Research Journal
Before you begin to read, let
me explain that this research journal will tell you about everything I have
been doing in English Class for a REEEEAAALLLLY long time!
Entry:
11/28/01
Today we went to the wonderful, big,
new library. When introduced to the
Research Process document on Dr. Hobby’s web site, I started to become familiar
with the first steps of doing research and then eventually writing a paper.
After looking at the stuff about saving my work, I know I definitely will after
I saved a document to the desktop and lost it the next day. I must bring my CD-ROM to class in order to
start saving my work. Also, I need to save everything in word.doc so it will be
compatible with word at school and home. I have to email everything t myself as
a backup to my backup on the floppy or CD.
Send it as an attachment so nothing changes in the format.
Entry:
11/30/01
We got to get our very own free
yahoo email accounts. They are only for
this class for transferring our work form home to school and vice versa. We made a web page on geocities where I
learned that it was actually pretty easy.
I will definitely use it for when I have to make a website for the
Research Paper. I didn’t have much time
to find such interesting pictures, however I will definitely research clipart
sites to find better ones for next time.
I saved the site so it can become my home page.
Entry:
12/5/01
We were introduced to the wonderful
world of power point. I began by
looking at the different themes of Hamlet and made a basic and very
preliminary power point. It was
interesting because I got to find pictures on Hamlet that I will most
likely use in the future. I fund a couple of sites that gave me a variety of
templates to download. I got to
present my power point using the smart board.
That was cool. We got to know
the presentation rubric to know what was being expected of us when we went up
to present our power point. I am
getting more familiar with the research process and getting around Dr. Hobby’s
web site, which is always being updated.
Entry:
12/7/01
We broke up into to groups and got a
topic about Hamlet from the Research Process. My group focused on the Elizabethan times and the ways plays
were. It helped me find many different
sites through different search engines.
I started to think that I wanted to write my paper on something that
involves the time of Shakespeare. This
narrowed my selection greatly since I really had no idea what
I
wanted to do. The culture and the way they speak and the Globe Theater really
interest me. I studied the plots of the plays, the audiences and the
renaissance drama. We are putting
together a word document of all the sites as well as a power point to present
to the class. This assignment is
helping me find sources fast and using the alt/tab and the copy/paste I can do
it fast and efficiently.
Entry:
12/10/01
We went over the research proposal
rubric and how to go about doing the proposal.
Now that I have my ideas out I am going to use the organizing a
paragraph handout to structure how I want to propose my topic. It is difficult because I know the topic but
I don’t know how I want to go about getting my point out. In the proposal I want to show the different
choices of how to start my paper.
Entry:
12/12/01
First we were going over the
different types of papers you can write according to the topic you are writing
about. I am planning to do my paper on
the languages of Hamlet according to the Elizabethan era. While looking at the
different types, I felt the advance theory writing paper would fit what it is I
think I want to do. We watched Hamlet
the movie. Facts about the movie: Men have long hair, Queen wears many
jewels…flaunting wealth, Claudius marries the queen the interaction between the
many characters: Hamlet watches Ophelia walking in town and they speak of his
name
Entry: 12/19/01
I finished
getting sources for my Research Proposal in order to finish the last bit of it
up. I went through the MLA formats of
the paper so when I went to do my paper it would be perfectly formatted. We presented our Compendium Power Point
Presentations, which my group approached in the wrong way, and I was frustrated
because of it. Although, I did learn a lot about my topic through completing
the compendium and found really great sites that I will use. I feel that I will benefit greatly form
doing the compendium. I finished my proposal and emailed it Dr. Hobby on the
twenty-first.
Entry: 12/21/01
Its time for X-Mas break and the last thing on my mind is doing my paper for
English. So I have decided to take a
break. I think that is okay considering
I haven’t even finished watching the movie.
Entry: 01/09/02
After
getting back into the swing of schoolwork I worked on my research proposal this
past weekend after partying all during break and I feel that I have a solid
topic to work with. Know my
personality, it might change after I begin my research.
Entry: 1/11/02
After turning in my Research Proposal, I am
thinking about the choice I made by picking the topic that I did. One may
not think how important it is to have a good topic, but I do. It isn't
easy to choose the right topic. When will I ever decide.
Entry: 1/14/02
So,
if you recall me discussing topic importance than you'll want to listen to
this! Dr. Hobby gave a presentation on Act I of Hamlet and we really
got into to talking about the structure of the play and I am sooooo interested
in writing about it. I am going to use the themes of the play that mirror
itself through the entire play. I know
that it might be difficult but I am up for the challenge.
Entry: 1/16/02
LIZ gave the first hamlet
presentation PowerPoint extravaganza. It was awesome. She was very
informative and I think I am getting a better understanding of my paper
topic. I am looking up many sites but I cant really find the best ones
yet more research to do!
Entry: 1/23/02
Mary gave a very interesting presentation today. She really made
me pay attention to her balloon popping, banana smashing power point. I
wonder if I will do one like that!
Entry: 1/28/02
I started to read the
GREATEST BOOK EVER!!! 1984 is the most inspiring book to read in all of high
school. I am enjoying it soo much and I cant wait to present chapters
2-5...no...really i love this book!
Entry: 2/8/02
I got to present my
chapters in 1984 today! I did great...By everyone’s input I know what I
need to improve in my Power Points and what I should keep!!
Entry:
February 11
I have turned in my research pack
and I have gotten my sources approved.
This is a relief considering that I spent so much time attempting to
find sufficient sources. I am going to
begin my out line this week and hopefully I will be ready to start preliminary
writing soon.
Entry:
February 13
I worked on my web site and turned
it in. I am really excited about it and
I hope that when it is finished it will be everything I want it to be. I would like to learn how to upload
everything easier because I am having some trouble getting all of the links to
work. When I put my final paper on there I know it will be a relief
Entry:
February 25
My head is spinning and I have
decided to change my topic once again. I
know it seems crazy but I was making myself too complicated for unnecessary
reasons. Now I am going to write my
paper on Ophelia and the three people who drive her to be crazy: hamlet,
polonius, and laertes. I know that I
can do this well and I have plenty of sources on it.
Entry:
March 1
I am analyzing the quality of my
sources and developing my annotated bib.
It is annoying to do but I know it will be helpful later when I am
finding quotes for the sections of my paper.
I have highlighted the sources and put them into categories.
Entry: March 4
I have spent the entire weekend
writing my paper to the best of my ability.
It isn’t amazing yet but I know that worked really hard on it. Ten days until my birthday.
Entry:
March 18
We are starting Brave New World and
the section of the class on poetry on top of which I have to keep this up and
work on my paper. I don’t have all the
time and I am extremely frustrated. I
went to Chicago last week and began to read the book on the plane; however, my
paper still needs to be fixed. I have
to find a way to introduce new quotes.
I highlighted those areas in my paper.
This weekend is my birthday/graduation party so I am busy getting ready
for that while I think about what to do with my paper.
Entry:
March 24
Today was my party and now it is
time to get crakin. I am lucky that I
don’t have a presentation this week so I have time to work on my paper. With the stress of my party off my shoulders
and all the wonderful gifts, I have time to sit down and really notice what
needs to be changed about my paper. I
am still highlighting different sections in different colors depending on what
needs to be changed in my paper.
Entry:
March 31
Today being Easter seemed like the perfect day to not
work on my paper and go buy a car, so I did.
Because I am going to a Florida school, I am able to take the money I
was going to spend on an out of state school and buy a car. So I went to JM Lexus and got myself a perty
little RX300. It is perfect in every
way.
Entry: April 3
So I am about to leave for Gainesville to visit my future
home at the University of Florida. The
past few days I was going through my paper and editing what parts I believed
should be edited. I also have to finish
reading Brave New World, which will take a couple of days and is coming
with me to UF. While I am there I will
think about how all the knowledge I am gaining now will help me then.
Entry: April 10
So, now that I am finished with my Brave New World
test, I can focus on editing my paper and reading my poetry. Luckily, we are going over most of the
poetry in class, which leaves my time at home to work on my paper. We started peer editing so now I am going
through everything my peer told me to so I can enhance the quality of my
paper. It is frustrating to correct
every imperfection of my paper, however, I know that every change made will be
helpful.
Entry: April 15
I have been working on introducing new quotes all this
week and am almost finally done. I
think the paper is flowing better now that I have added those little tid
bits. All my classes are stressing me
out greatly and I am nervous this paper will never get done.
Entry: April 28
I can`t believe that tomorrow the paper is due. Last nite was grad nite and we were at
Disney until 4 am. I am soo tired still
and I am soo happy I finished it before I left. It is such a relief to know that this part of life is finally
over. I know that whatever grade I receive will be deserved but I did work
extremely hard to make it the best I could.
Entry: May 2
WELL, IT’S THE LAST TIME I WILL EVER WRITE IN THIS
GLORIOUS RESEARCH JOURNAL. MY WEB SITE
IS DONE AND I CHANGED THE WHOLE THING THIS WEEK JUST FOR FUN. THANK YOU FOR READING MY JOURNAL AND I HOPE
YOU WILL ENJOY THE PAPER AND WEB SITE.