Honor In A Messy World

I carefully lurched down the steps of my cabin, heading straight for the herbal tea to soothe my sore throat. Once I opened the tea, I saw a little quote attached to the bag which stated, “The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment.” Heading back upstairs, I mulled over my opinion on the statement. If the reason for life is to enjoy every moment, man, I’m really screwing up. What happens when a dad walks away from his family, when a soldier dies while serving his country, or when people intentionally seek to do you harm? None of those situations are enjoyable.

Because of a really hard time in my life involving my father, I have grown to appreciate honorable, steady men. Some girls with “dad problems” fill the gap by pursuing affection from guys, some become strong-willed independent feminists who “don’t need no man”, and some fall into the “normal” group. I lean more toward the feminist category and have a desire to be allowed to do the things men can, but let’s be honest, men have more power. The facts, even in today’s culture, are clear that men have greater opportunities in the industrial work force, among other things. Admitting this doesn’t make it right, but it forces me to realize the role they play in society. I also know with power comes great responsibility. Men who recognize this and live accordingly are beyond admirable. Movies like The Lone survivor, Gladiator, and Braveheart leave me feeling inspired, not jealous or threatened. My all-time favorite story of an honorable man though, was told a long time ago.

Once there was soldier named Uriah who fought in an army belonging to, what seemed like, a good king. Spring time came around, which was a time kings typically would go fight with their men, but the king in this story stays in his palace, sending his army out to defeat a group of people called the Ammonites. Already, the king seems like a coward, and I often wonder why he did not go fight alongside those who were loyal to him.

One day, the King decided to take a walk and look out at his kingdom. While he was gazing at his property a strikingly stunning woman on a roof, named Bathsheba, caught his attention. Being enamored by her beauty he sent a man to find out more about her. When the man returned, he informed the King that she was the wife of Uriah, who, at the time, was away fighting. Bathsheba was summoned to come to the palace and the king slept with her, which caused a multitude of consequences. Later, Bathsheba informed David, the King, that she was with child. Major panic broke out in the king’s heart and he began to formulate ways to cover up his mistake. Uriah was called home from battle under the presumption that he was to give an account to David about the war. Uriah arrived and told the king all he needed to know, then King David told him to go home and get some rest, hoping that later, when Bathsheba told him she was pregnant, Uriah would assume he was the father. But being the noble man he was, he stayed with King David’s servants at the Palace. The king found out and questioned him, “Haven’t You just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?” Uriah said, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

David tried one more time to get Uriah to go home, but he refused, even when he was completely drunk. Uriah was loyal to his men, and denied enjoying home life. Eventually, David had enough and sent a letter to Joab, Uriah’s commander, saying to put Uriah on the frontline and for all the men to draw back from him when the enemy came, so that Uriah would surely die. All this took place as the king commanded. David and his men now had an innocent man’s blood on their hands. Uriah died with passion and nobility. David did not get away with what he had done and later had to bear severe, long-lasting, consequences. I have read the account of this story in 2 Samuel: 11 many times.
Almost every man in my family, for many generations, has been in some branch of the military. Both of my great grandfathers, who are still alive, have told me stories about their time in service. Both are proud of their country and were willing to fight or even die for it if necessary. The military isn’t fun from what I’ve heard. My step- brother is in the Army right now and he recounted basic training to me while we were together at Christmas. It sounded like it sucked, but he enjoys it. He loves putting all he’s got into being a man with integrity, ready to protect the things he believes in.

Though Uriah lived a long time ago, his story is relatable today. So many men and women are brave and follow their leaders, for better or worse. Some leaders deserve this radical trust, some do not. Either way, the people putting their lives on the line for a cause they believe in is courageous and worthy of our admiration.

The story of Uriah is just one example of an upright man. I see good men and women all the time, especially where I work. Men tend to stick out to me more when they rise above what I believed they could be though, due to past experiences. As a slight feminist, it has become incredibly important to identify traits I admire in the opposite sex, so as to not become bitter or jealous. I enjoying recognizing strengths in people, whether men or women, and continue to be amazed at the good I see in others when I look for it. Hard times will come; difficult things in life will arise. Enjoying every moment is not likely, but having hope in difficult circumstances and focusing on serving others is possible.

Winnie The Pooh Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the human brain and it’s functions, especially in terms of behavior. Knowing more about psychology gives you a different perspective on humans and also on sociology. Part of psychology deals with the study of mental disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, OCD, depression, eating disorders and many more. These conditions can have a big impact on society. But without it crossing our minds, mental disorders are played for us as children on the old classic Winnie The Pooh.

All of the main characters in Winnie The Pooh have some type of mental disorder and we don’t even think about it in this way; unless you have the brain of a psychologist. So, what mental disorders do the beloved characters have? Robin has schizophrenia. Eeyore has depression. Rabbit has OCD. Tigger has ADHD. Piglet has Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Owl has dyslexia. Kanga Roo has Social Anxiety Disorder. And Pooh has ADHD, Impulsivity with Obsessive Fixations, and OCD. These are clearly displayed in this cartoon.

Robin, the young boy in the cartoon has hallucinations of all of his friends and interacts with them and this shows his schizophrenia and how his own emotions are represented through the animals. Eeyore is always extremely sad and down and has a negative outlook on life. Rabbit has to have everything in order and he shows his obsession with organization especially in his garden. Tigger is always bouncing around and cannot control his hyperactivity and he is dangerously impulsive. Piglet is an extreme worrier and he is always stressed and nervous. Owl is very smart but he often spells wrong and misses letters, switches them around, and even spells them backwards. Kanga Roo has a social anxiety disorder and she’s overprotective with her son. How obvious was that? Very obvious, but as children with innocent eyes we don’t even see these extreme disorders. This also shows how apparent they can be in society but without really knowing someone most the time we don’t even know.

This is really a common theme in cartoons if you pay attention and have adequate information on the disorder you can diagnose the characters just based on the character’s behavior. The way the human brain works is an amazing discovery that scientist learn more about every day. Psychology is a new way to look at people and the world around us.

Discovery Post-Vegetarian Lifestyle

I started becoming close to one of my co-workers, Allyson, and she was once a vegetarian. Of course I asked the question that I’m now being asked, why? Allyson told me to watch Cowspiracy on Netflix. This documentary exposes the meat industries such as Tyson, etc.This educational documentary exposes information the government doesn’t want you to know and personally this enraged me. Livestock is the main cause of pollution and global warming. Yes, I did say the MAIN cause. In my opinion, I like to know what is going in my body. This exposition has now improved my health and well-being for the best. Do yourself a favor and help your environment.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwicg7nSydDLAhUHMyYKHR6KDcwQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azquotes.com%2Fquote%2F1251842&psig=AFQjCNHbL0zCY1-GPmF2F56EvDxGiy_BBA&ust=1458607733214016

Without Feeling

In the popular book The Giver no one in the futuristic society has any true feelings. No one has felt real love, happiness, pain, anger, fear, or joy. They have smaller less significant emotions but they don’t drive them. But there is one man who holds all of the emotions and all the memories of the past and he is The Giver. Everyone dies eventually so someone must take his place to hold the past for society; and he is The Receiver. He is shown what the world was and all the emotions that come along with it.

Without feelings the society had a robotic strict setup lifestyle. Life was accepted as what it was without question. When the Receiver began to feel his whole perspective on life changed. He was shown color and beautiful things; but he also had to endure pain and emotional hurt through the memories and experiences The Giver gave him. He then feels lonely and wishes he could share what it meant to feel and what the world could be.

The Receiver runs away from his routine lifestyle in search of the wondrous things he had experienced. He also takes a baby along with him. He gives the baby memories and feelings. He bonds with the baby and learns real love. They search for more than the world they were given.

Emotions and the limitless of the world is what moves humans. With no knowledge of what could be there would be no motivation to strive for bigger and better. The way we feel impacts the way we live and without these emotions we would simply be robots going through the motions. With emotion we can dream for more. We are given a connection with the beauty and also all the repulsive things in this world.

Looking at Your Feet: Boone Wildflowers in March and April

Shaun wrote earlier this week about the places you can go to have some great outdoor adventures at the behest of Boone's natural beauty.  While much of that beauty is gained by looking out over the panorama of the Blue Ridge Mountains, my favorite part of any hike is found by looking at my feet.  Here are a few of the wildflowers that come out in late March through middle April that you can watch for as you explore.  

Wood anemone

ncwildflower.org

There are actually a couple of species of this flower, but my favorite one is Anemone lancifolia because of the copper-red hue the leaves take on.  You'll find this plant in the woods but in a place where it is getting some sun peaking through the branches that aren't leafing out yet.  It won't be under any dark rock ledges or pines.  

Fairy bells

ncwildflower.org

I love Uvularias.  Their Latin name doesn't convey the reason why as well as the common name, but a glance at the picture reveals the way in which the flowers play a convincing fairy with yellow skirts drooping and heads tucked beneath their scarves and tunics of green foliage.  As you can see, too, this species, Uvularia grandiflora, is found in disturbed areas where the soil has been moved around or on sunny forest floors where the ground has a lot of rocks tilling up the soil.  

ncwildflower.org

Another fine fellow of the fairy bells is Uvularia sessifolia, which has a slightly more delicate look along with  a defined bell-shape to the bloom.  

Wake robin

ncwildflower.org

Though common, Trillium erectum is fun because it is like a clover.  Yes, it has three leaves, but that is not what I mean.  You can find all sorts of mutations of this species.  Normally, the bloom is a deep, dried-blood red, but some flowers are pale yellow while others take on a rare ivory- white tone.  Also, like the clover, you can find four-leaved, four-petaled mutations.  That's luckier than a four-leaf clover.  Look for wake robin in moist soils, especially near springs, wherever the soil is rich with mosses and loam.

A photo I took of a mutated painted Trillium-- notice four petals instead of three.  Unlike wake robins, painted Trilliums bloom later in April and are found in drier soils around rhododendron.

Larkspur

ncwildflower.org

My final tour of the forest floor lends with a less common jewel to make your treasure hunt a little more exciting.  Delphinium tricorne, or larkspur, is found in the same places as wake robin, but is more likely to show up in the places where the woods are "lovely, dark, and deep," as Robert Frost said.  They thrive near springs and if you get a whiff, as you are walking, of the rich earth (not the rotting forest stench that marks your place in a bog or low-lying wetland), then you might catch a glimpse of this relative of the poisonous monkshood.  

While I love the excitement that builds as I'm hiking toward a grand vista, wildflowers are one of the joys that keep an entire hike interesting.  Also, it is a great way to slow down the more seasoned hikers who want to drag you, huffing and puffing, to the top as quickly as they can; you can shout, "Look at this awesome wake robin!" giving you the chance to catch your breath under the guise of being knowledgeable.   

If you find one of the many other wildflowers that exist on our trails, be sure to look for apps that help with wildflower identification.  Also, www.ncwildflower.org/ is a great place to help you identify them.  

Being a Good Person is Free

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

Sometimes I sit back and wonder if there is truly any good left in the world. Have we become a technology driven, desensitized mess over the last few decades? How many times do you walk around in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and wonder if anyone even notices your existence? Who do you want to be in life? How do you want to remembered? Actions speak louder than words, and I personally want to make every day count.

Every now and again I find myself asking that question and begin to think that society has become so detached that we may never know what true interaction ever was or felt like. Society has become so addicted and selfish. Often we think that if it doesn't affect us directly then it isn’t important. Occasionally I hear a heartwarming story of selfless acts done for family, friends, or complete strangers. These stories begin to give me hope again for the world. Being a person who is somewhat cynical about the world today, I love hearing about random acts of kindness. My favorite stories of making the world a better place involve children and animals. One perfect example is when you hear of people dressing up as superheroes while doing a seemingly simple task of washing windows outside their hospital room. Such a simple task makes such an impact on the lives of these children and their families.

We need to realize that making an impact on someone's life doesn't have to be a difficult task. You don’t need to change the world by yourself; just imagine the change that can occur if we start working together as group. We cannot change everything in one day or one act of kindness, but with many small changes we can make the world a better place to live. We may never know the struggle that the other people that we pass are going through but a simple smile may change their day in a positive way. Be kind to those around you, they may be facing a battle that you can’t imagine or a battle that you could face in the future.

    

outdoor experiences in and around boone

I enjoy doing things outside, and am constantly looking for something new to do. I can be found most frequently at Sanford Mall tossing a frisbee with people I have never met. But, when I am not busy, and have time to myself, I tend to go on hikes, most of which are actually bushwhacking ventures. I have found several great outdoor spots in this way, and found new ways to  reach familiar spots, like Beacon Heights.  If you have ever been to Rough Ridge you know how it doesn't seem possible to reach the bottom of all those rocks without harming the ecosystem, but there is a way. There are even trails at the bottom of the large boulder that is the end of Beacon Heights. One must be careful climbing down to reach those trails. If you would rather swim at the end of your trek, you could go to Hebron Falls, which is a two mile hike from Price Park. There is a great swimming hole on the way to the stone studded falls, and the stones themselves are great for rock hopping. If you would prefer a long hike, the Tanahwa Trail runs from Price Park to Beacon Heights, and has many climbing places on it, such as Ship Rock, a seventy foot tall rock that resembles a ship's hull. There is also the cascades waterfalls, which is a short hike with a beautiful sight at the end.

There are also places to see much closer to Boone. The Boone United Trail near BUMC is a short loop, but at one end, there are many different boulders great for climbing practice, and an abandoned silo. The woods around the university are home to a myriad of trails, and contain a small pond, a decently sized clearing used for campfires, and a ropes course. The Greenway has more than meets the eye, as there are many hidden trails, another ropes course, a rope swing near an old dam, and some of the best outdoor climbing in the town of Boone. There is even a short trail with a bouldering rock right here on this campus. And Winkler's Creek Road contains a swimming hole with a rope swing, and a small pond, both a really short distance from the town, and popular with a lot of people, as I always see people there every time I go. Howard's Knob Park offers a great view of the entire town, and is open to the public. There are more trails hidden nearby that park.

Heading away from Boone again, towards Todd, there is Snake Mountain and Elk Knob State Park. Snake Mountain is a steep hike, with a great view at the top. Elk Knob has a casual walking trail, and, once you reach the top, you can see for miles. Heading towards Valis, one can reach Snake Pit and Trash Can Falls. Snake Pit does indeed have snakes, but Trash Can Falls is free of litter. Both offer climbing, diving, and swimming, while Snake Pit also has a rope swing. Further still, one can reach Compression Falls. You would have to make your way down a ridiculously steep hill, but at the bottom is a lot of cliff hiking, swimming opportunities, and jumping spots. It reaches a peak with the Compression Falls, a sixty fool jump, which I have made several times.

Heading towards Banner Elk, one can find Elk River Falls, an eighty foot waterfall that looks as if it can be jumped, but it cannot, as there are rocks beneath the water, and people have died there. There are several smaller jumps, a climbing area with ropes. and is quite a place to hang out at.
There are many more things to do in and around Boone. You just have to find them. I am also open to comments letting me know of something I have missed.

The Good Worth Fighting For

If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan you’re familiar with Sams speech to Frodo in the Two Towers. I won’t quote the entire conversation, but trust me, it’s worth looking up even if you aren’t into LOTR. Sam tells Frodo, “… there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.” Before this Sam talks about how darkness in the world is only a passing shadow, and that a new day will come. I can remember the first time I heard this speech while watching the movie with my two brothers, when I was probably around age eight. It made such an impression on me, filling me with excitement and making me want to seek adventure in this world that drives you to quit so often. Instead of feeling defeated by the darkness that is so present in the world, I felt the sense of discovery and hope.

The next day I went out with my brothers, fully clothed for a battle, our pretend swords and knives tucked into the waistbands of our pants. Although our neighbors allowed us onto their property we crossed onto it as if we were criminals, hiding from anyone in sight. We ran from one tree to the next, hiding our little bodies behind the trunks. I remember this day so vividly, we went on to cut down a considerable amount of bamboo that we would later use to build ourselves a teepee. We slept out in our teepee that night, watching the stars between the cracks of our pieces of bamboo. We woke with the sun the next morning just to go inside and watch The Twin Towers all over again.

I’m not so sure how in my elementary aged mind that quote made such an impression on me and my life. You would think being so young I would still be innocent and naïve to the horrors of the world, but having grown up with so much change, constantly being relocated to a new home, I think I saw things normal 8 year olds didn’t. I had seen the darkness of the world at a young age having grown up overseas and being exposed to so much. I had seen the teachers who thought I was “retarded” because I had trouble learning English again after moving back to America. This was the darkness I associated with when I heard Sam talk about it in the movie. I also saw the good worth fighting for that Sam spoke of, the teachers who were sympathetic and invited me into their homes for extra help, the friends who made relocating to a new school for the fifth time much easier, and my brothers who are still up for adventuring with me to this day.

The world can be scary and so can change, heck, just about anything can be scary in today’s world, but there is always a light of the end of the tunnel. Do not let the fear of the world keep you from discovering it. I think about that day, building the teepee with my brothers, when I’m facing fear or anxiety. Although we did nothing record breaking, it seemed that way to us. We were craving adventure and felt invincible building our teepee and sleeping in it that night. I try to remind myself of this feeling whenever I’m facing something difficult. Regardless of what the news and media tells us, there is so much good in the world both big and small, and it’s worth discovering.

Can't get enough of The Legend of Zelda? I can't apparently.

As I was working to upload a rhetorical triangle picture to the ENG 111 course page, it dawned on me that there is a correlation between the Triforce in The Legend of Zelda and Aristotle's rhetorical triangle. In The Legend of Zelda video games, balance only comes when the three pieces of the Triforce are brought together.  In many versions of the story, various things happen when the pieces all come together, not always stuff all that good.  But I know that the balance a writer gives these three elements always yields excellence.

And as a side note, please recognize that the guy in green is Link, while the princess is Zelda.

That will be all.  Carry on.

do your research

     I really enjoyed chapters 40 through 49. Research papers are one of my favorites. The book makes an excellent point talking about “knowing your assignment”. If you do not fully grasp your assignment, when you start writing you will lose track. This is a very good point to keep in mind for our class assignment over the next few weeks “argumentative research essay”. Another good point is “come up with a plan”. Especially when writing a research paper this can be a good thing to keep in mind because of how much research you will have to do. With so many different options of where to get information these days this can be helpful. I would start with a list of sources for information, i.e. library, encyclopedias, professors, internet, books, etc. The book goes on with more helpful information like “find a manageable topic”, “seek professional help” and “distinguish between primary and secondary sources” which are all pretty self-explanatory, but my favorite advice is “record every source you examine”. If you don’t do this during your research it will take twice as long to go back and make sure you credit all your sources you used in your research.

Research

I still remember the first time I had to write a research paper in elementary school. I cannot remember exactly what grade it was, but I hated writing at that point, and the idea of having to research something I did not like and then write about it sounded even worse than the evil in my life that were book reports. The topic was on Native American tribes, we had to pick one and complete the project. The method we used to organize ideas was a folder with different pockets in it, so you would write on a note card and stick it in the corresponding pocket based on what type of information it covered. Oh how far I have come since then. With every project since then it has become a more complex topic and therefore better research and methods of research have been used. I can not remember the last time I used a children's encyclopedia as a source, and that definitely used to be a thing. These chapters cover a lot about proper formatting which is basically review at this point but it is always good to be completely familiar with the individual class requirements. I miss the days of simply having to hit a page requirement without the worry of points taken off for small errors in structure, but I appreciate the knowledge I have gained in English classes and the skill in writing it has given me.

Research

Research papers can be really annoying and difficult. First you need to understand what kind of research paper you need to do. Then you pick a topic and plan out your paper. It is not easy it takes time to find a topic and planning your paper. Always ask for help, recommendations about what books to use, and ask questions. Books are usually the best to use in your research paper because they are accurate. Now if you use an online source, make sure it's not wrong. In chapter 40, it talks about primary and secondary sources, and they are two different thing. In page 469, it explains what they are which was very helpful. Remember to record every source you use.

In chapters 40 through 49, pretty much is a review. It tells you what requirements you need in order to do a research paper. What kind of sources you will need, gathering all the information, interview people, make observations, etc. Ding a research paper is not easy as many people think. It takes days and hours to do a good research paper. Just keep in mind if you take your time and make time for your research paper, your paper will be great. The book, How To Write Anything In chapters 40 through 49, it has some great tips that will help you write a perfect research paper.

Research

Chapters forty through forty-nine cover research and sources. Citing correctly is extremely important when writing. Chapter forty opens with the very beginning of research. Like most other types of research, it is very important to plan out every step. As we have all covered not everyone like the idea of planning every detail but it can also be helpful to try. This chapter also covers how to pick a topic that is manageable, yet interesting. Forty-one begins the ever daunting task of finding research details online and how to do that sensibly and responsibly. which basically means to use common sense before believing everything you read online. Sites like Wikipedia may have lots of information, however anyone can add and edit this making it impossible to be completely accurate. When using sites like Google, Yahoo, or Bing is it also important to know that just because it is the first web page that pops up , it is not always the best or most accurate.

One of the most interesting and fulfilling research types can be field research. Imagine getting an interview or meeting with an influential, or interesting person for research. It gives a sense of satisfaction knowing that you are putting your best forward by having the initiative to take the time to add another level to your writing. After working hard to compile all of your research then comes the hardest part for me, the annotation of sources. Do I capitalize that word? Quotation marks or Italics? I can usually muttle my way through if I have an example to look at, however I am still always unsure if I am actually correct. Giving credit to the sources of your research is important because if you become a source of research you would want credit where credit is due. I think that picking a topic that interests you makes the whole process easier and more enjoyable.

Researching the Research Paper

    Research papers have been a dreaded topic for most students throughout school. Some however seem to enjoy them as they take a straightforward approach to writing a paper, where you research a topic then just write about what you read instead of creating a substance of a story to write about. The chapters in this book go through every minute detail of a research paper. From how to find sources, how to evaluate a source as credible or not, how to use your sources from different locations in your paper effectively, and finally how to cite your sources correctly.

    MLA Format has always been something most students, myself included, have struggled with. To call the technical process of correctly citing a source a hassle would be a vast understatement. To get every source with different information readily available from that source correct down to every comma and period can seem near impossible. The final chapter however gives a plethora of information from just about any possible opportunities for sources you could conjure within in your mind or the internet. Not only does it provide a multitude of examples it picks out each specific piece of information need for MLA citations, shows where you should place them, where they were found, and for what type of resource the citation is used to represent. Even though research papers and citations are a humongous hassle and can be time consuming it is an important skill to have as well as it can be simple, but you must take your time and ensure to properly research how to write an effective research paper.

It's All About Research and Citing!;)

                A good research paper is done in an orderly and timed manner.  An individual is not recommended to complete a research paper overnight.  Gathered information should be organized in different topics, and sources that are used in the paper should be cited.  Nobody likes to have their work used without credit.  A lot of this information was pertinent for any paper.

            Citing the information was interesting to me, because the book used Matt Damon as an example.  When citing somebody, make sure that somebody has the proper qualifications, such as: someone with a PhD, or a scholar.  When I was in high school I had a bad habit of completing term papers the night before they were due.  I always included Wikipedia as my online source, which is a BIG NO in writing papers.  Personally, I feel that majority of students’ need more help with in text citations.

            It can become very confusing and frustrating when a person has to write a long paper, especially when they run out of ideas or things to discuss about.  The material gave me better insight on how to document authors’ and their work for a works cited.  Take your time and gather the research, then brainstorm on how to organize the data you’ve collected.  

Expand Your Horizon

When beginning your research assignment, there are basic steps that are required to begin a successful search. In the first stage of your research, you should know the assignment and details as in: what is the expected requirements and guidelines of my research? Also, know the style and format that your professor or audience expects or requires. Take time to evaluate a plan. After your evaluation process, find a topic. This topic should be something you are familiar with but also something you could learn more about.
While researching, you will find the need to have facts that support your argument or topic. Therefore, you need online and/ or print sources. The common problem in researching, is facts from online not being accurate. Make sure the websites you find online are credible by reviewing who published or produced the source, who wrote the work, and also consider your audience. During research allocate all resources, such as: learning how to navigate the library catalog, locate research guides, and using online sources intelligently. Don't be afraid to ask questions! If you can find someone who is knowledgeable or specializes in your field of study. . . use them. If it's personal, use your experience. If you can become involve in field work, use your observations to expand your horizon.
Annotate your sources by examining all aspects of their work. Pay attention to how your sources have evolved by observing their beginning thesis, trial and errors, and closing argument. Remember to record your personal feelings from beginning to end, to determine how your opinions have changed from the beginning to end of your research.
Once you have located your sources, summarize them. After you are complete summarizing your sources, make sure that this leads to paraphrasing your sources. Although, summarizing and paraphrasing are similar, they differ from one another because paraphrasing helps you keep track on reasoning and supporting evidence to help conclude.
Last but not least integrate your sources into your paper and don't forget to create a work cited page to demonstrate where your sources came from.

What's Your Flavor?

    When writing anything, the style of your writing is determined by tone and rhythm. There are many styles of writing which vary depending on your topic of discussion. For example: high, middle, low, inclusive and culturally sensitive, vigorous, clear, and economical style.
    According to, "How To Write Anything" high style is used for formal, scientific, and scholarly writing, such as:serious or professional subjects while using an impersonal point of view. Middle style is for personal, argumentative,and some academic writings. Middle style is typically used by the media (magazines and newspapers) and is directed at a general audience. Low style is similar to middle style but varies because it is more informal and a playful writing but yet and still personal. Low style refers to everyday life or random subjects: mostly humorous. Inclusive and culturally sensitive style is used for honesty but to be more sensitive and aware of words you use because of the affect it may have on your audience. We all know that not everyone in your audience will be pleased  but it is nice to be conscious of the things that may offend your audience. When using vigorous, clear and economical styles they are looking more for the big picture. These styles of writing are clear and straight to the point.
    Everyone has there own way of writing and what intrigues them. What's your flavor?

Let the Compass Guide You

    When people hear the word "outline" they automatically assume that outlines are extra work, time consuming, and overall . . . pointless! Although at times the feeling is mutual, outlines are extremely beneficial.
    There are two types of outlines: formal and informal. Formal outlines are typically used for business or research. When creating formal outlines you use the alphabets for your main topics and numbers for your supporting ideas. This allows you to indicate and pin-point your ideas; therefore, when you are creating your paragraphs it will guide you into the correct direction and keep you on topic. Formal outlines typically don't start out with alphabets, roman numerals, or numbers. They generate from informal outlines.
    Informal outlines are when you jot down your ideas on random napkins or post- it notes. Informal outlines are more frequently used and a lot easier to create. I use them all the time during writing. When I have writer's block, I tend to walk away from the paper and try to clear my head by going for a walk or drive. Generally, during my relaxation period, random things will begin to appear in my head and whatever is near me at the time is getting written on. I have recorded myself, wrote on napkins, even on take out bags and/ or trays!
   When society quits letting certain words cloud their judgement, then things will become a lot more easier. We hear certain things and we allow it to create a panic attack. When your professor tells you to write an outline next time, think of it as a compass. The compass is used to guide you when you are lost. The outlines are used to help you form specific ideas and topics. Therefore, once you have your main topics and supporting ideas you can form consistent paragraphs; which will then lead to your destination . . . A GREAT PAPER!

Research Paper Panic

         I found many parts of this reading helpful for writing a research paper. Research papers are my least favorite papers to write because I struggle with doing them properly. My biggest problem with them is making sure I cover all the points needed, and properly citing the sources. The book pointed out how important it is to know your assignment. Know what is expected of you! Usually teachers as for specific things, but if that isn't the case, you can always ask for more detail of what is expected of you.

          Finding a manageable topic is always rough for me. I like a lot of guidance and direction for my papers, so I have been struggling with all of the free range this semester. I like how the book pointed out that you could always start big and then narrow it down, because that usually is what it ends up coming dow to. Once you begin your research you may find that there are many layers to your topic that are really interesting and worthy of a page or two of explaining. It really helps out to give yourself plenty of time to plan and draft your paper, this is when you will most likely come across these deeper topics and ideas. 

          The point of finding people with knowledge of your paper really stuck out to me. I wrote about nurses once when I was younger and asked my mom many questions that helped out with my paper. In our most recent paper I wrote about how spirituality can affect mental health. A good friend of mine has been through some really hard times lately and has been able to keep such an amazing attitude and outlook on things, when most of us would fail. I was able to ask her some questions and have a beautiful conversation with her. Digging into her thoughts and having that conversation helped open many thoughts and interesting ideas that helped me in my paper. 

          For actually writing my paper though, I found the "Integrating sources into your work" section helpful. I always struggle with not only knowing  where to include what my sources said, but also how to properly cite them. This section broke down proper MLA citation format for in-text citation and also gave great examples! 

           Paraphrasing, summarizing, and evaluating sources can be tricky. MAny people try to do these things all together, which can accidentally lead to plagiarism. The book gave some good tips of each topic to make sure you keep your sources thoughts, your summaries, paraphrases, and your personal thoughts all separate. 

Finding and Using Information from Other Sources

Presenting information in the correct format is the key to success in a paper. One small error and you could be pinned for plagiarism. You want to know the important keys in how to present information that you got from other sources, the correct way! Also a writer needs to make sure that the information they are getting is accurate. Giving your readers false information can destroy not only your paper, but yourself as a writer.

Presenting facts well that you got from other sources is a very important aspect in writing a research paper especially. Many people should think of presenting information in a paper, as presenting a Grammy. You want to have a strong leading sentence before you come out with the facts. It will capture the reader's attention the more interesting you make the lead up to the fact. Not only do you want to present the information to the best of your ability, but you want to get facts that are accurate.

As it may come as a surprise to many readers, and myself when my English professor told me, .edu and .gov websites are not always the best to get information from. All throughout school my teachers have told me that websites ending in those two domains are always the best to use. Though sometimes they aren’t always the best. Many times we overlook the information that .com websites have to offer as “not good enough.” Though sometimes they contain the best information. Before you use any information, you should make sure the author and where you got the information is credible! These two pieces of suggestions are sometimes two of the hardest parts for young writers to grasp. The more you practice writing and using information from other sources, you will surely build up these two writing strengths! Happy writing to all!

Research

Research is the key to a successful piece of writing. Without our research, I believe trying to come up with specific information would be quite difficult. When reading through chapter 40 alone, I can already see that through my years of writing I have skipped a few of the steps in my beginning research. That error itself, has most likely put a toll on my papers throughout the years. The research process comes along with finding online and print sources. I did not realize the importance of the steps and different kinds of ways to absorb the sources. Without the book, How to Write Anything, I would not know to annotate, summarize, paraphrase, integrate, or document my sources the way they are presented. These notes and information give me a wider variety and a broader way to present my sources in the correct way. If I have had these notes and this book earlier on, I strongly believe my writing would have been more informative and better written. I have struggled with MLA documentation and format, but now I have the steps and all I need to know about how to set the process up correctly. This will now make my research complete and will help my writing and ideas easier to achieve.

Running out of Titles...

The one thing that sticks out the most is the need to include a chapter on respecting your readers. It’s silly that it’s necessary, in an academic environment, to remind ourselves that we should respect our readers. Not silly because it’s included, and I had to read it, but, silly because it is necessary. Point proven when I read the second paragraph of the section. I had always heard things like boats, countries, etc referred to with a feminine pronoun. I had to change a few portions on my causal analysis to reflect what I had learnt. Now I’m almost positive that it was not offensive and it’s original text but it was still improper, and that’s an important lesson to learn.

As for the rest, I think the chapter on style was a good review, however, I take issue with the book limiting high style to scholarly writing(seemingly). High style isn’t just stating things in a proper form and not using contractions. It’s a carefully constructed composition. Any given word isn’t just a good choice, it’s the best choice, if that makes sense. I guess the best examples of what I’m trying to say would be considered “poetic prose” or "elevated diction"(?) I don’t know, I may be off base, but I think it’s important to note that high style isn't just limited to academia.

On a side note, in regards to the 25 percent suggestion in chapter 37, should our rough drafts be larger than our final drafts?

Research On Point

Radiolab is a widely popular podcast hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich. In chapter 49 the book mentions them briefly, but I could go on and on about their incredible skills in making research intriguing. Facts become stories in their podcasts, and human emotion is shown in even the driest of subjects. I remember driving from Boone to Washington, D.C., listening to almost nothing but their podcast. One of the ways they keep me engaged is by proof of thorough research on a topic presented. Their facts are solid and they typically have guests on the show who are experts on the particular subject in discussion. Though it might not be common in research, they frequently play on empathy, and it has the power to make me second guess things I have believed all my life. If I can model their form in relaying facts to others, I will be doing well.

I liked the section on field research and know how applicable real life situations are. My friend did a paper on sorority groups and why girls join them. She and I share a less than enthusiastic view of people in such groups, but what she found after putting herself in their shoes and undertaking interviews, caused us both to have a slightly different perception. It is easy to make judgments or assumptions when I do not look into a situation or invest time trying to understand. Research should be done with intentionality and cultural relativism, hopefully leaving myself and my readers with a new perspective.