I do think that a research paper is a research paper regardless. It is going to be a long and tedious process but if it is a subject that I am personally passionate or interested about then a research paper is not all that bad. In high school I did not do so many research papers as I did essays based on prompts. During ENC1101 last semester I was forced to explore the process of writing a 6-8 page research paper. I struggled to find a topic that I was able to write more than one interesting page about. I also struggled with the research part of it. I had a hard time keeping all my sources straight and wasn’t used to having to be so organized as I wrote a first draft. I had never cited a paper so that made things even more difficult. In the end I did find a topic that I truly enjoyed writing about. The paper began to flow and I was even able to insert some of my personal opinions which was a surprise to me. I ended up getting a pretty good grade so in the end my perception of research papers changed considerably. Last semester I wrote my research paper about benefit concerts. I focused on the benefit concerts that not only impacted their cause but also the rest of the world. For this research paper I am really unsure about what I am going to choose as a topic. To be honest I haven’t put much thought into it. I can't really think of a subject right of the top of my head that I would like to write about but hopefully one comes to me as I begin to look for one. Research papers are definitely something I could live without but because we are able to focus on something that we want they are tolerable.
I don't have to many questions but my main concern is the citations. How many sources is considered enough and is using all internet sources okay?
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I’d have to agree with Sam. Regardless a research paper is still a research paper. We still have to look up information and put in into an essay. But I also agree with how the perspective changed. In my ENC1101 class I had to choose something around me, so I chose the dorm I lived in. As boring as some might see it, I learned the history and significance on Reynolds Hall. In addition to research my paper had to include interviews, so interviewing random people about the dorm or administrators was rather enjoyable. I still hated having to compose a lengthy paper which I felt could have been written a lot shorter but at least it wasn’t completely forced on me. I wasn’t allowed to write about anything in the world, we have a slight guideline, but the small freedom changed my perspective on research papers.
ReplyDeleteWell Sam, I totally agree with you! It always find it easier to write about something I have my own personal interest in. I must have the worst time or concentration when it comes to mundane topics, or topics I don’t care about. My research paper ENC 1101 was just like your Benefit Concert paper. I had a hard time organizing my facts and data, but once it was all organized it turned out to be one of my best papers ever written, and just like you, I got a good grade. It was also because I ended up having an interest about the subject.
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