Posts

Blog Post #5

a) During the course of this class, I have learned many things about conducting a sound research study. I only knew the basics before this class, so I have learned such a great extent that there is too many things to name. One of the things that first comes to mind is the different types of research methods. I learned that a research study may be conducted using either a quantitative or qualitative study. I have also learned the how to analyze these types of study. In order to conduct a sound research study you must know how to review literature, collect data, analyze and observe, and report your findings. I learned how to use the data I have collected from the study, as well. I have learned and practiced how to code interviews, determine the response rate and margin of error, and how to report statistics. Lastly, I have learned how to format reports on the study using APA and/or MLA format. There is much more detail that goes into each of these things, but this is an overview of some ...
1 comment
Read more

Blog Post #4: Plans for Revision

I received a ton of useful feedback on my literature review from Dr. B, and I plan to begin revising by applying this feedback. I also need to figure out how to condense my literature review. I am not quite sure about how I want to format my methods within the research proposal, so it makes it a bit difficult to determine what parts of the literature review I feel are most important to include in the proposal. In order to further revise and condense the literature review, I will first decide how to format my methods in the proposal. It seems a bit daunting at the moment to try to put 12-15 pages together, but once I put the pieces together it might seem less overwhelming. Each time I am able to establish one piece of the project...it leads to the completion of another. For now, I will work on applying feedback and establishing what information is significant enough to keep and use. 
1 comment
Read more

Blog Post #3: Research Gap

There are a lot of gaps within my topic, so the main gap seems to be that there is a lack of information. My topic is the effectiveness of the design of instruction manuals. I struggled to find sources that pertained to only one area within this topic, but after meeting with Dr. B I was able to realize that taking "chunks and nuggets" from different sources would be quite interesting. This would provide different context from a variety of areas within my topic. Whether the instruction manual is educational or consumer related, the gap is the lack of research available when it comes to the rhetoric and self-efficacy of instruction manuals. By taking bits and pieces from all sorts of different sources I am able to fill the gap having to do with rhetoric and self-efficacy. Dr. B also helped me to examine different key words in my search for resources. By searching and looking in areas I had not previously thought of, I am able to fill the gap. This method also helps me to compar...
1 comment
Read more

Blog Post #2: Tentative 10 Sources

 I am not completely sure if this is the topic I want to stick with, as I have been researching another one as well. However, I chose to do this blog post about the design of instruction manuals. I want to evaluate the typography, format, and style of instruction manuals. I am not sure what type of instruction manuals I would focus on yet. My goal would be to study the effectiveness of certain designs, and whether or not instruction manuals are actually successful in aiding consumers/readers. Here are my 10 tentative sources:  1.      Atkinson, F. (1976). A Systems Approach to the Design and Implementation of Mediated Individualized Instruction. The High School Journal, 60(3), 124-133. Retrieved September 16, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40365309 2.      Beach, T. (1952). Subject File Manuals: The Why and How of Their Development. The American Archivist, 15(2), 105-126. Retrieved September 16, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40289...
2 comments
Read more

Blog Post #1: Topics of Interest

I saw a TED talk about procrastination recently that really sparked my interest. One of my biggest struggles in life is procrastination, as it might be for many other people. In this TED talk the speaker talked about how he had a hypothesis that the brains of procrastinators were different from the brains of non-procrastinators. He also elaborated on different types of procrastinators and how your life is affected by this common problem. I find this topic really intriguing because it is a wide spread issue that has an unknown cause. I would be interested in researching what the cause of this is from a psychological standpoint.  Another interest I have has to do with prescription painkillers and the addiction to them that is caused by physicians. There are so many people that suffer from drug addiction, but I thought it would be fascinating to see how physicians have done more harm than good at times. I also have an interest in Google and its culture of success. When I was trying to...
1 comment
Read more