BTAR chapter 8

Right of the get go in this chapter, I thought about the possible steps following a research study. I was uncertain of where I could go after this upcoming action research this Fall, but then I wondered how I could delve deeper into the subject at hand. How could I build on what I will learn? What could I do to triangulate an even more specific aspect of a students ability to learn? These were questions that I had. I followed the process of this chapter pretty well since it made sense for the most part. It helps to have the text recapped at the end so to make the text and process seem easier to tackle.

What will be the hardest for me to do is reflect on my research after all is said and done, only because at the time, I will be performing the process the best way I know how. As I write this, I know that when the time comes to reflect on my research, it will be helpful to have another set of eyes to take a look. This is where collaboration will help me directly and give me the opportunity to review my own faults and successes as a researcher with a new perspective.

 "To think and act critically is to live and practice action research on a daily basis" is one line in the text that I found interesting. I can appreciate the sentiment of proactivity especially concerning students. That being said, there are times when a teacher just needs to take a break from being a researcher and simply be a teacher. I know that when the time comes to take over my own classroom, it will be difficult for me to focus on research all the time. I understand that action research is a little thing that should be done in tandem with teaching, but there are limits to how many little things a person can take in their day. At that point it will be a balancing act unlike any I have ever done.

BTAR chapter 7

I often think of academic research as dry, overly complicated, and indigestible. With only a few exceptions, it is. As I read this chapter, I begin to understand why people try and add a voice to their research, to give it a personality, or to make it more attractive to the naked eye. They want people to be invested in what they are invested in. In the end, a zebra can't change it's stripes. Academic research is going to be what it is. The trick is, when you get to the end of the research bit and begin presenting your work, everything needs to be simpler in order to be had by your average person. This is the challenge with any research though. Making it easily accessible to the masses. As I read further in the chapter, I realized how great it would be to read an article with attributes like the ones that are presented; moments of joys and mistakes, personal struggles, etc. Many of the authors whose articles I have read could benefit from this text. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem they did. This chapter paints a pretty picture of what academic research would be given that we abandon what we think and how we present data.

Despite my disdain for academic work, I can appreciate the effort to be presentable and professional. It takes a certain person in a certain field of study to appreciate a piece on research. Sometimes, it's not about reaching everyone, but it's all about reaching the right people.  The text goes on describing developing a voice and style that you design yourself so to be taken seriously in the academic circles, and nothing is more important than how you look and feel when trying to portray your work. This does not mean that if you look good, you'll sound good. It's important to make your findings just as attractive. If you take a look at page 193 of the text, the authors present a table for your reading convenience so to show how a well organized research presentation can look. What I like most about it is that it simplifies. Not much can be done to change the facts and what they are, but by using an organizer such as the one on page 193, an author can simplify their work into a more digestible form.