Bring on the Questions

Good afternoon all!
Today's post is all about research relating to my topic. But before I get into the details from the class exercise today I should let you know that, after thinking about it over the weekend, I decided to change my main topic. Instead of role models, I decided to research and write about things associated with health habits, fad diets, and  nutrition.
While I do have some knowledge in this field, I would love to learn more than what is just on the surface. There are so many interesting things to learn about this subject and I am so excited to get started!
So todays writing exercise was all about researching your topic and how to do it without using Google. At first I wasn't too sure how this was going to work out, but it ended up being surprisingly easy!
Lets begin.

Exercise 1.5

Research Proposal

1. Inquiry question:
What might explain the increasing obsession with various fad diets and health habits of today?

2. Primary purpose
  Explore; other questions:
    a. Are these diets and habits affecting our culture?
    b. Is there a relation between these fads and eating disorders?
    c. Why is our culture so fascinated by having a "perfect" diet and a "fit" body?

3. Prior Beliefs
 Argue; theory, main claim:
Our cultural today is so enthralled with the idea of being healthy. It seems that every magazine cover or newspaper article is about losing those last few pounds or the secret diet to a longer happier life. My question is where did this obsession come from? And is it truly healthy?

3. Prior beliefs? Personal experiences? What do you think about the topic right now?

It wasn't until last year or so that I realized the importance of good nutrition, health and fitness. A friend of mine, who is studying to be a nutritionist, was talking to me about all of the interesting things she had learned in just a few of her classes. I was immediately interested and started to get really curious about  the idea of nutrition. While I have done some research on the topic I would love to dig deeper and find answers to all those questions that are so often pushed to the side.

Brainstorming

The exercise given to me today, from The curious researcher, was to help me find a topic for my next essay. It was all about brainstorming anything and everything that came to my mind. No wrong answers or dumb questions, just my random thoughts and ideas to help me out.

Step 1: pick a few topics and write down whatever comes to your mind when you think of them.

HABITS:

• biting your nails 
• over eating
• snacking when not hungry 
• chewing gum
• picking your nose
• how do habits form? 
• can you pick habits up from other people? 
• not saying excuse me 
• saying excuse me
• saying thank you
• how do you break a bad habit?
• how do you form a habit? 
• what is the most common habit? 
• does everyone have a bad habit? 
• what exactly is considered a habit? 
• using your phone while having a face to face conversation
• interrupting
• farting
• texting while driving 
• leaving the cap off of the toothpaste
• not flushing the toilet 
• leaving lights on 
• hugging people goodbye
• eating veggies

PEOPLE:

• why do people judge each other?
• what’s the most common way people communicate?
• constantly busy
• Moms
• parents
• celebrities
• do people many have things in common?
• nuns
• brothers
• step siblings
• spiritual leaders
• role models
• the government
• cartoon characters
• the mailman

HOBBIES:

• Playing piano
• dancing
• singing
• baking
• are hobbies only something you’re good at?
• playing games
• swimming
• painting
• listening to music
• reading
• organizing
• yardwork
• doing makeup
• playing around with clothes
• playing with kids
• acting
• working out
• coloring in coloring books
• talking
• hanging out with friends
• evangelizing
• youth group
• shopping

TRENDS:

• Iphone
• drinking coffee
• wearing Uggs
• being ”hipster”
• vans
• teen pregnancy
• divorce
• driving small cars
• Toms
• ugly sweaters
• pop music
• slouch beanies
• Mullets
• getting fit
• Hairstyles
• shoes
• cowboy boots
• Northface

PLACES:

• Italy
• Spain
• South Africa
• Local orphanage
• the zoo
• art museum
• coffee shops
• restaurants
• local church
• the library
• Brazil
• Uganda
• Ireland
• Baltimore
• Lancaster county
• my bedroom
• backyards
• Downtown
• A castle
• A chapel
• A dorm
• School
• pawn shops
• Hawaii

Step 2: Pick one item from the list above

• Role Models

Step 3: For the item chosen above, generate another list

• Who are your role models?
• Where do role models come from?
• What are the characteristics of a role model?
• Does everybody have one?
• Do people have more than one?
• Do you need one?
• Why don't we have more of them?
• Do they make a difference?
• How can you be one?
• Are they common?
• Is it easy to be one?
• Should celebrities be our role models?
• Can you have a bad role model?
• Who decides what makes a good role model?
• Can role models mess up a lot?
• Does your role model have to be close to you?

The Start of Something Curious.

Are you one of those people who loves to write? Do your ideas and words easily flow straight from your brain onto your paper? Or, do you find writing a struggle? You have and idea of what you would like to say but you just can't figure out how to write it? If you answered no to the first, but absolutely to the second, then you are in the same boat as me. While I love the idea of being a great writer who influences and inspires many with their words, I just can't seem to do it. But that's about to change. I just recently started reading this book, called the "Curious Researcher" by Bruce Ballenger, in my English Composition class. It is filled with a bunch of new ideas and exercises to help one become a more creative writer. The first exercise I was given, called fast-writing, involved just a few statements, three minutes and whatever thoughts came to my head as I wrote. Now, I know that my writing is kind of rough.. but hey, it can only get better from here!

First Statement, 3 minutes, GO!

You can't use the pronoun "I"

It is often assumed, by many, that it is improper to use the pronoun "I" in your academic writing. I, however, believe this to be false. After reading several books and articles on the matter, I've found that it isn't the use of "I" that is unacceptable, but the overuse of the pronoun.

Statement 2

People are entitled to their own opinions, and no one opinion is better than another.

While I believe that everyones opinion is valuable, I also believe that there is a right time and a wrong time to share them. For example, lets say you have a, not so nice, opinion on the way someone looks or is acting, depending on the situation or circumstances, it may not be very wise to state those opinions. Especially when those opinions are not helpful for building others up.