Here comes an important step in the research process: the proposal. No, I'm not talking about getting down on one knee and asking to write about the topic. This proposal helps you, as the writer, figure out what you are actually researching, why you're researching it, and what kind of questions you have to ask while you're researching. The first step is deciding your inquiry question. This is your main idea when writing your essay. The second step is finding out your primary purpose. Finding this purpose helps you come up with additional questions that may help you discover the answers you need and decide on your main theory of hypothesis for your essay. And lastly, the third step is to ask yourself if you have prior beliefs, ideas, or prejudices towards your topic. What personal experiences have caused you to feel this way? What are you thinking about it now? Here are my thoughts all written down, and I hope you enjoy reading my reasons for why I'm so passionate in finding out the answer to my inquiry question. Happy writing!
1. Inquiry Question: In what ways can being a nutritionist glorify God?
2. Primary Purpose
Explore: Are nutritionists needed out in the missionary field? What all does being a nutritionist entail and what job opportunities are available?
Argue: I have a theory that there is a commonly overlooked aspect in the field of nutrition that can glorify God. That is my tentative thesis, as of now.
3. With this project, I am bringing a preconceived interest in the field of nutrition. My entire life, I have had difficulties with my health dealing with my nutritional needs. Unfortunately, for the past 7 weeks, I have been dealing with even more difficulties. I have a worsening case of anemia and because my illness has gone untreated for so long, my immune system is very weak and so my body is constantly fighting off infections that I can't always deal with. My doctors are offering no help, so it's up to me to heal myself (all in God's will, of course). Due to these health issues, I have decided to change my major to Nutrition and Dietetics, and the main question that pops into my mind when thinking about it is "How can I glorify God through these future studies?" I hope this research essay is going to help me figure all that out.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Are you not curious? - Blog #2
Hello all! At the ripe old age of 18, I noticed it was beginning to become more difficult to come up with topics for research essays, but then I found a fun new way to get some thoughts going! For this blog post, I went through an exercise in "The Curious Researcher" that sparked some curiosity in my (tired, college-fried) mind.
Step 1: I had to choose three titles (already chosen) and brainstorm a list of words or phrases that come to mind when I think about what I know and what I might want to know about the category. Here's my list:
Places
Paris
Lancaster, Pa
Boston, Ma
New York
North Carolina
London
Spain
Amsterdam
Los Angeles, Ca
San Francisco, Ca
Florida
Georgia
Jobs
Actress
Singer
Dancer
Nutritionist
Personal Trainer
Teacher
Police Officer
Nurse
Hobbies
Weightlifting
Running
Singing
Dancing
Painting
Writing
Drawing
Step 2: For the second step, I was instructed to pick a topic that stood out to me and that I thought could open doors to knowledge that might be relevant to my life. So, my choice was the most relevant and challenging topic in my life currently: Nutritionist.
Step 3: And for the third and final step, I had to generate a list of questions that I would love to explore about the subject I chose. And here are my most burning questions about the topic of being a Nutritionist:
What all does being a nutritionist entail?
How important are nutritionists in society?
How great is the need for nutritionists on mission trips in other countries?
Could nutritionists travel along with missionaries and help others in need?
In what ways can being a nutritionist glorify God?
What are the main difficulties in being a nutritionist?
What are some ways to branch out in the field of nutrition?
Wasn't that a fun exercise? I thought it was! (Sorry, I'm an English nerd) Well, I hope reading that exercise sparked some curiosity in your mind. When you or someone you know starts to write their next research essay, pull this out and get the creative juices flowing!
Step 1: I had to choose three titles (already chosen) and brainstorm a list of words or phrases that come to mind when I think about what I know and what I might want to know about the category. Here's my list:
Places
Paris
Lancaster, Pa
Boston, Ma
New York
North Carolina
London
Spain
Amsterdam
Los Angeles, Ca
San Francisco, Ca
Florida
Georgia
Jobs
Actress
Singer
Dancer
Nutritionist
Personal Trainer
Teacher
Police Officer
Nurse
Hobbies
Weightlifting
Running
Singing
Dancing
Painting
Writing
Drawing
Step 2: For the second step, I was instructed to pick a topic that stood out to me and that I thought could open doors to knowledge that might be relevant to my life. So, my choice was the most relevant and challenging topic in my life currently: Nutritionist.
Step 3: And for the third and final step, I had to generate a list of questions that I would love to explore about the subject I chose. And here are my most burning questions about the topic of being a Nutritionist:
What all does being a nutritionist entail?
How important are nutritionists in society?
How great is the need for nutritionists on mission trips in other countries?
Could nutritionists travel along with missionaries and help others in need?
In what ways can being a nutritionist glorify God?
What are the main difficulties in being a nutritionist?
What are some ways to branch out in the field of nutrition?
Wasn't that a fun exercise? I thought it was! (Sorry, I'm an English nerd) Well, I hope reading that exercise sparked some curiosity in your mind. When you or someone you know starts to write their next research essay, pull this out and get the creative juices flowing!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Curiouser and Curiouser - Blog #1
Have you ever found yourself completely stuck when writing on a topic that you don't even find remotely interesting? If you answered no, you're lying. I recently began reading a book for my English Composition class called "The Curious Researcher" by Bruce Ballenger and I dreaded even opening the book! However, the first page offers a fun exercise where Bruce gives the reader a number of different statements that you must either agree or disagree with and you must spend three minutes just typing what comes to mind about the statements you chose. I must admit, I did find it kind of hard to explain myself after my initial response, but I forced myself to think deeper into the subject and figure out why I felt that way. Here are the two statements I chose. Enjoy!
The belief I think is false from "The Curious Researcher" is that when you're writing, you are mainly writing to your instructor. I do not agree with that at all. Has there ever been a specific group of people that you may know or have heard of that pop into your head as you're writing that may care about what you have to say? If that has never happened to you, I suggest you pick other topics to write about. Yes, the reports and research essays that you're writing may only be for a grade, but the subject you're writing about must be important to someone out in the world, correct? There must always be a targeted audience when writing because otherwise, it is a research essay written in vain. Someone out there cares is interested in the subject you're writing about so you might as well direct it towards them.
Another statement that I find interesting is "When two experts disagree, one of them has to be wrong." I agree with this statement to a certain degree. When two "experts" disagree, how much can you really trust that either of them are truly experts in that topic? If they were experts, wouldn't they be agreeing on their intelligence? There is also a great possibility that both of them are wrong and it is a wasted argument fueled by ignorance. I love researching different topics and finding contradicting information because then curiosity has been sparked inside of me. Now I must go find the real answer! So maybe the next time I find two "experts" disagree, it's chance for me to become the real expert.
The belief I think is false from "The Curious Researcher" is that when you're writing, you are mainly writing to your instructor. I do not agree with that at all. Has there ever been a specific group of people that you may know or have heard of that pop into your head as you're writing that may care about what you have to say? If that has never happened to you, I suggest you pick other topics to write about. Yes, the reports and research essays that you're writing may only be for a grade, but the subject you're writing about must be important to someone out in the world, correct? There must always be a targeted audience when writing because otherwise, it is a research essay written in vain. Someone out there cares is interested in the subject you're writing about so you might as well direct it towards them.
Another statement that I find interesting is "When two experts disagree, one of them has to be wrong." I agree with this statement to a certain degree. When two "experts" disagree, how much can you really trust that either of them are truly experts in that topic? If they were experts, wouldn't they be agreeing on their intelligence? There is also a great possibility that both of them are wrong and it is a wasted argument fueled by ignorance. I love researching different topics and finding contradicting information because then curiosity has been sparked inside of me. Now I must go find the real answer! So maybe the next time I find two "experts" disagree, it's chance for me to become the real expert.
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