For our blog this week, we were asked to write about what we have learned not only from our research paper topic, but also what we have learned through the process of writing it. The biggest lesson learned for me would definitely be DON'T PROCRASTINATE. I waited till 2 days before the paper to actually start writing it which was not a very smart idea. I was a lot more stressed out than I should have been and I did not get very much sleep. Also, if I had written it ahead of time I would have had time to look at it and revise it before the peer draft reviews so that I could have submitted my best work. Instead I just submitted the first very rough draft, which may not have been the smartest idea. I was in such a rush that I did not even write an outline which I usually HAVE to do in order to keep my thoughts organized. Once I was done with my introduction and I had no idea where to go or what to say I had to put the paper aside and write an outline. I just could not do it freestyle. I also am happy to say that the research paper helped me learn how to use ebsohost. I had never used it for any other project, but when I realized that the majority of my classmates were using it for the research project, I figured there MUST be something special about it and it must be useful somehow because of all the hullaballoo I was hearing about it. I found out I could have definitely saved myself a trip to the library I had just resorted to ebscohost before.
On another note, my topic was about how the Islamic law which was being used as a foundation for the Iranian law, appeared to be very anti-feministic and dangerous to women. I never knew how hard women had it in Iran. I never felt so privileged and lucky to be American and to have the freedom to be my own person. The part of my project that truly made me the most upset to write was when I started listing out laws that definitely portray not-so-subtle hints of anti-feminism. They had harsher punishments for women than males such as if they were sentenced to get stoned, men would only have to sit in the pit up to their waist, but for women it was up to their neck. If they were caught fornicating they got whipped and if they were caught wearing the wrong kind of attire they were whipped. There was one part in the actual Iranian constitution that stated that a woman's life is valued only HALF as much as a man's. I was outraged when I wrote this portion so the people that had to review my paper probably saw how strongly I felt about this portion of my paper. Although these laws are bad enough, the last one that I learned about is the absolute worst. If a woman is murdered by a man, the victims family has to pay money to the murderers family for any injuries procured on the man by the victim. Then, and only then, will the murderer or abuser be taken into jail. It is crazy learning that there are countries that have these brutal rules and subject women to so much physical abuse. Thank God I'm an American.
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I just have to start of by saying I LOVE your title this week. It explains exactly how you feel about this paper! I am a professional procrastinator and it seems like no matter how much time I have I always wait until the last minute to start my homework. I mean come on we had like three weeks to write I paper and I waited until Thursday before it was due. I am still not sure why I procrastinate but it always seems to happen. I completely agree with you that procrastination does not equal relaxation. In fact I think that it makes you more stressed out because it is due so quickly. Plus it always seems like something comes up at the last moment so either you miss out on something because you have homework to do or you put off your work again. LOL. I also wrote my blog on how I learned to not procrastinate so much, but I am sure I will continue to do it! Procrastination seems to be the devil when it comes to school work. It always seems to make things worse and more complicated. At least this paper is almost over and then we can relax and breathe the final week of this semester. Great job on your blog this week!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteOh man, talking about procrastination counted me in. I probably on top 5 student procrastinating when it come to research paper. I feel your pain. I learned that it's not a good idea to start in the last minute. I know I will learn a lot by doing this project. I read "Invitation to a Beheading" by Vladimir Nabokov for the project. It was a very well written book and I know that I will have a lot of good information to work with. The trick is pulling out the most pertinent information and putting it all together in a way that is well organized and cohesive. I have gone on EBSC host and gathered some research information that I can incorporate into my paper and that was great. I now have so much information that I feel like I am drowning in it. I guess I have to scale it down, but I guess it could be worse, it could be the other way around. That would be awful not having enough information to write your paper with.
This research paper is indeed a big job for most of us. I see you have confidence to work on it, and commit to finish it, which is great start. For me, I am committed as well, regardless of all the distractions such as work, family, exercise, other classes, and temptation of more sleep. What I found takes the most effort are reading the material, and finding good sources for this paper. I believe once we get past those phases, we are in a good shape. I wish you luck, Amanda, and hope you finish the final paper in time.