Sunday, April 12, 2015

Importance of Research Papers

I did a research paper in high school over climate change. The paper was a lot of work and it took a lot of time, but looking back I think I gained a better understanding of climate change doing the paper than I would have if I were to have been taught it high school.  The project also increased my interest in the topic. Before the project, I knew what climate change was and was kind of interested, but after I did all the research over it, I found it more interesting. I’m sure everyone can relate to this in some way in the research project we are doing now.
 Another reason why I think that doing a research paper is useful is that it teaches you how to research. In many careers, especially careers in science research is a vital skill.Being able to do a research paper allows you to demonstrate a greater understanding of a topic compared to taking tests. You could take a test which you study for by memorizing a bunch of facts, but in the end you only demonstrate ability to memorize. If you have a good memory, you’ll probably do well in school, but that doesn’t always mean that you understand what was being taught, rather you remembered things in class. Writing a research paper requires you to understand what those facts mean, and to be able to apply them in your argument. 

7 comments:

  1. I agree with you that research papers are important. Students need to do a research paper as it is a great benefit to them. They will learn a great deal about the subject they are studying and themselves. After putting a lot of time and care into their research paper, they will be able to better opinion of the subject.

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  2. I agree that research papers are important, and serve a great purpose in letting students really delve into a topic and learn about it. Without this assignment I would not have learned about the inequities in education, and the effects that they have on the future of our country. I understand how a research paper is important in learning how to effectively communicate an argument.

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  3. Researching a topic makes you think about the topic in different ways than you ever have before. With most topics, you have your own opinions, and you usually stick with those opinions. However, while researching, you are surrounded by other opinions, and it causes you to reconsider your own. I think this is one of the most important benefits of researching.

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  4. I agree with the three comments above mine about the importance of research papers. They allow students to learn more about a topic than just what is on the surface. It also helps students effectively deliver an argument, with more convincing points.

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  5. I agree. Research is an extremely important tool to use through our college careers and once we graduate as well. Doing research papers is important practice to prepare us to succeed.

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  6. I agree. I personally enjoy research papers because I feel like I'm more in control over what I'm learning about on a specific topic, and I can focus on what interests me rather than trying to understand what the teacher is teaching and reading chapters out of a book.

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  7. I agree. Being able to write research papers after doing research and really understanding the topic you are writing on is extremely important and useful. There is this idea that as you move from High School teaching, where the goal is for students to learn the material and be able to spit it back out on a test, to college where students need to understand a topic and be able to work with it are essentially what a research paper does. It takes a concept and then you learn more about it and become an expert and able to manipulate it.

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