Progress+Reports

First PR- 1. It’s interesting. I set several goals with varying degrees of difficulty in terms work that needed to be contributed to complete in the past weeks. Two of these goals were related to my research and were, in fact, the most difficult to complete. These were to get a great start my thesis-based research assignment and to nail down topics of research, backed by a solid thesis. I accomplished this first task by not only making good use of the time given to us to spend in the library, but by picking great sources to use and analyze. The second goal accomplished could not be done without the help of the class period devoted to improving theses. That, backed by some excellent advice from Dr. Valenza that this whole process exponentially easier. The only goal I did not complete was picking a final project idea. This //should// have involved the least amount of work but, believe it or not, pondering project ideas for bioethics is surprisingly difficult. I suppose I will make up for this by brainstorming more often and consulting my mentor and, hopefully, a topic expert in the near future. 2. The three goals I hope to accomplish in the next three weeks are, in order of their importance, are; deciding a final idea for a bioethics project that is both engaging and doable, finding a knowledgeable topic expert that I can make regular contact with, and finishing my thesis-based research assignment. 3. This week, I consulted my mentor regarding project ideas. We both believe that finding a way to engage the student body with alienating people or bowdlerizing the topic is important. My mentor, my lovely mom, suggested a poll or maybe a forum for discussion. While both of these ideas are doable, I don’t believe these do the topic justice in its magnitude. So far, I do not have a topic expert, nor have I consulted anyone else for help or ideas. Second PR- 1.These past few weeks have been especially productive for both the research paper and the project portion. The paper is well on its way to being completed and the project idea has been finalized and I am in the midst of creating it. I met these goals by doing three things; following the lesson plans and managing my time well in the library, consulting my mentor and Mr. Martin frequently, and conducting independent work at home. 2. The next three goals I hope to complete in the coming weeks are, in order of their importance, finishing a draft of the research paper, finishing the project portion of this class, and conducting the survey to the faculty. 3. Although I do not have a topic expert, my mentor has been extremely helpful when I ask about project ideas and editing portions of the research paper. I have also asked Mr. Martin for project ideas, which has been very helpful. Third PR- 1. These past few weeks, I've been focusing on one thing; finishing the research paper. I accomplished this sole goal by spending time in the library finalizing research and typing up what I've learned. The project potion hasn't progressed recently, and I suppose I chalk this up to dedication to finishing the paper. The people who helped me complete this goal were Mr. Martin and my mentor, both of which were very helpful in keeping me occupied and on task when concentrating became difficult. Dr. Valenza also helped me by suggesting what proved to be a valuable database of book to further my understanding of bioethics and the problems surrounding the chosen experiments. 2. The next three goals I wish to complete are, in order of importance, finalize the paper for submission, beginning the project phase of my assessment, and beginning the presentation. 3. My mentor has proved invaluable in aiding me in the research paper process. Whether it was editing my drafts or simply goading me to continue to work, Shannon was very helpful these past few weeks. Fourth PR- 1. In the past few weeks, I am happy to announce, I have gone from no progress whatsoever on my project to being almost complete. The final goal was to distribute a survey to the faculty and use their answer to attain a greater understanding of bioethics. Also, the research paper portion of this project is complete and returned as a final grade, and the class has initiated rudimentary steps to ensure our Powerpoint and our speech are excellent. I am well on my way to finishing this class. I owe this success to two people; Mr. Martin for giving me the idea of a survey and editing the survey questions and my mentor for discussing methods of distribution with me. Both of them are essential to this process. 2. The next three goals I plan to complete are; distributing the survey, creating my Powerpoint presentation, and working on ways to hone my public speaking skills. 3. As I stated above, my mentor has been extremely helpful in brainstorming ways to effectively distribute my survey to the large faculty at Springfield. Fifth PR- 1. These past several weeks, two major portions of the final submission process have intertwined and demanded a lot of extra curricular attention. The project portion, which I am happy to announce, is almost done. The surveys have been distributed and I am receiving more and more every day, each with valuable feedback. The PowerPoint, on the other hand, has gone nowhere. Maybe its just that I'm not used to creating more abstract presentation aids or maybe I'm just not creative, but I am having loads of difficulty with the creation of slides that are both sparse in text and interesting in terms of visuals. Any and all help from advisers and mentors is appreciated. I am especially wary, as the PowerPoint, with notes, is due within a week and I have only one slide completed. The progress that I have made is due in part to both Dr. Valenza and my mentor, but largely due to my peers and Mr. Martin, but I still have a ways to go. 2. The next three goals I plan to complete are, in order of their importance to me and the amount of time that is necessary to complete them are, finishing my PowerPoint (also, get advice from mentor and Mr. Martin), get back all the surveys and analyze the data provides, and practicing my presentation after finishing the PowerPoint. 3. My mentor has been very helpful in helping me practice my presentation and giving feedback relating to any nervous tics or impediments I may have displayed during the practice run and helping me start my PowerPoint, although I am still suffering from a creativity block.