My process for doing academic research has advanced dramatically. When I thought of research before I did not know much about it, I just believed it was finding academic sites to relate to the topic chosen, summarize those articles, and so on and so forth. Now, after completing this research, I have come to the realization that there is much more to it than just “research”. I have learned the depths of coding techniques of independent and dependent variables (which I had no clue how to do before). I also have never written a Literature Review before, so I learned the techniques of how to-do-so. I was able to synthesize articles successfully, which I most definitely did not understand how to do before.
When researching articles for this assignment, I (of course) wanted it to relate to my topic. Not necessarily in an obvious way, but in a way to understand the broader spectrum of pandemics in general and the causation behind the various responses of the COVID-19 pandemic. I mainly focused on the mental, physical, and emotional health reactions of COVID-19, so some of my sources that were chosen related to this concept. Other themes such as faculty/staff lacking engagement as well as policy issues in place to prevent spread were also another focus of mine which sources chosen also reflected this. I did not add in other sources to the final assignment as I decided to not overwhelm readers with information, but enough to get my main point understood.
Throughout this research of course came challenges. Challenges such as issues with understanding the process of coding as well as using technology to help accomplish are what I considered difficult for me, but this is what I tended to succeed the most in. In order to overcome this obstacle, I wanted to learn and truly understand the advantages provided in order to help code correctly. I messed with the program we used, tried out different ways, and just attempted to apprehend the system in order to make sure I was doing it the right way. Sociological research in my opinion is complex and intricate, so it was important for me to make sure not only that I truly understood every bit of information, but make sure I was doing it correctly.
My perceptions and attitude toward research are now much more confident than it was before. Again, as I mentioned above, I did not know what “research” really meant besides the fact that you research some sources in the Google Search bar. I’ve learned there is a lot more to it than just that, and I am proud of myself for accomplishing each task whether it was successful or not. I feel better and more confident in my researching skills now and in the future. I also feel prepared and can take what I have learned in this course to other courses and apply the information.
“Think Like A Researcher” means to REALLY think like a researcher. A researcher does more than lookup sites to write about, and submit a paper for a grade. If a wanna-be researcher wants to become a researcher, they have to think like one. There is so much more to a researcher than there is just research. Just like there is so much more to a scientist than just the basis of science. Coming into this course as a student, I would not have defined myself as a “researcher”. However, after this course, I believe I can call myself a researcher as I have gone through the process to become one.