At the start of the semester, my process for conducting academic research was limited. However, I am familiar with how to discover scholarly sources and extract the most significant information from them. I also know how to conduct a literature review, which was extremely useful for my research. My approach has developed in a way that has only benefited me this semester. I comprehend how to conduct a more thorough assessment of material and ensure its accuracy. When looking for sources, I know how to search for more suitable keywords. I am more aware of what constitutes good academic research and how it should be written. I’m also more aware of what constitutes poor academic research and what to avoid.
The process I used for analyzing and selecting sources for my research was straightforward. I went to my school’s Greenwood Library website and typed in keywords that I wanted to highlight. Family involvement, HeadStart, engagement, and enjoyment were the main keywords I was searching for. Because my research was centered on HeadStart, I decided to select sources that contained HeadStart. I mostly used resources that investigated parental engagement and why it is crucial for parents to engage with their children. I also solely used sources that provided data that assisted me in determining an answer to my research study. I made an intentional effort to exclude any scholarly publications published before the 2000s so that the data was more recent and reliable. My study did contain a couple of obstacles with assignments during the semester. The first difficulty I had was attempting to connect the literature review to the current statistics offered. This was primarily due to the low response rate. However, because my group was the Counting Caterpillars, which had the highest response rate compared to all the other Family Fun Time Activities, it was a little easier to use the replies and compare them to previous year responses. The higher the response rate, the more information I was able to incorporate in my findings.
The second difficulty I encountered was combining quantitative and qualitative data in a paper. I was initially anxious because I had never had to use quantitative and qualitative data in any of my papers before taking this class. It wasn’t tough to write, but it was challenging to structure and evaluate the data. Dr. Pederson demonstrated in class exactly what we needed to do and assisted us by allowing us to perform it in class so that we could ask questions and collaborate with others for assistance, just like real researchers would. The class itself was an excellent opportunity for improving one’s research abilities. I wasn’t aware of the intricate process of conducting research prior to taking this class, but I was aware that it wasn’t easy. So my attitude about doing research has clearly shifted over time. I am now more aware of how complex this process is and how long it takes to conduct research. It is not something that can be accomplished overnight. It taught me to do a thorough research before jumping into something to ensure that it is accurate and up to date. It also taught me to be patient and that research may not always go as planned.
My confidence level is not what it was when I started taking the class. Throughout the course, I would become quite concerned about what I was doing and whether I was doing it correctly, but now I am more confident in conducting literature reviews, methodology, and even working with others. Thinking like a researcher, in my opinion, requires developing a mindset and set of abilities necessary for performing thorough and effective research. For example, research frequently entails overcoming obstacles and addressing hard problems. Researchers are skilled at identifying problems, developing processes, and devising strategies to answer research questions. To ensure accuracy and trustworthiness, research also necessitates meticulous attention to detail. Researchers focus on the details of their data, techniques, and discoveries. Thinking like a researcher requires a deep commitment to ethical behavior. This involves respecting participants’ rights and well-being, correctly reporting findings, and avoiding plagiarism. Research can be a time-consuming and difficult task. Researchers are persistent and resilient in their pursuit of knowledge, willing to overcome failures and obstacles.