Throughout my time in Research and Methods taught by Dr. Pederson, I have seen nothing but individual growth since following the guidelines and tips given to me. Individually, the ways I had gone about academic research before enrolling in this class was all wrong. In the beginning, I always just looked for a solid topic which I could branch into three easier/ descriptive sub-categories to better explain my topic. In this, I would search for articles and other preexisting research that could support or go against my intended point of reference throughout the research or study. I can say it has change for the better in multiple ways including one of which being that I no longer dive straight into looking for articles, I look at other peer-reviewed studies that allow for a general idea and understanding for what already exists and has been studied pertaining to the topic I want to research. While evaluating and selecting sources to include within academic research, it is important to figure out which sources are going to be more helpful. In my time of deciding on what to use within my work or not, I have come across the selection process to be easier if I look at the credibility of the source first. In this, I make sure the author has included the previous work or standing statistics that back up and support the point accurately or show a fault within the intended research. In this, I review at least one to two of the sources the researcher has included in the references to see if they are both legitimate in publishing, as well as credible in using for my own work. With deciding to use a source or not, the biggest weight to decide is whether it will fit within the criteria and writing stance as presumed within the writing or presentation of the research. I personally did not add nor remove any sourced upon revising the final product of my paper. I chose not to because I personally felt as if the connections within the examined literature/studies all reflected the intended target within our research as a class. The literature that I decided to keep included within the final paper all corresponds in showing the relationship between the labeled themes of my literature review as well as both the Quantitative and Qualitative variables within the “Data and Methods” section of the final paper. Overall, the challenges that I encountered while completing the research for the assignments that were included within this class were just trying to find current, reliable sources that could examine a parent’s involvement in accordance with societal influences/ factors, and the impact of this on their children. The strategies that I used to overcome the problems that I faced were to keep looking for articles with a broader definition of parent involvement so I could get an idea of what sources could and would be essential to helping write the final product. One case where I had to remove an article before submitting the individual “Literature Review” assignment was when it specifically targeted and represented a bias towards one minority. Throughout the completion of this class, I can confidently say that I have learned skills that have made me a better researcher as well as a better writer. I have gained confidence throughout the completion of the Quantitative and Qualitative sections of this class. Obtaining live data and breaking it down using excel has taught me many tricks and traits that will be easily obtainable throughout my career. Throughout this class, I have had the experience to “Think Like a Researcher” and I can overall say that it is a fun and educational experience. In this, thinking like a researcher can specifically pertain to breaking down and analyzing data, literature, and other forms of research in a non-bias perspective towards finding the main goal of your hypothesis or research question. In the end, this class was very enjoyable, and I have learned many quality traits that forever stick with me throughout my lifetime and career.