8 - Journal Entry 3

Q: As you implement the research plan, what key steps did you find missing from the original draft plan?

A: I took to using the standard research plan laid out for me by my Professor. It is a straightforward plan that breaks down each stage of the research paper into weeks. Week 1 is finding the topic, week 2 is developing my thesis, and the current week - week 3 - is about researching and searching for sources. While it is a very simplified research plan, I find that it is generally a good guideline because it sets "goals" throughout the weeks needed to finish a paper. If I were to revise the research plan, I would consider week 3-4 as "research and stewing," because not only am I researching, but I am also constantly thinking about it, developing it in my mind, and determining what I should do next. I have already found myself changing avenues while "stewing." For example, my most recent decision was to narrow my project down from the effects of technology on education to a more comparative piece comparing the impact of AI on education to the impact of another technology in history. By narrowing it down to only two topics, I have found that it's much easier to research. While I haven't decided on the second technology yet, it may very well end up being... calculators! Or perhaps tools that have made searching the internet a breeze, like google. It'd be easy to use "computers," though I find it is too broad.

All in all, I have found that dedicating extra time during research to refining my topic was invaluable, and I recommend it!