Week 10

Wow it's the end of the semester! I can not believe that I've made it through all the craziness.

First, my advice to someone doing a research paper would be do not wait until the last minute. Do a little bit of research everyday and start compiling your information. It may start out as a jumbled mess but but the more information you have the better the paper.

The area I still think I need improvement on is APA I think I am getting better, but I know I need to use it a lot more.

I have completely enjoyed reading every ones blog. Learning and sharing on a communal basis via the blog has been a great experience for me.

My last thought is: Everyone good luck in all you do! Hope to see some of you in future classes. :)

Michelle

Final Paper Reflection

As we are coming to the close of this semester our final paper, our baby, our blood sweat and tears is due next Tuesday.



Wow the time has flew. As my paper is almost done and I am pleased with it thus far. I have argued points with sufficient research, stated both sides giving the reader the opportunity to create their own opinion. I am always nervous on my final papers and have a tendency to downplay my work and think it is worse than it actually is.

I still continue to love to write professionally and personally. Some of the other topics I would like to research would be investigational medications for HIV, or breast cancer.
Everyone have a great holiday & good luck in your future studies.

Michelle

Do you plan to continue your blog even after the course?

I do plan to blog after the that class is over. I have blogged before this class started and all during it on my own personal one. I have always thought of blogging as such a stress relief for me.

The other thing I wanted to touch on was the issuses I have encountered throughout this semester of school. The only problems I have really encountered are my managament of time. With this semester starting as my children were returning so it seems like my time was spent studying or running from scool. After six weeks of it my body broke down from all the running and lack of sleep. I notice that I do not have the ambition that I have have in past classes to get my studies done. I am struggling a lot more than I have before.

With that realization, I have put forth extra effort to maintain all these things I need to do.

Michelle

Blog Page

Blog Page: "How do you feel about peer reviews? What have your experiences with them been like?"

The way I feel about peer reviews is simple, I love them. When you have your peers looking over your work they see things on the same level as you and not as a teacher. For me, it is easier to take criticism on my paper from my peer than a teacher. In my eyes I know that a professor is (sometimes) looking for perfection in every aspect. A peer is not also they can help you if you seem to be stuck in one particular aspect of the piece.

All the experiences I have had with peer reviews has been good ones. I have yet to come across a negative peer review. I know that my day is coming & I am not looking forward to it. In the instances that I have had, the person was pretty open to suggestions and corrections. I think that is a key factor in doing peer review: keeping an open mind to suggestions.

Michelle

Week 6

These past six weeks have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Between doing research for papers for both my classes, doctor appointments for myself and my kids, keeping up (or trying to) with my normal school work, my kids school work, my volunteer work, trust me I can go on ......I am almost burned out.

One of my papers is on genetic testing children for adult onset diseases. I find it completely ironic that I picked the topic. Last week my son was diagnosed with a sclerosis of the spine. I am having a hard time dealing with this because this is something totally new for me. There is no family history for us(at least on my side). So I started to wonder will there be any more surprises when it comes to them, honestly I know there will but if given to opportunity to find out, I don't think I would.

Life is (in it's purest essence) nothing but one big surprise. Everyday brings a new adventure and a new chance to learn something. I recently did a screening event for glucose and had the opportunity to meet a gentlemen that was 75 + yrs young. I was slow on patients so we talked for a moment, he gave me a piece of advice. He told me " Life it to short to stop,think, and plan. Just get up go!" I pondered that for a moment then figured it somewhat: you can make all the plans you want and try to stick with them but in the end life will happen around you and you may not experience it because it didn't fit into your plans.

Michelle

Week 5: The challanges

"If there was one thing about your academic challenges, what would it be?"

For me the academic challenges I face is that there is not enough time in the day/week. I have always learned at my own pace and style (preferably with music) but as I have embarked on the joy of motherhood and maintaining a home, I find that free time or study time is barely there. During last semester I took a math class where it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Math is the one subject that I need the face face to face interaction and the one-on-one help with grasping some of the concepts. However, I managed my time wisely and tried (most of the time) not to gripe about what I didn't understand and got help.

Using time management in my life is a must, that and a calender with an alarmed reminder! Everything runs like clockwork: study time, reading time, time with kids, work, other meetings. I have revamped my life to run on what I call "Kaplan time", my week starts every Wednesday the start of each unit, there I follow what needs to be done for class, home, personal.

I am looking forward to the upcoming classes and am grateful that there is no more math for me, but I know I can overcome my thought of lack of time using my time management skills.

Michelle

How would you feel?????

How would you feel if you worked on a piece of writing, put your blood sweat and tears into this work. You collected all the information and worked months on this paper. You turn it in and get your grade 'A'. How relieved you feel, you keep a copy of your paper on your hard drive like most students do.

Oh no! Someone has hacked into your computer, not only is all your personal information out in cyberspace but the one piece of writing you have ever been proud of is out there.

As time goes by, you forget all about it. Then one day on the news you see a person winning a $5,000. 00 prize for a literature contest, using parts your paper quoted in their entry. But as you read on you see at the bottom, you are not mentioned as a reference.

Given the scenario, if it were me, I would be furious. If I put all that hard work into the paper, and received my grade. If my words were used and I did not get credit for it, I would feel so slighted as a writer.

So here's your chance how would you feel?

Being an online student

For me being an online student means so much, I have more opportunities to get things done in this format. I am a single working mother of two younger children with little to no help. I have completed two different vocational schools earning diplomas in Medical assisting and surgical technology. I did both of them while I only had one child and a better support system. But not only that I was in a confined classroom when I did them. One of the joys I experience with doing online learning is that I can take my work with me & be anywhere doing it.

One example of this is, earlier this year one of my aunts was killed in northern NJ. I had to travel up there to assist with preperations, and attend the service. Well, I also had a final paper due at the same time. Because of the learning enviroment I choose and my gracious professor I had, I received a 2 day extention. This was just enough time to travel back & forth typing my paper on the train, attend my seminar (while excusing myself during the wake) and still get everything turned in on time without needing to use the extension.

If I was in a regular class room there was no way I could be at both places at the same time woithout something suffering from it. I have the ability and freedom to have class anytime, anywhere I choose( provided I have internet).

That is the main reason I choose doing things on line it gives me choice and freedom.

Michelle

What was I thinking?

I love my city.

I love the heritage found in my city.

I have faith that all the wrngs done here will be corrected.

But why oh why did I make a bet on our current world seris champions?

I know that our Phillies can do a repeat and to see my one of my favorite cousins dancing in a chicken suit wearing our proud red and white will be the absolute best thing.

Heck that will make my year and years to come!

But if by some fluke chance we do not win, I have to dance in the chicken suit!

Oh my, me oh my I will NEVER be able to hold my head high again.

Now I know that he is probably feeling the same way. But I think this is one bet I will have to welch on.

GO PHILLIES!!!!

Hello

Hello,

As I stated in the post I am so excited about getting to blog for a class. I blog quite frequently on here so I am kind of familiar with the format.

Blogging is a great form of expression and release that I have found. You never know how much you have in common with another person till you read some one else thought and see that you thought the same way.

I first started doing this on Myspace and it kind of grew from there, I have found that having the release to be creatively free is great. The bonus was having people that didn't even know me relating to things that I have written.

Keep an open mind and let the creativity flow when your on here!!

Have fun everyone

Michelle