Personal Reflection In Research Study Skills English Language Essay

In this essay am going to write my personal reflection on what I have learnt in research study skills. This will include some assessment of my personal learning style and strengths and weaknesses, an estimated work plan for my completion of the degree, and the strategy I intend to adopt for future essay writing.

Research Study Skills has taught me the difference between a book review and a book report. Even though it might take me a while to learn how to write using the correct and the best format laid out in lesson 7 I believe that by the time I am finished with this course, I will be able to write excellent reviews and reports. I have also discovered some ideas on how to write a report and a review. Therefore this lesson makes a clear explanation about these two subject matters. The lesson also gives simple ways and forms of writing reports and reviews.

PERSONAL LEARNING STYLE

I enjoy memorising academic concepts and ideas. I love to be challenged mentally, because it stimulates my thought patterns and enables me quickly discover academic concepts. This also helps me to retain as much academic information as possible. I like discussing issues from different viewpoints. My other way of learning is through research and visual aid. I enjoy reading topics of interest and if I find a video documentary on that topic, I get so stimulated to watch it as this enhances my remembrance of all that I have previously read in my research studies. I also like to study and discuss academic theories with others. Meanings of new and challenging words are very fascinating to me and I love to listen more than speaking. I prefer to write down an answer than speak it out. I find myself remembering more when am writing than when I am speaking. There are a lot of information I have come to know since I started this course, and this has helped me learn to how to write better essays, construct sentences properly, and the use of appropriate information for a particular assignment. I commend the research study skills book to be a very useful resource that can help any aspiring student to use it if they want to get the best results in essay writing. Most people overlook the subject on research study skills simply because they do not see the benefit of it.

STRENGTHS

I am quick at discovering new concepts and I don’t easily give up because I try to do my best to present the best form of work. I refuse to be called a failure because I always want to try again and again and I love to see others excel in their work. When choosing essays, I love to pick tough questions rather than simple ones. I cherish discovering new ideas for myself. I find it exciting to write book reports and reviews and also reading academic books apart from the Bible. My written work is often organised and I also try to make it interesting and different. My special interest is to research on different subject matters, especially matters to do with church history, world history and cultural history. I am never satisfied until I learn something new from that subject I am researching on.

WEAKNESSES

I sometimes struggle to understand what the question is all about in an essay. I also mix up the meanings of certain words. I easily forget what comes first in a bibliography or footnote. I often want the lecturer to give me an example before I can attempt to do it myself. I find it hard to put quotes in my work unless if I am helped by someone who knows how to put quotes in their essays. I get frustrated, with a subject that I do not seem to understand or follow. I sometimes, concentrate more on one subject and neglect the other ones. My sources are often limited because I do not expand my research and I never try to think of ways to search for them.

WORK PLAN

I have put down a chart and on that chart I have written down every subject I am doing this term and the assignments in those subjects. I have laid down a plan to work on one assignment per week and this time I will use more sources and learn how to use citations. I have decided to write good essays this term and to go through the research and study skills book over and over again to help me understand the correct principles of writing a good and excellent essay. I have set a deadline for every one of my assignments apart from the one given by the Lecturer. I set a timetable of how am going to involve my studies and other schedules. The idea of handing in an assignment per week fits well in my timetable. I have also put of things that were wasting my time when I should have been doing my assignments. I have to learn to allow my mind to get used to a working plan that is consistent. I plan to make use of every opportunity in my busy schedule to write down some points about the topic I am dealing with in the essay.

POINTS TO REMEBER IN MY WORK PLAN

I will remember to use the same format throughout my work

I will write the correct information in every assignment

I will first choose a particular essay that I want to work on.

Find out or define the problem.

Write a bibliography for that particular essay.

Approach the question from every angle using different resources and books by different authoritative writers.

Always begin with an introduction

Always have conclusion in my essay unless if it’s a book report.

Explain the meaning of a new word in the essay.

Use quotes and reference them correctly giving credit to the person who quoted it.

Always use the right methodology of writing.

Never repeat a statement more than once.

No plagiarising, but always put the work in my own words and understanding.

Always use the correct format when writing footnotes.

Remember the difference between bibliographies and footnotes.

Use accurate and up to date resources.

Understand the question.

Always check the spelling of words.

Have one systematic way of writing my essays.

Have a continuous and correct form of connecting sentences.

Always put sub-headings in the body.

Allow the lecturer to look at the essay before final submission.

Never leave spaces in between one paragraph to another.

STRATEGY

The hand book provides a very useful and simple form of writing excellent essays. In the future, I plan to write essays in a systematic way and not mixed up information. Before I write an essay, I will first choose a topic or question that I think I would easily research on. Secondly, I will expand my search for sources, I will use internet, libraries and educational places like museums and art galleries. Thirdly, I will write essays that will capture the marker or examiner’s attention. Fourthly, I will collect sources required for the assignment in advance. I will also make sure the sources are useful for that particular subject. I will make sure I understand what I am writing about. I will imagine myself being present in that piece of work like a writer imagines him or herself being present in every event of the story he or she is writing. Finally, I will always start and finish my assignments before the due date and critically view and answer the question being dealt with.

CONCLUSION

Writing this reflection has helped me to write effective and productive essays. I will take it as my top priority to improve my essay writing. The lessons learnt through this essay will be used in future essay writing and also help in research purposes. Having a written work plan will help me remember principles that need to be applied in my essay writing.