree with Micah, is that you do feel proud after you have that final draft in your hands. You don't care if you get a bad grade or not, just as long as you tried your best. I also thought the highlighting part was fun, corresponding our quotes with our works cited.
-K.J/Kevin Qualls
I am not sure if there is much more to say than what has already been said. When we began the research paper process in class, I was excited. I was curious and anxious to explore the realms of a controversial topic. It may just be my nature, but the main reason I was so thrilled to start the paper was the chance to argue. I absolutely loved the debate, and to me, this was just an extension of that unit. Unfortunately, my excitement faded, essentially before I even started writing. The task of gathering research was excruciatingly tiring. All of the sources seemed repetitive, and I could barely stand to continue reading them. Little did I know that actually writing the paper would be so much worse. I must have changed my thesis, changed my evidence, changed anything that did not seem right a million times. I would come home from volleyball and literally stare at my computer until midnight, while my fingers typed away as fast as they could. At times, I would lie down on the floor and just breathe to relax. I probably made the whole experience harder than it needed to be, but it was pretty difficult to begin with. When I turned in the paper this morning, all I felt was relief. I learned not to underestimate this essay's power to destroy the human soul, and I never want to write another one again. Too bad we still have 3 more to go.
ReplyDeleteI learned that honors classes require extra time and dedication. It is imperative for an honors student to go above and beyond the prompt and examine 'out of the box' methods to solving the assigned problem. Honors classes demand perseverance. There were times I wanted to give up, but simply would not allow myself to do so.
The finished essay showed me that I can make it through some of the toughest challenges school puts in front of me. I also learned I have no desire to do any type of journalism similar to a research report when I grow up. I think I'll stick to writing things that I can say "I" or "Me" in. Those are much more fun.
Next year, I plan not to finish my drafts the night before they are due. I will work on spreading the work out evenly, so the essay does not feel like such a burden.
ok so now i am commenting in post 2 because i posted mine so early there was no one to comment on. i agree with kj on how those several drafts really did make a difference. i know it was for the better because that paper evolved from a basic, one thought to a multi-dimensional piece of art(i wish)the only thing i question is do all those drafts make us more and more bored because we are reminicing too much and not just getting it all out right away...
ReplyDeleteThis essay was the hardest assignment I have had all year! It was hard, time consuming, and even while I wasn't working on it, I was constantly thinking about it and what I was going to do to improve it. The process to writing a term paper is a whole lot different than any normal essay that we have been assigned before. I had to be more careful with MLA formatting and my word choices had to be a lot more thought out. Even though it was harder than the other essays, in a way it was also easier because there were a lot more drafts due in class and the peer editing was very helpful. Because we took so much time working on it, it helped me to write it better. Next time I write a term paper, I will probably start working on it sooner than the week before it is due, so I do not stress myself out the night before trying to make it meet the requirements. Next year in English Honors, I will definitely be more prepared for what is ahead. Coming into an honors class as a freshman was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me, but now that I am almost through it, I am looking forward to next year to see how I improve my writing.
ReplyDeleteThere are countless words I could use to describe this essay, but I'd say the most accurate one is challenging. This essay was difficult to even choose a topic and come up with a thesis, much less to write a full 1,500 words on. I found it required much more thought and time than essays normally do. It was actually damaging both physically and emotionally. (Just kidding!) However, this essay was harder than most, but I learned a ton from it.
ReplyDeleteI learned about the process of writing a research essay, and that it requires focus, thought, and well, research. It was not hard to find evidence that supported my evidence, but it was hard to analyze my data and turn it into written words. I had to truly focus when writing my Say Mean Matter's for this essay, and even then I feel it still was not one of my best essays ever written. Basically, I learned that the process of writing a reasearch essay is quite complex and requires twice as much organization, structure, and concentration.
This essay also revealed something about English 9 Honors as a class. From the begining of the year until the day before this essay was assigned, I thought this course was difficult, but not so challenging to the point where I was losing sleep over it. I learned that as an Honors student, I am going to have advanced assignments sometimes. (By advanced I mean really really really hard!) This essay proved that to me, and also led to a couple hours loss of sleep too.
My sleep deprivation also led me to another concept this essay helped me to discover about myself. I determined that I am a procrastinator. Not as serious a case as Brooke Adams :p, but it is still pretty bad. I waited until the last minute, and that was stupid of me. Next year, I plan to help put together a schedule that tells me what to do each night. It will lay everything out that I need to accomplish, so I am not struggling the night before to get something done.
I completely and totally agree with Anna that this essay was difficult and even a little bit stressful, but high school is only going to get harder. Writing this essay acted as preperation for coming years in English Honors, and has assured me that I can write another essay may not without any problems, but I would know what to do, and the right steps to take. I also agree with Anna when she said that she wished more people edited her essay. I think recieving a variety of views and edits from different types of people will help me to please readers over all.
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOSH!!!!! I completely agree with Kaley!!! While I was writing, i would get so off topic that I would go back and read it and realize how much it sounded like crap and have to start all over! It was terrible... The thesaurus is my new friend too :p. As for what Anna said about not having to stay up late and stress about it... You are crazy! and I am completely jealous! I got so into my paper that while I was researching the opposing side of my topic, I was reading why people thought gay marriage should be illegal and couldn't stop thinking how much of a butt-face they are! I stayed up forever working on it! I also agree with Hannah about how up until now we have been taught nothing except how to write essays using just the facts, and this was definately different.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the process of the research paper I learned that I am short when it comes to explain after the quote. In my essays I tend to use language that can be used in CP English, yet in this essay I "jazzed" it up :). As I researched and read other students’ paper I learned multiply controversial topics that are in the world today, and not just what I hear on the news. In honors the process of a research paper takes extensive edit, as shown in the four different drafts that we turned in. The text citations and word count is rigorous compared to the regular English class which had about half of the in-text citations. As a student I learned that I am capable of what I thought I would never be able to accomplish. Some of the essays in the past I felt like I was not expressing myself to the extent that I have in this essay. On my next research paper I will insert my text citations as I add them instead of forgetting to insert them until the last minute.
ReplyDeleteNext year in my research essay, I am going to extend my paragraphs with throughout detail to emphasize the argument that I explain with loads of ethos. My 10th grade essay will contain quotes with mean and matter that follows, to show the meaning. I will persevere to maintain what I have stated in my thesis throughout my body paragraphs.
I am most definitely relieved that I am done with a research essay for this year and giddy that we had multiple peer edits.
I agree with Kaley and Monica. I would get off subject many times, and when I went back to edit, I found statements that were irrelevant to my thesis. This essay was completely different from the previous essays and was a good break and relieving that we are finally done!...for now. For Jordan, heck yah was it was difficult to fit 1,500 words without feeling like you have fluffed it! As for many of us it was interesting how many controversial topics that are just now surfacing to us.
ReplyDeleteWriting my research paper was definitely a challenge. Since there had to be so much information packed into one short essay, it was difficult to get all my thoughts together and to organize them in a logical way. However, I did learn a lot about the process. I learned that it was important to stay on top of things and make sure your drafts were completed the day that they were due. Having four peer edits was an advantage because I was able to take Ana’s suggestions and incorporate them into my essay each time to make it better. In addition, I learned about the demands of an honors class and how we were expected to do much more than the regular English classes. We were required to have more parenthetical citations, sources, S/M/M’s and even our page requirements were higher.
ReplyDeleteAs a student, I learned that I have difficulties keeping my thoughts in line with my thesis. I also found it pretty hard to not overstate, especially because we were focusing on one specific topic. Next time, I will try and focus more on the S/M/M’s. I don’t think I dug as deep as I could have, so I hope that I’ll do better next year! I’m looking forward to see how my writing improves next year. :)
I agree with Micah and Kaley about the thesis statements! For some reason, writing the thesis statement for the research paper was excruciatingly painful and I found that it was way harder than the previous ones we wrote! And Word kept changing the MLA format for me too. Sometimes it would be double spaced and it would randomly switch to single spacing. It was annoying, but thankfully I was able to get through it and hopefully all the hard work will pay off! :D
ReplyDeleteLike Frankie, I’m glad that we were forced to write several drafts because they really helped with the MLA format. Also, I was able to learn more about in-text citations and how to properly cite my sources.
Also, I agree with Monica. While I was researching about the advantages of animal testing, it was hard not to take out all my anger. I don’t see how animal testing is useful in any way, but that’s just my opinion. I was, however, able to at least acknowledge some of their opinions and use them in my essay.
Writing this research paper was an overall enjoyable experience for me. Though it was challenging, it was interesting to learn facts that I did not all ready know and it taught me a lot. I already knew that honors would be much more challenging and was prepared to accept it. As a student, I learned that you can never learn enough vocabulary. In formal essays, it is always better to use more interesting words and makes the essay sound smarter! Next years honor class will probably be even more challenging but I will continue to work to my fullest potential and plan to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Frankie; it was much more work than any other of the essays, but I found it more enjoyable because my topic was something that I felt strongly about.I also agree with Anjali. It was hard to get all of my thoughts organized. There is so much information on illegal immigration that at first , I did not even know where to start, but then I made an outline and my thoughts became a bit more organized.
ReplyDeleteI really think that my first research paper went pretty well. It was a great learning experience for me. Now for next year I know what it will take for my next research paper. The paaper had its demands, but thats what honors classes are about. All honors class has done for me is just make me improve after every day. Honors class has really helped me and I am so thankful for this. Next year for my research paper I am going to find my sources earlier than this time. If it wasn't for all of our drafts I probably would have been up all night last night. The drafts really helped me to not procrastinate, Thanks Ms.Gerber! Next year I think my main focus on changeing is my procastination. That will really help me out next year for honors.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amy. The research paper was longer than our essays, but it was a great experience. It really helped me out a lot with my works cited, and my MLA formating. And I now know how to find quotes on a specific topic. Also I agree that I knew that honors was going to be a challenge to, but it is defenetly worth it.
ReplyDeleteDoing the research paper was a long and tedious process. But, as with most hard work comes great reward. I learned what it takes to make a great research paper: it takes evidence from experts, as well as the opposing sides opinions. I found it difficult to find quotes from actual experts. Most quotes I found were from untrustworthy people. I also learned if I were in a CP class, I would have only needed 6 pieces of evidence and far less words. But this is an HONORS class. Great thing are expected of us and we are expected to exceed all expectations. Writing this paper told me I must strive to work for best grade I can before the last night. I must give it my all throughout this long process. Next time, (I wish there weren't) I have to make better drafts because I kept saying to myself that I would add these things on to the essay but I didn't until the day before the final draft was due. I have to put down the guitar, turn off the TV/ iPod and get to work!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Megan, this paper required more work than any other essay/paper I have ever done. This paper would keep me up until the late hours of the night but it was probably my fault because I didn't work hard enough during the drafts. I also agree with Anjali, keeping on topic was a task hard to complete. I had to edit my paper and even take out paragraphs to replace them with new ones to ensure I was staying on topic and not contradicting my thesis.
ReplyDeleteTo me the research paper was the most time consuming essay I have ever worked on. The most challenging part was probably trying to write about my topic in 1,500 words. As much as I did not like writing the research paper I did learn many things about my topic that I did not know about before. I learned that in a honors class a research paper must be close to perfect and that one cannot start their research paper a day before it is due and expect to get a good grade. As a student I learned that I can accomplish anything that I put my mind to do. I did not think that I would be able to write about my topic in 1,500 words but in the end I was able to do so. One thing that I would change next time would be that I would start on my research paper earlier and spend more time on it. In next years English Class I feel that I will be prepared for my next research paper, because now I know what to expect and what to improve on.
ReplyDeleteI agree with chris that with hard work comes great reward. I also found it difficult to find quotes from experts as well as the opposing side. Most of the quotes that I found were based on people opinions and were repetitive. On the opposing side all the quotes seemed alike as well. They all mentioned the same exact things and some were not even accurate facts. I also agree with Nico, Honor Classes have also made me improve and become a better writer.
ReplyDeleteDespite what I thought would happen, I actually enjoyed writing this essay. In the beginning, I was semi-careless, just spitting out an essay without much thought. But as we did not two, not three, but FOUR drafts, I came to realize how much better I can make my writing just by having friends and myself reread it. This process of writing and rewriting sources, S/M/M's, and transitions, made me learn how strenuous, but rewarding writing is. This research paper also proved the difference between English AB and English Honors. With such high expectations, I thought I would never live up to them, but strangely, the high expectations only improved my essay. I constantly told my friends during this process, "I have never written a better essay," which is true, but I guess I could have said, "I've never put this much effort into an essay." I learned that despite my desperate tries to procrastinate, Ms. Gerber did not allow this, and...I am kind of glad. I learned that even though I have used procrastination as a crutch, I am a much better writer and student when I start early. Next time, I will (I plan to) sit down and make myself write, then spend extra time editing, because I love the feeling of "I've never written a better essay."
ReplyDeleteAs I said in my first post, I enjoyed the vast amount of time we used for this essay, so I completely disagree with Hannah. However, I totally agree with Hannah when she said it was difficult to only rely on sources. I hate relying on sources! I'm pretty sure everyone knows that I LOVE my opinion and probably the most difficult part of the paper was just keeping my two-sense out.
ReplyDeleteWhen Anna said she felt she didn't spend enough time on her essay because she didn't stay up late writing it, I couldn't disagree more. I have had my fair share of late-night-essay-writing, and when I do that, I feel as if I put no effort in at all. But in this essay, I had not one late night and I felt like I had never put more effort in. So no, late nights don't mean anything Anna!
And because I realize I have spent too much time disagreeing (like I always do), here's some people I agreed with:
I agree with Hannah and Abby that finding valid sources was difficult. I found LOADS of info, but half of it was from blogs, that according to Ms. Gerber, aren't valid. Thanks, Ms. G.
Lastly, I agree with Jordan. No one is as awesome of a procrastinator as I am. (I thought that fact should be known!)
I strongly agree with what Kevin said. I was not expecting the research essay to be such a difficult and demanding assignment. I too am guilty of procrastinating when writing my essay. However, I would disagree with the difficulty of writing enough. I believe the topics were so rich in material that it was difficult simply to narrow the subject down to a single point. Even when I had a set subject, I could not help but want to expand my argument further. This is probably just because I can naturally write on hours on end. The only problem, I do not always necessarily enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Anjali. The peer edits were an enormous help. Sometimes, I felt like lost when writing my paper. I appreciated them more for the advice of what to put in as content, than the grammar and phrasing. Having a partner lessened some of the stress of writing the paper because I knew that whenever I was stuck, I could move on and talk to someone about it the next day.
Post 1: The word I would use to describe the overall work to write my research paper is demanding. The research paper was extremely demanding, and the fact that we could not include our opinion made it more difficult. The process was tiring, especially all the specific MLA formatting. I think that finding good quotes was the most challenging part since the whole research paper is made up of those quotes, and if you want your paper to be good, then the quotes better be good. An honors class really is an honors class. Not only does it require more diligence, but it requires an advanced acquirement of basic skills such as time managing and organizing. This paper truly made me question the retaking of English Honors next year, but the truth is that I go to school to learn and I have to get all the education possible so I decided to step my game up and take honors again. I learned that if I really want to push myself to the limit and work my hardest I can do it, its just that I'm lazy most of the time. Next time I will definitely change my time management. I did not manage my time correctly at all and I know my research paper could have been better. Now I know what to do next year, and I'm prepared for the challenges next year's English Honors class holds.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with everything KJ said in his post. The procrastinating need to stop, it's killing me. Also I wish I put more time than I did on my research paper since it is worth so much, but I did put quite a great amount of effort into it. Also, the weekly drafts were great help because I know that if we have not done them then I would have been doomed and my paper would've been garbage.
Well... I must say I feel extremely accomplished! I put alot of my time into this essay, and tried my best to keep track of all the little rules and guideliness, i know i could have done a better job with some of the small things like editing, but I feel i did a great job on my MLA and with finding quotes with credability. I feel like if i would have had a better understand of exactly what a research paper must have and what it must not have. I felt like i was doing this blindly, and I think that's why I had so many questions that we're never answered.But on a more positive note, I now feel like if I really put my mind to writting i can do it. At first i had trouble with finding quotes and making them flow but finnnaly at the 4th draft everything just snapped into place. I thought my essay would be short because I didn't have alot of say mean matter, but it actually turned out to be 8 pages which makes me proud because i don't think i have ever put that much thought into such a small topic without being repetivitve. I learned that, as a student, I should really start taking school more seriously, I realized that it's not like middle school where you can cruise and still get A's, I know that I have to put in alot more work. I feel that next year will be a challenge because I am taking new ASB responsibilities and harder classes, but I am ready and excited to acomplish all my goals next year.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chris, in that when I was writing my drafts I could easily make all the changes on paper, but when i got home and got ready to type them i kept getting super confused and ended up saying oh ill do it tomorrow, which definatly needs to stop.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Frankie and Amy, in that this essay wasn't that bad because I felt strongly about the topic which made it fun(it was just really hard to keep out my opinion) also i felt really determined to prove my point in my essay, which gave me a strong drive to do well.
It's finally done! I thought it wasn't that much of a horrible experience considering I at least learned something, but other than that... well, yes, it was a pretty arduous experience for me. I was so used to writing about things I already know about and are simple to explain, that when we began dong this research paper I could not help but feel lost. To write this paper I needed to know almost EVERYTHING about my topic or else the essay would have looked like a bunch of facts squished together. I think it helped me when I did an outline of the essay because it set the stage for me to begin writing. However, I should have done the outline far before I actually did.
ReplyDeleteI can think of so many things I will do differently next year. First, I will make the outline before the first draft while making sure that though the first draft does not need to be perfect, it should be a solid base that I can easily move on from. Second, I will not procrastinate with any of the drafts because I noticed that if I started on it too late, I did not give it my best effort. Thirdly, I will gather quotes before I begin the writing process and see which ones I can possible incorporate into my writing and which ones I will eliminate. Something that goes a long with this is making a works cited for everything so that at the end I can just erase the ones I did not use. Overall, I think i will use my time more wisely to cheack over any mistakes and take every draft seriously so that when the essay is due, I would just need to make minor changes.
English Honors takes a lot out of me, but I think that it is worth it because it prepares me for college and higher level classes. next year I will try to keep everything more organized and realize that though there is much work involved in class, it will all feel worth the time and effort at the end, knowing i tried my best. I also need to change my procrastination and mindset, but I think I am up for the challenge.
I can picture me in class next year as the teacher assigns the tenth grade research paper, and I think to myslef, "Great". Though I mean it in a sarcastic tone, I know I will be better prepared next year!
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ReplyDeleteI definently agree with Diego about how this essay was damanding. It indeed did demand time, concern, thought, and patience. Kind of like a puppy, the better you train it, the better it will come out being. I also agree about how writing the essay would have been difficult without organization and that procrastination was a silent killler that could come out the day before any draft was due. I think that everyone in class learned things that they will take on and i think that is the most important part of this experience.
I deffinatley found this essay challeneging because it was a lot more work then I had expected. It took a lot of time and effort to do this essay. I had to think of clever and interesting ways to convey my points in the essay. It was also difficult to give several examples of ethos in the paper and find the quotes that fit well with my essay. I learned that when I am writing a research paper, I need to take it step by step and take my time writing it. The demands of an honor class are very challenging and difficult. The harsh demands of an honor class will help me better prepare for the future and the next years to come in Highschool. As a student, I learned to manage my time better and not procrastinate. Essays like this take a lot of time and thinking so I need to start early and get a head start.
ReplyDeleteNext time i write a research paper, I will get some strong quotes before i begin writing the paper so I know what key and points I want to emphasize. In my future English classes I will be sure to prepare myself so i do not have to stress and feel more pressure.
I agree with analise when she said that writing the research paper was new and hard to do when I had no idea what was expected in a research paper. Now that I know what a research paper demands I am sure that writing my next one will be a lot less confusing.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Frankie because wirting this essay was interesting because i felt stringly about the topic. I could use string persuassive language to prove my point.
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ReplyDeleteFinally done!! This essay was probably the most time consuming essay I have ever written. The most challenging aspect would have to be finding quotes and interpreting say/mean/matter. The process of gathering all your research and facts took a great amount of effort. I found it challenging to write 1500 words on one topic which created a great amount of stress. But hey, i guess that's what it takes to keep up with the demands of a honors class. The MLA was frustrating in many ways. All those stupid in text citations just kept my mind spinning. But i guess we have to acknowledge the site where we got our resources from. I have to thank Ms. Gerber for giving us a great amount of time to work on our essays and to rectify our mistakes. It helped me in many ways in which I realized that I should take the time we have and use it to the fullest. I hope we will be able to have that much time on our next research paper. As a student I realized that my mind tends to get distracting easily. I also exhibit the qualities of a sluggard person and procrastinate my works which kills me. Next time I will use the time given to take my essay to a greater level. Also, when I write my research paper I will think of my experience and correct my mistakes. Know that I know how much effort this essay takes, I will work diligently until it has been perfected. I am just glad that I am done and as of this point, I do not want to think of another research essay again!!
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ReplyDeleteI agree with KJ in all aspects of what it takes to perfect my essay. I also learned that a great essay can not be written the first time as it takes many corrections and edits. Procrastination killed me as well as I had to create a mind set to focus and stay on track. I have to agree with Monica as I was also thinking about my essay when I wasn't even working on it. I guess this essay took my soul which kept making me think of ways I could improve it.
In the end, I do not think that the research paper was as an ardous of an experience as it was rumored. Although it took many hours of work to write and revise it to the point where I was finally content, I believe that it was all definitely worth it. I think that the multiple drafts were hugely important in molding the perfect piece of writing. It allowed me to spend more time than I usually do, reading and rereading my essay, which I think was quite beneficial. I learned that organization is highly important in how I spend my time writing. I also learned that it is a tremendous help to write about a topic that I have strong feelings towards. It allowed me to internalize the assignment and create a compelling argument through the use of ethos and logos. I also realized that to truly write a great essay, I must take a long time on it. I saw that I was able to correct mistkes that I might not have found normally, with the extra time that I put towards the paper.
ReplyDeleteWriting the research paper solidified my view of honors classes. I already knew that it takes a ridiculous amount of work to succeed in an honors class, and I knew I would spend many late nights and long hours on the research paper. But after actually completing it, I know that I was not only right about the level of work, but that it also took even more dedication and time to finish it than most other essays or projects I have had for that class. It was my choice to enroll in honors, and I am quite content with that, because I would rather work hard and learn much, than not learn much at all.
This essay taught me that I am a diligent worker, who can accomplish much, but that I must not procrastinate, because pushing work off has the ability to make life quite difficult for me. I learned that I love to write even more than I thought before, despite its difficulty at times.
The next time I write a research paper, I think that I will try to spread out the time that I work on it more evenly, so that the whole process is less stressful. I also plan on writing many drafts, even if my teacher does not require them, because of how helpful they were. I will definitely choose to write about a topic that is interesting to me, because of how much easier it makes the writing process. Next year, in English Ten Honors, I will continue to work as hard as ever, and be as dedicated as I can possibly be. I love to learn, and although it can involve hard work, I will defnitely continue to challenge myself to learn as much as I can.
I definitely agree with Keith that some nights I felt utterly exhausted while working on the essay, and I truly did not want to write any more. But I knew that I could not do anything about that. I also enjoyed researching my topic, so it was easy for me to stay focused. Therefore, I also agree with Brooke in that I liked writing the essay. I definitely concur with Anna Farello's statement that it was helpful to have multiple people edit my work. The added input was quite influential in how I shaped my essay. I will definitely try to have many people edit my essays in the future.
ReplyDeleteOverall the research paper was fun. It was mostly fun because we were able to choose our topics. I chose illegal immigration which I felt passionate and eager to learn more about. The process of the research itself is tedious but informative. While researching articles and websites, I found myself lurking for more ideas than necessary. But, then comes the say mean matter. This process is not as blunt as the research. Commentary is always something I struggle with. But, in this particular essay I felt my matters were a bit short and needed a deeper analysis. Because I did a 25 page research paper in middle school, the process of MLA was not hard at all. I had a few questions about the "qtd. in” and using ethos in the lead-ins. But overall, I flew by the mla.
ReplyDeleteFrom essays and projects earlier in the year, I already knew how hard honors would be, but, this research paper shed new light on the demands of honors. This paper definitely taught me to procrastinate less. Because we had four drafts, I had to get at least one section of my paper done a week. There was no slacking in this paper. Since, I did not procrastinate much in this paper, next time I will take the time to really analyze my quotations and understand how they are relevant to my thesis. Because of ms. Gerber's constant degradation of the 10th grade research paper, I know I will have to step it up next year. Next year I will try not to input my opinion in my paper at all because that took most of my editing time and try to outline the topic before jumping right in.
I agree with Anna when she said she would like to have different people edit her paper. Although editing is a huge plus to our time given in class, I think it is also important that someone outside of our classrooms grades our paper. Someone outside of the classroom has no idea of any protocols or mla. They would grade on simply content. I also agree with Keith when he says he was excited and anxious to start the research paper because of the chance to argue. According to my mother, I am disputatious and argue everything. So, the research paper was my chance to argue away. Because I will be the next girl Johnny Cochran, this paper was just practice for my future endeavors.
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