Research Paper/Process Analysis: What I Have Learned

   Again, I apologize for the lateness of this post and realize that I am more than done with the research paper in the WRTG 150 course.  However, I do feel that I can offer an even better analysis of the research paper I engaged in writing and researching not too long ago.  I say this because I am able to look back and more adequately reflect on what I learned from this specific research paper (as I have done several prior to this course), as well what worked and did not during the writing and research portion.  I would like to devote the first half of this blog post to my thoughts on the research half of the paper, with the second half focusing on the actual writing of the issues paper.
     I found that I learned many things from researching this paper.  First and foremost, one should make sure they are fully able to even operate and navigate the web/resources at hand.  I think as we live in such a digital world, being able to use search engines effectively is pivotal in building a strong research foundation.  If it weren't for the course instruction provided by library workers, I would have had to spend much time learning how to operate the search engines.  Once one knows how to get to the engine that applies to them, it is of chief importance one knows how to word their specific search.  As I learned, the alteration of one or two words can significantly affect the search yield for the better (or worse).  The annotated bibliography was such a good, constructive way to organize and store research information.  For those who did not fully utilize the capabilities this astounding tool had to offer, you truly missed out.  I found that this research paper, as opposed to those in the past, was easier due to the work I put into the annotated bib.  The extensive notes and work exerted into this resource gave me a great outline for my paper.  I took most of the main concepts and ideas from my paper directly from this source.  Not to mention, I found that I had more than I needed.  One important aspect of research that is overlooked is the quantity.  While quality (such as being peer reviewed and accurately sound) is important, having a vast range of resources and ideas is also very key in being successful.  I had certain prongs of my thesis, established and found through research, that I had to discard.  The higher number of articles and sources researched, the stronger your paper becomes.  I say this because you are able to establish a hierarchy within your source material, and am ultimately weed out your strong points from the sea of weak ones.
     Regarding the writing portion of the paper, I have learned an astronomical amount about how to plan out the execution of this aspect.  I took the advice of Sister Steadman and wrote different portions of my paper over a period of 3 nights.  I am a procrastinator, which means this plan was a complete game changer to my writing personality and process.  While this approach does require a discipline, it lightens the load (as opposed to waiting until the last day) dramatically.  Revisiting a paper is also a key part to creating the best final draft possible.  I scrutinized my paper right after writing it, and did find a number of mistakes.  However, upon revisiting my paper a day later, I was somehow able to catch a myriad of mistakes that were not visible before.  If I could go back, I would have edited my paper more.  The more work you put into editing and being critical to your work, the better the results.  I also found the peer review most helpful on this paper.  My sister was able to give me much advice and tips on how I could better my paper.  As I mentioned in my Eyring response, humility truly is the key to success.  For some reason, other people are able to be more critical of your work than you can be.  While we all claim to be (and may actually be) completely humble, there is some limitation to how critical we can be of ourselves.  The ability to take critical (and sometimes harsh) advice is the key to putting forth your best work.
     In conclusion, I have established skills and habits from this writing assignment that I hope stick with me in my education to come.  I learned how to better prioritize my time, which allowed me to write and research more clearly (as I wasn't under a tremendous amount of "procrastinating" pressure).  I utilized the annotated bibliography, a tool which I would recommend to any writer composing a research paper (or anything of such a nature).  I also apologize that this post has gotten up so late, but I hope you can use my advice to your advantage.  Please let me know if you found anything as helpful that I did not mention!