• You were asked to first perform a quick-n-dirty search on your topic, then moved into the more sophisticated library databases. Please describe how you progressed from the general to the specific.  What worked?  What didn’t work?  Snafoos?  Advice for future researchers?  Be specific.

At first I just tried to get any source that seemed at least somewhat relevant. Then I read through a few, skimmed through a few, and I was able to collect a couple of key words that I would then use when I moved to the library databases. That allowed me to use key words that were more direct and to the point.

• Which sites or search engines yielded the most substantial results for you (think back to the search engines you were introduced to and the library databases that Patrick Williams walked you through) AltPress, Lexis Nexus, Proquest, etc.? WHY?  And HOW? Be specific.

I tried to use the databases that were provided and I did get a couple of articles but what I found was that due to the nature of my topic, it was more beneficial to go directly to google and read some articles from their that were simplified. I read through a few articles using the library databases and like I mentioned, I was able to collect some sophisticated key words that yielded a good amount of useful sources.

• Describe what you’ve learned about the research process (please don’t tell me “well, it takes time” or “it’s hard” or disingenuous comments—please try and be honestly reflective here). Use specific references to your own work.

I found that at times I wasn’t able to find useful articles because I was searching directly for articles that answered my question. After I realized that wasn’t working for me, I split my topic into sections and decided to search for articles based on those sections. At the end, I was able to answer my question by combining these sections together.

• Describe the challenges of this assignment, “The TED TALK.” What did you struggle with—and why?

The biggest challenge was my lack of experience with speaking to an audience directly. I also struggled with just find useful articles like I just explained. At first, I struggled with not finding articles but then when I had to present, I struggled with talking about the material in all of the articles I found within the 5 minutes that I was allotted.

• Describe your understanding of exigency and kairos—how does it pertain to your topic? Your research?

In order to give a good controversial presentation, the topic must be presently controversial. These words essentially mean that the articles found through research and the topic itself must be semi-recent otherwise nobody will have heard about it and that means that it probably isn’t important anymore. Discussions about a topic from 30 years ago can be very different it the topic were to be discussed again today due to a ever-changing culture.

• Describe your comfort level in navigating the library’s databases (specifically the search engines Patrick showed us) (1 being extremely unfamiliar—10 being masterful)—and explain.

I would say I’m about a 6 with comfort level. I still have a tough time using the different search assists that the databases provide but after I found a good method of finding good key words to search, utilizing the search databases became more easy.

• Explain the genre expectations of a TED TALK and how you were able to successfully adhere to these in your own TED TALK to the class. Please be specific.

With regard to expectation, I think it was important for me, especially with the nature of my topic, to keep the material at a level that people without any prior knowledge could understand. Most of my articles did this already but I had to go through and really try to understand the material so that I could do a better job explaining it. The biggest, and probably the hardest, was to be confident in the research I did and what I was saying. It is very hard for someone to pay attention to and believe in a presentation if the person presenting can’t get out a full sentence without using “um” multiple times. I was guilty of it but I tried to be conscience of it.

• As we shift to Unit III, you’ll draw from all the research you’ve compiled in Unit II, as well as additional primary research on the controversy. What type of primary research is feasible for the upcoming Unit? What are your ideas and what arguments are you looking to collect still?

Articles that come from people who work directly with nuclear energy will strengthen my argument. It will make it seem true because the person that would have written the article will have been directly in contact with the topic. I think it is imperative that I gather more articles that offer more contradicting views and maybe try to refute or agree with those arguments instead of ignoring them.

• What was something that we did as a class, discussed in conferences, did as homework, etc. that was helpful for your understanding of assignment or research? Why?

The best part of either the speed debating or putting the topics on paper on the board. Each of these allowed other perspectives to be heard and it provided a path for ideas to be shared. Even if someone said something that wasn’t true, it provided research material to prove that said idea wasn’t true.