Advice!

What I would tell someone that is writing their first scientific paper, is to pick a topic of interest. Another good thing to say is don't procrastinate, be on top of your units. Get prepared early for your unit 3, 6, and 9 projects. Take time out and pick good references. Make sure to ask yourself what subjects do I want to talk about in my paper, and pick references pertaining to those subjects. Picking a topic that interests you is a major part I think in writing a successful paper. It takes time to gather the proper information. Anyone entering comp2 will be surprised how much they will learn, and how much is remembered from comp1. The most important thing I could say to a new student is like what is being taught, and you will go far.

Change!

I feel that writing at this point is sometimes stressful, due to a lot of schoolwork that comes in all at once. I have really enjoyed writing on a subject of my choice, it also made me want to research the topic. It gives someone more interest, which in turn makes for a better paper I think. As time goes on through my courses, writing becomes better and easier to understand.

My idea of writing has changed going through this course. Ex-specially with all the different methods and techniques available. The paramedic method is new to me. It has helped revise my paper better than if I didn't have it. Throughout my journey in comp 2, I have been grateful to have such a dedicated professor. Nancy, has helped me understand everything in a new way. It helps to have a teacher who makes class interesting in such a course as this. I will take what I have learned in this course and put it to good use.

Keeping my Blog

I do plan on continuing my blog after the course has ended. I will occasionally check it out, and write something in it. Sometimes having somewhere to write about thoughts, daily events, and even what is on my mind at that moment. There hasn't been a time during this course, I haven't had a thought for my blog. Even just answering the questions provided for this class. I like to write about other stuff, but sometimes there is a lot that goes on in my life. As the time passes on after comp 2, I will still be writing in the blog.

Peer Reviews!

I feel that peer review is a good thing to have. Having peers look over what has been written helps improve my paper. Feedback can be positive, and making changes to some of the material can help the mistakes, grammatical errors, and make the paper flow better. Its always nice to have others to comment and suggest ideas to better my paper.

My experiences with peer reviews has been good. The suggestions and comments helps improve the parts of my essay that need it. All reviews have helped me build on the information that is already there. Telling me that my title and paragraphs need more info or flow better helps me change things around. Even just letting me know how well the essay flows, and where I stand is good. Every piece of advice from my peers is greatly appreciated, and helps improve my paper.

Ideas!

Consider how your ideas about your topic could be influential in later research?

My topic (The Effects of Dispersant's used on oil spills), can influence ideas for later research, because I can add onto the information already obtained. Just like my outline I put together, it will give me ideas towards my final paper. I will take my ideas and maybe use them toward further investigation for future classes. I could continue the ideas on what kind of effects do oil spills have on coastal habitats, ecosystems, and human health. For instance habitats, how much of a particular species habitat gets destroyed every ten years including disasters. I can even include natural disasters (hurricanes), where is the most that have occurred? and what if a man made disaster came with it like the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Their are so many ideas that influence me and they all can be put to good use.

Christina Raymond CM229-07

School and My Life

How is school influencing your life at or up to this point?

School has influenced my life up to this point in a positive way. I have been really motivated to finish getting my associates degree for Medical Assistant. I've seen my life become more busy, but nothing I can't handle. School has given me such a different view on life. Becoming an MA, has it's benefits like, their is always jobs in the medical field. I have enjoyed my journey so far in school, and will continue to do so.

Christina Raymond

Citing Sources

Based upon your reading on plagiarism, why do you think we need to cite our sources?

Based on the reading on plagiarism, I think citing our sources gives credit to the author that wrote it. Citing the source can also give the readers a chance to further there research on the subject if they choose. Giving credit is a major part of the plagiarism policy. Taking someone else's words and not giving credit to the source is like stealing, and making it your own. As a student at Kaplan, I want to let my professor's know where my references come from, and when I base my paper on that information I want to give credit to the author when needed.

Christina Raymond

Relation of effects

I have really come to believe, that certain people in the oil industry think cleaning up the oil will make everything all better. Do the oil companies know how much impact our oceans have encountered. My daughter of two, will she be able to enjoy the beautiful oceans on this planet, or will there be oil spill after oil spill. I do believe the future of the oceans are my child's future as well. Look at whats going on in the world we live in, we waste so much food, pollute our oceans, depend on fossil fuels to transport us and heat our homes. I really want our country to look at where the government is spending our tax money. Do you think any big corporation (oil/BP) cares about the environment, or how big there bank account is? I wanted to go and help when I heard about what was going on in the Gulf of Mexico, and then I thought what are the dispersant's mixed with the oil going to do to my health without the proper equipment to clean the yucky oil ridden beaches. What if those fumes get in my lungs, and then I will come down with respiratory problems. BP didn't have everyone wearing gas masks, that is the proper equipment I believe would help prevent any kind of illness. All I want to say, as a human race where is our planets health going to be if we keep depending on fossil fuels. In my eyes as a person who likes to analyze things all around me, change is so hard to reach when it comes to fossil fuels. Maybe someday I will be free of using fossil fuels, but when you can't afford high tech stuff like solar, wind, and electric cars it's not that easy to convert to a none fossil fuel habitat. Maybe that is where our government in the USA, should consider using our tax dollars tords. Any one in favor of a fossil fuel free planet say, this can happen you wait and see! Anybody have a comment, feel free to write as you please.

De-cluttering

I have been going through my house. Every room will eventually be cleared of all clutter and random trash. I have told myself life will be less stress, with less clutter in the way. As they say out with the old, and no in with the new, lol. I have been also trying to get my yard in order before snow starts flying. Once the snow comes, it stays for months. The trash man came and took all the garbage and other random stuff out of my yard. That made me much more happy to know all that stuff is gone, less worries. I have really enjoyed writing in my blog, gives me insight on my daily life. Does anyone have ideas on questions to do with the oil spill, and how long the affects will take place? I really want to answer peoples questions, and my own regarding the subject at hand.

Brainstorming

I am going to be doing my project on, Health issues specific to Benzene and Cor exit dispersant's in the Gulf of Mexico! I have some questions/ideas for my project, what are the effects of dispersant's on the Eco-system, How long can the effects linger in the environment, and what dispersant is most commonly used for oil spills? I will be doing more research for my project, I wanted to know if anyone had an opinion on my questions, and my topic itself?

I feel great about being an online student, It has always been my dream to go back to school, and become something. I have enjoyed my learning experience so far at Kaplan, it has made me realize what I can really accomplish in life. Sometimes there are days where I feel over whelmed, but then say I can do it. I never want to give up, school gives me an opportunity to better my life not only for myself but my family. I like the flexibility of the classes, there are a lot of options when it comes to seminar, discussions, projects, and just the classroom. Having a flexible schedule for school helps get things done at a reasonable time. By me being self directed it gives me more options when it comes to the assignments due every unit. I can choose when I want to do my school work, and pass in my assignments.

My ideas to create a closer class community are, more people posting to there blogs, commenting on other students blogs, and participating more in the classroom discussions. All of us are in this classroom community together, if we work together on certain subjects we can give our input on the subject at hand. Some students might like it when the class participates in what they have to say, and comment on their post. I do like when my fellow students pick me to right on my discussion board, or even my blog it makes me feel like someone really cares about what I have to say.

I really like being a part of the blog-o-sphere, it gives me more opportunity to get to know my classmates. Being part of a larger writing community gives me more opportunities, like obtaining information, classmate relation to a subject, and even exchanging information. I believe that the blog-o-sphere is going to be very fun and interesting.

Christina Raymond

Oct 3, 2010

I went to my nephews 6th birthday party, it was lots of fun. Everyone came and had loads of fun. All the kids where playing with balloons in the yard. Some balloons got let go into the air, it was cool watching how small the balloons look after a certain distance. Max got to open all his gifts, and recieved an x-box 360, games, a truck, and loved his gifts. The cake was also very tastyit had whipped cream frosting, with an iron man figure on it. The theme was all iron man, he likes to watch the movie as well. Every one had a great day, ate lots of food, and sang happy b-day to little Max.

What a day!

I have come to realize, things are not what I have thought through the years. I wake up every day thinking what is in store for me next. I finally started finishing staining my deck, know that I have the stuff to do it. That is something to look forward to. There are other things to be done around the house, yard, and car there just never seems to be enough time in one day. It seems I wake up and the time of day just flies bye. Someday I will have everything done on my to do list.

My first day on my blog.

I'm very excited to be completing my blog so I can post useful information to my fellow peers. What a great way to start a new semester at Kaplan University.