Course Assistant Introduction

Hi my name is Jamie, I will be the course assistant for ENGL 202-036 (3:30-4:45).  Just giving everybody the heads up that this class is a lot of work, however what you put into the class you get back tenfold! I really came away with a lot learned. As long as you guys stay on top of the homework and assignments you will do fine! Look forward to working with you all this semester.

Reflection of Semester

My biggest fears in the beginning of the course was to do well in the course. Writing was never my strong point, so the fact that the class was writing intensive class was a very big issue!!! The summer emails really caught me off guard because what professor emails his a month or two before school? The emails just made me more and more anxious as the first day of class came closer and closer. Writing blogs and having my own web page as well as having to read two novels was very overwhelming and did nothing for my anxiety. The first day of class only added to stress when blogs assignments were introduced as well as the “speech” to basically get the lazy students to drop the class. The blogs even though were a pain, were actually a huge life saver. It allowed me to just get over the fear of writing and also improved my writing by allowing me to express myself better and faster. My fears and anxiety I feel is what pushed me to write my paper. As the semester went by the blogs became less involved and the work load was more spaced out and easier to complete. My anxiety and fears seemed to ease up as the semester come to a close.  Now that the semester is almost over, my work has been just really tweaking and perfecting the works that I have already completed. I don’t plan on having a future as a researcher, but I do writing since I am going to be a teacher. This course allowed me not only to improve my writing skills,but my reading and analyzing skills too. I would have to say one of my proudest moments in the course was getting a response back from the editor of Greek America Magazine for publishing my work. I definitely know that Anne LaMott’s Shitty first drafts will stick with me as well as taking the research process one step at a time. Doing the work little by little makes it become less complex and stressful. Overall, the stress and hard work payed off and I have come away with a lot.

Research Final Paper Reflection

The most useful assignment when helping me create my research paper was probably blog number 4 because it got me thinking on possible topic ideas, my methodology, and finally what places could I possibly send my work off to be published. Actually, during the homework assignment I received a response back from the editor of Greek America Magazine. Also blog number 4 aided me in the process of beginning to gather research for my paper. I feel that the most helpful feedback I received during the research writing process was when my first paper was peer-reviewed. The peer reviews allowed me to see what I needed to go back and fix as well as areas in my work that needed to be re-worded or rearranged. My first paper purpose was to get all my ideas down on paper, so having someone to read over and give me feedback was very helpful. The most difficult process during the drafting process was going back and trying to make sections of my paper more clear and understandable. It was hard to fix parts of my paper when the reviewer just really gave me vague tips on improving certain sections of the paper. The easiest part of the drafting process was fixing the mechanic errors throughout my paper. I really feel that my ethnic/identity section of my research paper really shows off my skills as a writer, because I feel its more developed.

Creative Proposal

I decided to do the creative proposal because I got an email for a possible publication in Greek America Magazine. The editor told me,

"We are currently considering including a section of stories from young
people, like you, in upcoming editions. Please feel free to email me
stories you have written and would like to see published in Greek
America Magazine."

Sharing my own personal experiences of growing up Greek in America is something that I want to share.  I plan to include stories of my involvement in the church and my family. Also I want to include the main idea of my research , that involvement in the church and activities is one of the only places I am able to celebrate my heritage and ethnicity.

Peer Review Reflection

 

I feel that I have learned a lot the writing process. I never thought I could write so much! Writing a paper for me was always getting it perfect the first time, which meant sitting at the computer forever working a sentence at a time. Ever since taking this class, I have been able to just sit and write and not contemplate over every word, just focus on getting all my thoughts down. After writing  I then just review and tweak the paper in a series of revisions. I have always had my paper revised , but it was always usually done either by a friend or sometimes my mom, right before the paper was due and often just revised once. Doing many revisions and editing , I feel will give me a great result.

I feel that the one thing I came away with from my research project, is the realization that the church and religion  play a very significant role in my ethnic identity. The research and writing I have completed over the past couple of weeks helped me build upon this idea that the church is not only significant but vital for Greek Americans to stay tied to their ethnic identities and roots. Also my research project proved that I am a credible source. My autoethnography allowed me to see that I not only know about my ethnicity and culture, but I am an expert. Overall, this whole project has been a great learning experience of  writing and research process, but also about myself as well.

Peer Reviews

College Student Views On Interfaith Relationships

By: Samuel Weinblum

I felt Sam did a great job with the introduction. I really felt it was effective to use his own personal story to begin his paper. It caught my attention and made we want to keep reading.  The whole paper was very informative with a great variety of sources(great balance of statistics and writing). Also, it involves sources but is still very clear and easy to read.

The only real issues I found in Sam’s paper is just a few mechanical errors, some quotation errors, and finally change in font. All I really fixed was just block quote and the mechanical errors. Other than little grammatical errors and fixing the font to 12pt Times New Roman Sam is definitely on the right path.

Overall the paper was great  I gave the paper a 4 for  quality of information, sources, organization and I gave the paper a  3 for mechanics. This totaled to a score of 18/20. My only other suggestions would be to add some more sources into the literature review and to make some minor corrections.

The Changing Dead

By: Paige Douglass

I really found her paper to be a very interesting read. The introduction was great! I felt that the descriptive scene really helped set up the rest of the paper. Not only does it catch the reader’s attention,but also really provides the reader with some background knowledge of what funerals were like in ancient times. Overall, it is a great start to the paper.

The problems I found in the paper was some mechanical errors , re-phrasing some sections, and more transitions. In MLA formatting I do not think that  you need to include a p or pg for page number. I feel that the paper just needs some mechanical errors and just including some more transition sentences within the paragraphs.

Overall, the paper is on the right path just needs some more adjustments and more information. I gave the paper a 3 quality of information, 3 sources, 4 organization and a 2 for mechanics. This totaled 15/20.

Results/Discussion/Conclusion

Result

The Language Center of Asian Institute of  Technology highlights some important ideas and concepts when writing the results section of a research paper as:

1.”Statement of results: the results are presented in a format that is accessible to the reader (e.g. in a graph, table, diagram or written text)” (1).

2.“The text includes too much detail that simply repeats data presented in graphs, tables, etc. without making the results meaningful”(1).

3. The results should be clear and easy for the reader to understand.

David Caprette, professor from Rice University explains the purpose of a results section as, “The purpose of a results section is to present and illustrate your findings. Make this section a completely objective report of the results, and save all interpretation for the discussion” (1). Also, He brings up the important “DONTS” when writing a results section. The next two I found to be most helpful, 1. “Do not present the same data more than once” (1) and 2. “Do not discuss or interpret your results, report background information,or attempt to explain anything”(1).

Discussion

The article Writing Research Papers identifies the fundamental questions that should be answered in the discussion. The fundamental questions are:

1. Do your results provide answers to your testable hypotheses? If so, how do you interpret your findings?

2. Do your findings agree with what others have shown? If not, do they suggest an alternative explanation or perhaps a unforseen design flaw in your experiment (or thesis?)

3. Given your conclusions, what is our new understanding of the problem you investigated and outlined in the Introduction?

4. If warranted, what would be the next step in your study, e.g., what experiments would you do next?

The Language Center of Asian Institute of  Technology also describes the discussion section as a place where you explain and present your findings. Some other helpful hints  The Language Center of Asian Institute of Technology are:

1.”Refer to work done by specific individuals (including yourself) in past tense”(1).

2.”Decide if each hypothesis is supported, rejected, or if you cannot make a decision with confidence. Do not simply dismiss a study or part of a study as “inconclusive”" (1).

3.”Explain your observations as much as possible” (1).

Conclusion

In the article by UNC chapel Hill, Conclusions discusses the dos, donts, and even four “ineffective” conclusions. Overall, the conclusion can be summarized by focusing on important charactertics

1.”the final say on the issue you have raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject.” (1)

2. “Include a brief summar of the paper’s main points, but dont simply repeat things that were in your paper. Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used fit together. Pull it all together” (1).

3.”Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or question for further study. This can be redirect your reader’s thought process and help her to apply your info and ideas to her own life or to see the broader implications” (1).

Dr. Barry W. Hamilton from Northeaster Seminary in Rochester, New York provides a list of effective tips to write a strong conclusion. Some of the best and most helpful tips go as followed,

1. “Bring closure to the entire paper, not only by summarizing the arguments, but also by bringing out the significance of the paper” (1).

2. ” Do not introduce any new information in the conclusion”(1).

3. “Write the conclusion at a level of specificity/generality that matches the introduction”(1).

Works Cited

Caprette, David R. “How to Write A Research Paper.” Writing Research Papers. 20 Aug 2007. Rice University

25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/report/reportform.html>.

“Conclusions”. UNC Libraries. 25 Oct 2009< http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html>.

Hamilton, Barry W. “Tips for Writing A Strong Conclusion.”

31 Oct. 2005. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://acc.roberts.edu/NEmployees/Hamilton_Barry/TIPS%20FOR%20WRITING%20A%20STRONG%20CONCLUSION.htm.>.

“The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal – Style Scientific Paper”.

25 Sept. 2008. Bates College. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWsections.html#discussion>.

“Writing Up Research; Results”. Language Center. 2003. Asian Institute of Technology. 25 Oct. 2009.

<http://www.languages.ait.ac.th/EL21RES.HTM>.

RUBRIC

I planned on using Marlen’s rubric to peer review the paper. After all, this is the rubric that is going to be used by Marlen.

ENGL 202 Portfolio Rubric

An Outstanding Portfolio 5	AWell Developed Portfolio 4	An Emerging Portfolio 3	Underdeveloped Portfolio 2	Nonscorable Portfolio 1
Ability to Explain Research Process Writer’s research story is fulsome: explains early and later research steps taken. Relates key research assign- ment to topic expansion, specific research gains, and research growth.	Ability to Explain Research Process Writer’s research story explains a few research steps taken. Relates key research assignment to topic growth and research growth.	Ability to Explain Research Process Writer’s research story explains a few research steps taken. Some discussion of effects of key research assignment	Ability to Explain Research Process Writer’s research story is perfunctory. Points to key research assignment. Does not discuss growth/ development of topic and research.	Writer does not provide enough discussion of process, product, and documentation abilities to score.
Ability to Discuss Writing Process Writer points to specific difficulties he/she encountered, specific feedback given, and own specific revision plans.	Ability to Discuss Writing Process Writer states a diffi- culty encountered, relevant & helpful feedback, and a clear direction for revision.	Ability to Discuss Writing Process Writer states what was difficult for him/her, points to feedback, mentions ideas for revision.	Ability to Discuss Writing Process Writer generalizes difficulty/challenge; responds vaguely or mechanically to feedback given.
Ability to Discuss Focus & Coherence Writer points to variety of focusing statements (in Intro and Body paragraphs). Confidently high- lights own ideas and purpose. Discusses connections made between own ideas and research .	Ability to Discuss Focus & Coherence Writer points to clear focusing statements (in Intro and Body). Discusses connec- tions made between own ideas and research findings.	Ability to Discuss Focus & Coherence Writer points to opening statements, perhaps a few additional focusing statements. May not show clear distinctions between own ideas and research support.	Ability to Discuss Focus & Coherence Minimal pointing to focusing statements. Or focusing statements summarize /reproduce rather than think about or comment on the research.
Ability to Cite and Document Research Writer points to rhetorically flexible use of in-text references: signal phrases, quotation, summary, paraphrase. Strong control of APA/ MLA documentation in works cited page.	Ability to Cite and Document Research Writer points to variety of in-text references: signal phrases, quotation, summary, paraphrase. Points to consistent control of APA/MLA documentation style on works cited page.	Ability to Cite and Document Research Writer’s examples show emerging rhetorical flexibility when introducing, presenting research. Transitions may not be smooth. Under- standing of MLA/ APA documentation is emerging.	Ability to Cite and Document Research Writer points to rigid and minimal signal-ing patterns; over-reliance on quotation or summary. Writer vacuums rather than integrates research. Under-documents sources both in text and on works cited page.

Putting Everything Together

After combining all three papers I had to go back and do some re-formatting.  The fact  that I wrote all my papers on WordPress, transferring them to Word required a lot of reformatting. Some other major changes besides font and double spacing was spelling/grammar and spacing. In WordPress you papers can only be ” spell-checked”, all other errors like extra spaces and grammar are not shown. So once I transferred my work into Word, I went back and reformatted and change a few things in my paper. For example in my introduction, I combined my last paragraph with the previous paragraph. Also, my friend and myself read through my paper to check for any other errors.

Intro to Methodology

My research paper is going to be an anthropological autoethnography as I try to find the connection of religion and how that affects my ethnic identity as a Greek American woman. The majority of research for my paper is my personal experiences and accounts of growing up Greek American and Greek Orthodox. I do however plan on using factual information from refereed journals. I thought it was easiest to break down my paper into four main concepts: Greek Orthodoxy, ethnicity/ethnic identity, customs and traditions, and finally gender issues. The refereed journals will allow me to convince the reader that I am a credible source and back me up on a lot of the topics I plan on discussing. Also I plan on using the refereed journals to disprove or refute statements  about ideas/ conceptions that really are not really true.  A lot of the problem is that the majority of articles are written by non-Greeks/ Greek-Americans. So I feel that it is necessary to really just put my thoughts and ideas of what I believe as a Greek-American. I plan organizing my information in my paper by discussing a topic, and really just telling my story. The journals and research will come into play when I use them to really back up my points. In addition, I plan to discredit the author and explain their misconception by using my personal experiences to make my point. I really feel that I don’t have many questions on data collection or about methods. I have read Marlen’s post from his blog “Re-Thinking Research:  Autoethnographies” I found it to be very helpful with great examples of autoethnographies from the research he collected. I really feel I am in the right direction to creating a successful research paper.