Research Topic Blog

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       Writing a research paper can be quite a daunting task. Not only are you required to write, but you are required to find and study. Thus far I have managed to develop my topic of interest to research as well as various sources to refer too. This journey for me in writing a successful paper developed foremost as the topic of my choosing, followed by gathering resources, and developing an annotated bibliography.
      Although I love the freedom of choice, finding a topic of interest to research in dept has probably been the most difficult thing thus far. What am I interested in enough to explore more readily? I contemplated several issues, but nothing seemed to excite me enough to report a 8 to 10 page paper over it. I finally called random friends and family asking them for potential topic ideals. While talking with my brother who is an avid video game player, I finally wanted to research the billion dollar industry of gaming. I have taken a similar approach before by studying their violent influences, but never have I ever thought to study them in a positive light. Finding a topic of interest is critical or your journey might just take longer.
     Finding credible resources is critical when writing a research paper. Without the proper sources your paper can not be considered reliable which in turn can make it a useless work of fiction. Our class had the opportunity to take advantage of the librarian aid in finding evidences to support our papers. My topic of video games is heavily debated and studied which made it easy to find various sites while in the library. My experience in the library was enjoyable because it took me away from the normal routine of a classroom and made researching easier.
     The annotated bibliography is a new experience for me, but a simple process that involves taking sources and summarizing their intentional use within the paper. I don't find this to be difficult other than making sure that the sources are cited properly in their MLA form. Summarizing these evidences are also helping me sort out my sources, which helps me stay focused and organized. Making an annotated bibliography is a new tool that I am learning to use and plan to use in future endeavors.
     Writing this research paper is a process that involves picking a topic of interest that will be enjoyable to research and effectively using the tools to write a successful paper. I've managed to get my footing down by gathering the necessary material and compiling it, but now it is time to start really running with it by writing. It's a long journey that can be intimidating, but at least i got my base down and now it is time to build a successful paper.