Sarai’s English Log

 The most compelling issue connected to my research topic is how this growing reliance on technology will impact teaching and learning in the long term. With most data proving that personal technology use has a negative impact on teenagers' academic performance and attention spans, the fact that such advanced technology has not really existed for very long leaves what the long term effects of all this will be up in the air. I find it particularly interesting because I wonder how schools will adjust to this, and if the issues that technology use is causing can be reversed, or if the damage is already done. Today in class we worked on finding evidence for our chosen sources.  Doing this has helped me focus in more on each source, how they contribute to answering my research question, and what stance they have on the issue.

 Completing the annotated bibliography has helped refine how I would answer this question, now using the research I've found, an it has also helped reveal what stance I would take on this question based on the research I have done. The sources gathered have shaped my argument in that many of them show that excessive and inappropriate technology usage overall has a negative impact on teenagers' academic performance and attention spans, which is likely the side I will agree with.  Today in class we put finishing touches on our annotated bibliography. Doing this has helped me become more prepared to discuss these sources with my group mates later on.

 For me, the hardest part if the annotated bibliography was doing the evaluation. I had to actively explain why the sources were credible and reliable rather than just saying that they were. It helped me grow as a researcher because I also had to study the background of the people who wrote the sources, which is not something I've done very often, so it broadened my expertise and helped me prepare for what I need to do when I'm in college. It is preparing me for writing my paper as it assures me that the sources I've gathered are trustworthy and relate to my topic. Today in class we continued working on our annotated bibliography. Doing this has helped me learn how to effectively do research for a paper. 

 Although with my topic most of my sources took more to the negative side, the main difference I noticed between sources on the negative and positive side of the argument was that, on the positive, they tended to focus more on how technology has had a positive impact on students learning, or state that based on the data they've collected, technology usage does not have a statistically significant effect on students academic performace. On the other side of the argument, sources on the negative side tend to state how technology has caused students to perform worse on certain subjects in school, and similar things. Today in class we continued working on our research. Doing this has helped me understand my topic better, and learn more about different perspectives their are on my topic, rather than what my preconceived opinion was.

 Using GALILEO to find sources is different from how I have searched for information in the past, as it saves me time from have to sift through thousands of sources, in which many don't relate to my topic or are not reliable. Using specific search strategies allowed me to easily find sources that related to my topic, as well as find a specific type of source that was made within a certain timeframe. This helped me find higher quality sources than what I would have found through Google. In class today, we began searching for our own sources individually using GALILEO. Doing this has taught me about a different website I can use to conduct research, as well as how to, as well as shown me all the different types of sources I can use.

 In this cartoon, Trump's actions and statements are being criticized. This source suggests that Trump is using what is going on with Iran and Israel as a way to distract Americans from what he is doing himself in our country, specifically naming ICE and his "Big Beautiful Big", which are depicted to be suffocating and beating Uncle Sam, representing America. The cartoonist is asking the audience to reconsider what they are focused on in the world, and asking them to question if what Trump is doing right now, not only within our country, but also globally, is right. Today in class we practiced analyzing sources and identifying what side of the argument they should be catagorized into. Doing this has prepared me for what we will be doing in the incoming week, where we will be searching for our own sources.

 Creating a specific search phrase is different from just Googling a topic because it allows me to narrow down my search into something that is more in line with what I am looking for. It will improve the quality of my research because it will allow me to find sources that align better with my topic, as well as find better quality sources, which altogether makes the time I spend researching more impactful, as I am now able to quickly and easily find sources that are appropriate.  Today in class we did a Common Lit. I found the topic of the American Lit, the American Dream, was very interesting, and it showed me a different perspective of it, as it's not something I've thought deeply about the history of before.