Research Methods Learning diary 2

Over the past few months I have learnt so much on my course at Middlesex and its starting to come to light that all of the previous tasks are the foundations for the final module The Project.

Over the past few months I have learnt how to set up a blog to represent me and my work, it has also connected me to my peers and tutors. I have produced and advertised my CV to inform others of my training and my goals/dreams. I have learned how to express my interests and those who inspire me and why. I now know about the Kolb theory something I had never heard of before and to understand what it was I researched it to broaden my knowledge thus helping me with my current module as it’s something I have experienced doing before. I know that on a daily basis I use the Kolb Theory to make things work better and now I evaluate my work more frequently.

The most significant work to help benefit this module and my project is the writing styles as I have learnt how to write academically which will be the main style of writing for my project, learning the Harvard way to reference will be required for significant information. I know how to market something which may benefit me if say for instance i want to market some of my new classes. I know how to write a good descriptive piece of writing and have learnt that this is my favourite style of writing. The need to market work and the use of descriptive writing may be required as part of my research dependent upon my project title.

During the course I have had to reflect and analyse my work which is not something I used to do, I have had to take into account comments and critique from my peers in order to improve it which was very valuable. I’ve also learnt that my comments to my peers are very valuable for them and can improve their work and felt I did this very well. I learnt that appropriate and useful feedback is vital for improvement.

Everything I have learnt will benefit me in one way or another especially for the next few months ahead.

Reflection on Writing Task Draft Copies

I have now posted my draft copies of my three writing styles and have started to receive a few comments which I am hoping over the next couple of days will develop into conversations where I will welcome plenty of positive and constructive critism. I have taken some time to reflect upon Task D and have realised that I actually don’t find having to do lots of written work as monotonous as I thought. I say this because my role as a teacher doesn’t involve much if any written work, certainly not to the extent of what I have had to produce for my degree with Middlesex.

Personally I think that my marketing piece is written well and I stuck to my guns about not writing too after research from Michael Cohn stated “Keep the language simple and direct, Buzzwords and jargon can turn people off. Always try to speak plainly about what you are marketing. If some technical vocabulary is necessary, make sure that the terms are explained and examples are given. No matter how sophisticated the readers are, they will become impatient with text that does not get to the core message quickly and efficiently” http://biznik.com/articles/marketing-writing-how-to-maximize-its-effectiveness . I understand that some people may disagree hence why I will be interested to read what people think.

I must articulate that I found the descriptive writing the least challenging as I have always found this style of writing easier to generate. I was often capable of descriptive writing at school as writing stories and poems was something I was gifted at. I think I have a creative imagination and this helps me immensely in the classroom when I am teaching dance as my choreography is frequently about telling a story or portraying an emotion.

My least favorite example of writing is the academic style as I am out of practice and it has been a long while since I have written a form of essay with quotations and research back-up. It did take me the longer to write this style and do welcome all critism as I do feel this is a weaker area for me. I have followed my guide to referencing my quotes the “Harvard” way and feel that my question “Phantom of the opera the current longest running musical on Broadway, will a sequel ruin its reputation?” is relevant and already in discussion.

I have also give thought to Task E and I have commented on many peoples blogs with positive and constructive feedback which I hope helps people deliver excellent final copies of Task D. I also feel that this is really important as it’s a task where I ask myself “is this right?”, “Is this the best it can be?” I can only move forward with my writing styles if people comment and I find this hard as I feel my work is dependant upon someone else because I have delivered the best I can at this stage. I understand the importance of this task and I understand how feedback is important as a teacher to give and receive.

I look forward to reading your comments and they will go to great use helping me with final copies of my writing styles.

Descriptive Writing Techniques

Through description, a writer helps the reader use the senses of feeling, seeing, hearing, smelling, and tasting to experience what the writer experiences. Description helps the reader more clearly understand the people, places, and things about what you are writing. It is the most common form of writing. You will find descriptive writing in newspapers, magazines, books, and most other forms of written communication.
Descriptive writing portrays people, places, things, moments and theories with enough vivid detail to help the reader create a mental picture of what is being written about.

Things to Consider as You Write Your Descriptive Essay
• Think of an instance that you want to describe.
• What were you doing?
• What other things were happening around you? Is there anything specific that stands out in your mind?
• Where were objects located in relation to where you were?
• How did the surroundings remind you of other places you have been?
• What sights, smells, sounds, and tastes were in the air?
• Did the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes remind you of anything?
• What were you feeling at that time?
• Has there been an instance in which you have felt this way before?
• What do you want the reader to feel after reading the paper?
• What types of words and images can convey this feeling?
• Can you think of another situation that was similar to the one you are writing about? How can it help explain what you are writing about?
• Is there enough detail in your essayto create a mental image for the reader?

Conventions of Descriptive Essays Illustrated by Sample Paragraphs
Appealing-to-the-Senses Description: Let the reader see, smell, hear, taste, and feel what you write in your essay.

The thick, burnt scent of roasted coffee tickled the tip of my nose just seconds before the old, faithful alarm blared a distorted top-forty through its tiny top speaker. Wiping away the grit of last night's sleep, the starch white sunlight blinded me momentarily as I slung my arm like an elephant trunk along the top of the alarm, searching for the snooze button. While stretching hands and feet to the four posts of my bed, my eyes opened after several watery blinks. I crawled out of the comforter, edging awkwardly like a butterfly from a cocoon, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The dusty pebbles on the chilled, wood floor sent ripples spiraling from my ankles to the nape of my neck when my feet hit the floor. Grabbing the apricot, terri-cloth robe, recently bathed in fabric softener and October wind, I knotted it tightly at my waist like a prestigious coat of armor and headed downstairs to battle the morning.

This example and website has made it clear for me to understand descriptive writing. This style for me has been the easiest to understand as I feel the detail required for this writing style relates to my role of a dancer/dance teacher.

Descriptive writing is like telling a story and expressing to the reader the interesting details to help create it and feel like your part of it. When dancing and choreographing I like to use a story/theme and like to express it with costumes, characters and the music. I feel that these elements help create my stories and that’s why I think I not only find it easy to understand but also interesting to write about.

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/descriptive.html