Lit Review -- In-Class Lab -- 5/8/14

For years, medical marijuana has been said to provide relief from pain cause by diseases and illnesses such as cancer, glaucoma, and arthritis. Through the course of this project, we will be inquiring if the usage of medicinal marijuana actually does what it’s been said to and supplies pain relief. Additionally, we will find out if marijuana draws its users into a place of dependency, what kind of affects its users experience that respond with their health issue, and what kinds of medical or health problems people go through that use medicinal marijuana.

Several sources speak directly on the dependency medicinal marijuana users feel. I came across a journal written by the International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research in 2012. Researchers took a poll out of nearly 7,000 adults ranging from the ages 18 to 35+. They researched whether or not one can become dependent on medical marijuana and found that after an extended time frame of continuous use, dependency was just about imminent. I will be using this source to show results of a majority outcome. As a way to deal with dependency, Brian Owens’ Nature Medicine writes on marijuana abuse. Owens discusses how drugs (medicine, in this case) are being created from natural hormones to combat the addiction to marijuana. I will use this source to show what actions are being/have been taken to combat dependency on this prescription.

The effects that medicinal marijuana has on a person can vary widely. Joan Bottorff, a writer for Substance Use & Misuse, discusses in her article, Health Effects of Using Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes: A Gender Analysis of Users’ Perspectives, about the usage of marijuana for pain relief in a poll of 23 people of mixed gender to see what each had to say about the effects that their prescription had on them. I will use this source to show and explain the varying perceptions people can have based upon their personalized prescriptions. In contrast to medicinal marijuana prescriptions are cannabis-based medicines constructed by GW Pharmaceuticals. In 2003, GW Pharmaceuticals planned to take up research in the study of cannabis-based medicines (excluding smoking cannabis) to discover the efficiency of how well these medicines can work, as well as monitoring how often the supplements are being taken by users. They planned on shipping supplies over from Britain to the US in June of 2003, just around the time when Bayer AG & Sativex® decided to endorse the product. I will use this source by comparing the affects patients feel when ingesting cannabis-based medicine as opposed to smoking it.

Bedford Researcher -- Chapters 12, 19, & 20

Chapter 12

In Chapter 12, it is discussed how to develop your argument by means of supporting your thesis, as well as assessing the integrity of your argument.

To support your thesis, it is good to choose reasons why your thesis is right. These reasons vary with the different types of writing there are (bloggers may analyze an issue and choose reasons to help the audience understand, and argumentative essays offer claims that lead the readers to accept the argument being made). With these reasons you will need evidence to support your claims. Without evidence, facts, expert opinions, personal observations, and the like to support your claims, your argument is invalid, as there is no other way to prove your statements to be true. That is also where citing your sources comes in. With your sources summed up into a bibliography at the end of your paper, you are giving a list of credible information banks that backed up your argument. These sources are proving you right. After explaining your reasoning, you are going to want the audience to begin to buy in to what you're feeding them. This is called appeal, which is asking them to accept your argument by having them consider it -- listen carefully for anything you might say that catches them, and them weigh our what they've just heard. There are several types of appeal: Appeal to Authority, Pathos (Appeal to Emotion), Ethos (Appeal to Principles, Values, and Beliefs), Appeal to Character, and Logos (Appeal to Logic). These different types of appeals give a writer many different sides to come at the read from and attempt to warm up to them from there.

Assessing the integrity of your argument is crucial. Many retail advertisements of today are, in a way, offensive to the audience of the product being sold, as the retailers often use logical fallacies (methods that attempt to throw the reader/audience for a loop by not digging down to the important truth). If at any time your argument is using a logical fallacy, scrap that part and rewrite it so you are not coming off as though you assume the reader is an idiot. Rewrite whatever leads up to that logical fallacy and get to the point while still preparing a backing for what you  are arguing.

Chapter 19

In Chapter 19, it is discussed how you can design documents, presentations, and essays.

To design anything takes a lot of effort and focus. Most essays, articles, and other presentations or documents (whether websites, oral presentations, multimedia presentations, etc.) have a few similar steps to bring them together. Choosing your purpose is key in all forms of designing. Without a purpose tailored to whatever style of document or presentation, you've got nothing. Each style of document is different, for example, academic essays, design articles. In an academic essay, you will focus more on margins and readable font, making it easier for the reader to scan through your essay. In a design article, you will still be focusing on the overall design of the publication & the audience being addressed, but it is more so about visual appeal combined with the ease of reading than just making it easy for the reader to look over. Just as documents differ, so do types of presentations, like oral presentation and multimedia presentations. When giving an oral presentation, you will need to first figure out your purpose and intended audience. Having those in mind, you will want to narrow your scope in on just a few key points you will discuss. With these key points building up the purpose of your presentation, this will add a foundation to whatever your audience may already know about the topic, and then construct from there. Before you even get up and give this presentation, however, you will need to create an outline to follow as you guide the flow of thought. An outline will help you to keep focused n your main points, along with the help of a main sentence that catches the audience's attention, and a conclusion that draws everything back to your initial point. Along with all of this stuff, you as the speaker will need to think about your language (pronunciation, diction, etc.), know how to engage the audience (by speaking loudly, using inflection on your voice at necessary times, maintaining eye contact, etc.), and remember where to go on from after one point has been made (use of speaker's notes while presenting to remind yourself of key points, phrases, etc.). On the other hand, a multimedia presentation differs from an oral presentation in many ways. First of all, there aren't as many steeps to remember, as everything is already compiled into one big multimedia package. What you will need to do, like all other documents and presentation types, is pick your purpose for this presentation. What do you wish to communicate through this presentation? Once you have that part in mind, it's your job to construct a media display that embodies your topic and sends out a message appropriate to conveying it. If one were to create a presentation about the ocean, you may think to include blue toned lettering to link the connection between your piece and your topic.

Chapter 20

In Chapter 20, it is discussed how to understand documentation systems.

Writers often use documentation systems because they help with the storage of sources, which works to keep plagiarism at bay. There are four main documentation systems for different subjects of work: Modern Language Association (MLA; used in humanities such as English, philosophy, linguistics, world languages, etc.), American Psychological Association (APA; used for social sciences such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, education, etc.), Chicago (used for history, journalism, and the humanities), and Council of Science Education (CSE; used mainly in the physical and life sciences, like chemistry, geology, biology, botany,etc.). After determining which documentation system is right for the subject you are in, you will need to document your sources by citing them. A proper citation should include the author(s) and/or editor(s), the titlee, the publication date, the publisher and city of publication (if for a book), periodical name, volume, issue, and page number (if for an article), and URL access date (if for a website). If you cannot find one or more of these items, simply inquire what you can find out about each source. Remember, each quotation you inquire into a paper is to be annotated and placed on a  works cited page! If the quote is not placed in quotations or is not cited in an in-text citation, that is considered plagiarism. If the source is not cited at the end of the paper, your quotation from that source is considered illegitimate, as you have no citation to derive the source from.

Bedford Researcher -- Chapters 7, 10, & 11

Chapter 7

In Chapter 7, it is discussed how you can avoid plagiarism.

Plagiarism, in short, is stealing another person's words and calling them your own without giving them credit. It can be separated into three categories -- unintentional, intentional, and group project plagiarism. Unintentional plagiarism is extremely common and comes usually from poor note taking or failure to use your notes correctly. Intentional plagiarism is a bit less common, but does still occur. It is considered intentional if you take pieces from different works and paste them together, forming a compilation of unmarked quotations. It is also considered intentional is you insert false citations to misguide/sway the reader in your path of favor & understanding. In group projects, the line can be very obscure when it comes to deciding what is plagiarism and what is collaborative. In most cases, a thought that was formed by more than one person in a group would be considered collaborative, and you would only need to give credit to each person's thoughts if so specified by an instructor. Common knowledge doesn't necessarily need to be cited by an author. If an article states that the sky is blue, credit for that information does not need to be given to that author, as that is a fact known across the globe. A specific author stating this fact doesn't make it the first time anybody has ever laid claim to those words, thus rendering it pointless. As a research writer, it is your job to write honestly, and this is why citing your sources is so important. Give credit where credit is due. Avoiding plagiarism can be very easy if you know to keep your eyes peeled throughout the writing process. One main way is take careful notes, and be sure to put quotation marks around quotes you derive from your sources. This will help you in being able to distinguish between your thoughts and the thoughts coming from each source. Another way is to cite your sources after every quotation or thought that did not come from you. This way, you won't have to hassle with searching through your paper for each quotation and giving authors their credit at the end of the long haul. if you are accused of plagiarism by your professor, it is in your best interest to ask to sit down with them and go through your annotated bibliography, as well as your paper. to prepare for this, collect all or as many materials as you can to be able to provide credit when asked by your professor. Listen carefully, and even take notes on what your professor's concerns are. This will help you to sort through your paper more carefully and be able to nit pick at the little details without having to refer to them every now and then.

Chapter 10

In Chapter 10, it is discussed how to search for information with field research methods.

Field research methods are another way to conduct your research. Instead of relying on printed or documented information that explains something from another person's point of view, you can go out into the world and and do the research yourself -- take a public poll, attend a live event, interview people involved with your topic, etc.You can use field research methods when you can't find any printed sources that you find to bring insight to your opinion. You can also use them when you find yourself looking at your topic from a view that hasn't necessarily been addressed by the masses before. This gives you the opportunity to take things into your won hands and find out what you want to know. You can use interview to collect information because of the first-hand experience. These eyewitness reports from someone affected directly by a circumstance may just give you the extra strength that you need for support by .Observation is also another part to perform field research. Observing a setting can give you a lot of information simply from the atmosphere you are in, which is more than what printed articles and journals could ever give you a feel for. Surveys typically don't help you understand the "why" question we ask as writers, but more so the "what" or "who" questions. They are good to conduct if you cannot find a survey taken on specifics you may need to prove your point, and usually go well with a group size of about 100 people.

Chapter 11

In Chapter 11, it is discussed how one can develop a thesis statement.

A thesis statement is the initial sentence or two that ties together the main point you are going to be focusing on and feeding to the reader. They are usually found to be the last sentence of your opening paragraph, so that you can plug the first part of your opening paragraph into that final statement that sets the tone for the rest of your paper. This is your position statement that is your initial response to your research question. As your opening claim for your entire paper, the bar has just been set. And to make sure it's set to the perfect standard that matches or exceeds the topic of your writing, there must be revision. When we think research question, it is automatically asked, "What/where is the answer to this?" First thoughts can sometimes be sloppy, especially when you have just started to look over your sources. That is why creating a thesis statement needs refining and perfecting done to it. Thinking on your initial position, writing it out, weighing out the good and bad parts to it, and ruling out any sheepish tones that may sound reserved is critical to constructing a properly formed thesis. It is important to review your notes and position statement, making sure that they line up with what you are trying to argue for. It is all too simple to lose track of your thoughts when there are so many articles you are sprint and sifting through, as well as so many other biases that are unlike yours. Even throughout the writing process of your paper, it is crucial to check back with your original stance on the subject and make sure everything is lining up properly. While strumming up your thesis statement, it is good to come up with several alternatives to what you may want your main point to be. Alternatives consisting of statements that may call the reader into taking action, changing their own way of thinking, or simply to listen to what you have to say and learn what it all means. Doing this will help you create diversity in your options to go with, and may very well be easier for you to communicate to the audience by choosing one over the other.

Bedford Researcher -- Chapters 3 & 6

Chapter 3

In Chapter 3, it is discussed how you can construct a research question, as well as your research proposal.

To develop a research question, you should begin by reflecting on your writing situation. To do this, you think about all of your initial thoughts on the subject you are researching and consider those as biases. Looking at these biases will help you as the writer to see the interpretation you have made of the sources you have found, and how your initial thoughts have shaped your outlook on each one. Another method that will help you come up with one main research question is to strum up as many questions dealing with your research topic as possible. These questions should try to focus on the information you may already know or to be questioning what you have yet to discover, the assumptions made by writers who have already spoken on your topic, the outcomes that have unfolded already that have to do with your writing topic (i.e. things that have happened when A + B result in C), etc. Having asked these questions, different thought processes will surface and give you multiple ways to consider specific aspects of your research topic. Thoughts processes like evaluation (asking about strengths and weaknesses or appropriateness), cause/effect analysis (asking what leads to a specific result), and inquiry (seeking new information; conducting original research). When these two elements are put together, you can properly edit to perfection a research question, as well as use various processes to conduct your research on more refined grounds. As for a research proposal, it is dedicated to explain your plan for research, unveil at the additional research you will need to dive deeper into, and go over the work you have done thus far.

Chapter 6

In Chapter 6, it is discussed how you can save and organize information you find, why note taking is important & ways you should take notes, as well as how you can create a bibliography to organize information.

As the writer, it is very important to save & organize the information you may come across in your research, as you will need to address the sources from which you base your facts (thus, your argument) on, as well cite them in your bibliography after all is said and done. Saving and organizing your sources and the information they contain, whether printed or digital, is key to composing the various drafts you will have throughout the writing process.
To sort all of this information out is simple and will keep clutter to a minimum. You can use Post-It notes for printed documents and notes, as well as date the paper you have and file everything by the time the item was added to your stockpile. To make things easier on you as the writer, you should try to stick to your organizational scheme, meaning you shouldn't hop from one approach to another. Doing so will only make it that much more difficult to file all of your sources and keep everything orderly. For digital sources, a good thing to do is to keep your sources named appropriately, date them, and place each in a folder you know the location of o your computer or thumb drive. This will help provide easy access to each source or piece of material. It is good to take notes it helps you keep track of your thoughts/ideas & important information you have come across, and it also helps you learn your sources better than if you were to simply highlight key parts of documents. Repetition is important when it comes to memorizing and remembering just about anything, so taking notes on information you already have is doing just that -- mentally rewriting over the information you have already looked over before.
To take notes, it is good to stick with only one process. That entails structure of your note pages and how neatly you write, keeping track with the same notebook, etc. Quoting directly is also very important, as you will need to know exactly what a source says (and where the quote is from, so write down the source, page number, paragraph, etc. as well). Paraphrasing is almost like direct quotation, except you are saying the exact same thing in your words. There is a fine line between paraphrasing and plagiarism, so be careful not to say word for word what the source says.
To create a bibliography for information organization, you will firstly need sources. Bibliographies are to be made out in MLA (Mordern Language Association) Format. This is simply the list of sources you are using and drawing quotations, paraphrases, summaries, diagrams, etc. from. Your bibliography can be formatted in order of which you collected your sources, in categories, by author, by publication title, according to the information/ideas, or according to an outline of your project document. Bibliographies are different from works cited or reference lists because in a bibliography, these sources are not just snippets of articles and documents you have inquired into your paper, but they help you shape your overall thought process.

Bedford Researcher -- Chapters 1, 2, & 4

Chapter 1

In Chapter 1, it is discussed how to do research for a paper, how one can write confidently, and how you can construct an appropriate topic for a research paper.

To research the topic of your paper, Bedford explains all that is necessary to enable this is personal motivation and willingness to learn. Through your willingness to learn to work with these sources you may come across will come an understanding of the learning process as you immerse yourself in the topic. With personal motivation to express you opinions on the research topic, you as the writer will get a good look at what it will take to write a paper. Timing is a large part to writing and constructing a research paper, as you will more than likely need ample breathing room to check through various drafts you will develop over time. Through this time frame that you construct this research paper, you as the writer will begin to understand more and more of genre and design of various sources, referring to the credibility of the sources you find in your research. For example, a personal writer's blog may have a post written about a very popular news topic in that moment. Although this post may be giving an overview that may be very spot on, this blog would not be as credible as an article from the New York Times newspaper discussing the exact same topic. As the writer, it is up to you to sort through all kinds of sources and choose which ones have enough credibility to use in your paper.

Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, it is discussed how you as the researcher can explore your topic and focus in on specific issues concerning smaller matters lying within.

To start, you can make a plan that will help you dive into your topic further by talking to people who have extensive knowledge on what you're researching, and even keeping book on what information you come across and collect so you will have the ability to check back on past articles, columns, news posts, etc. that you may find helpful. Another way to help you explore you topic is to observe it yourself. Bedford talks about one writer conducting research on young adults' growing interest in metal music by attending a local metal concert and seeing firsthand what all of the commotion was about. This will not only give you your own feel for what things actually look like and how the experience feels while being in the driver's seat, but it enables a new perspective to discuss in your paper that you would not have gotten by only reading books and web articles. One way to focus in on a specific issue concerning your research topic is to, first of all, find an issue lying within the topic itself. This could be dealing with just about anything. From there, you as the writer are needed to assess just how relevant this issue is to your topic. At this point, the relevancy of each issue should try to coincide something of your interest, and whether or not this is something you find interesting.

Chapter 4

In Chapter 4, it is discussed how to read critically by keeping in mind your research question, reading with an attitude, things to look out for as you read critically, and strategies to reading critically.

As the writer, there are many things we have to look out for while composing a research paper. One main step to this is reading critically through each source you come by. Are there any sections in these sources that back your research question? If so, what exactly is the message that this passage is conveying? How can you inquire this into your paper as another part of your research? These are key questions to be thinking about as you cautiously scan possible sources. Another thing you will need to search for throughout your sources is new information. While there may be many different references that all come up with similar facts, what else has one source not discovered yet than another has? This is one of the main tasks of reading critically -- it is there to help bring in & round up more knowledge about the topic or issue at hand that has a new filter or new perspective than other statements already made.

Incorporating Sources Effectively

Sentence Source Variation -- 4/17/14 Lab

1) According to Mayuree Rao, graduate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, "the highest category of healthier diets cost $1.48/day ($1.01 to $1.95) more than the lowest category."

2) Discussing the price differences of a healthy lifestyle opposed to various dieting techniques, author Mayuree Rao claims that "the highest category of healthier diets cost $1.48/day ($1.01 to $1.95) more than the lowest category."

Paragraph Source Composition

1) In early December of 2013, the Harvard School of Public Health researched the cost efficiency of eating healthy opposed to unhealthy dieting. "The healthiest diets cost about $1.50 more per day..." (HSPH). According to Mayuree Rao, lead author of this research investigation, "'People often say that healthier foods are more expensive, and that such costs strongly limit better diet habits...'" 

2) Kathleen M. Zelman, director of nutrition for WebMD.com, comes into contact with any and all of the website's diet, nutrition, and food information articles. In her WebMD Feature, "Dieting Is Out; Healthy Eating Is In," we get a look at what people of today's day & age are in pursuit of to achieve an overall healthier lifestyle. "...a 2008 American Diabetic Association survey of nearly 800 adults found that...73% said [they aren't doing more to improve their diets] because they don't want to give up their favorite foods." However, through Zelman's research, ADA spokesperson Jeannie Gazzaniga Moloo claims that "all food can fit into a healthy diet, as long as you exercise and practice moderation."