Blog #3 Response

Kleine - "What Is It We Do When We Write Articles Like This One - and How Can We Get Students to Join Us?"

I. Summary
In his article, "What Is It We Do When We Write Articles Like This One - and How Can We Get Students to Join Us?," Kleine attempts an experiment on the process of how to write a research paper. It all started when he was in a library and noticed that the students surrounding him, along with himself, were simply copying down the information found in the textbooks or online. He wondered if other people that are not in the library also write research papers like him and the students, so he decided to conduct an experiment with a hunting/gathering model that he and two others created. He interviewed eight professors from different subjects to see how they fit in the model of writing. He concluded that the writing process differs among personality and task, but it can always be improved by learning from other's methods of writing.

II. Conversation
In high school, my English teacher Senior year would give us a rubric for what needed to be in each paragraph in order to get the full points of each paragraph. Kleine's article proves that my former English teacher's way of having us write papers is a form of writing, but making everyone write in a similar process does not allow for students to branch out and discover their own, personal way of writing research papers.

III. Assigned Exercises
QDJ1: How does what Kleine is talking about line up with your own experiences? Does it sound like he's describing the way you write and research, or not?
A: In Kleine's model of hunting and gathering, I think that I am more of a "gatherer." Sure, I hunt for information on the internet and through textbooks, but I like to look through all of them and discover which would be most beneficial to include in my writing. For the most part, I try to not copy down exactly what the information says, sometimes it is tempting to do that because it would be much quicker, but I try to stick with figuring out ways to write on my own.

QDJ3: How big a role do sources play in research of the professionals Kleine interviews? What role have they played in your past research efforts? How can you explain the differences?
A: Interviewing the eight professionals gave Kleine data to back up his point. If he did not have that data, his point about the process of writing and how it varies from person to person would be almost nonexistent. Credible sources allow me to back up my points in research papers. Without my sources, my paper would just be a bunch of random statements without any clear and correct evidence.

QDJ4: What would change about how you do research if you did what Kleine talks about?
A: I feel like I would be much more open to new ways of researching if I did what Kleine talks about when he says that we can gain knowledge by learning from others. I don't think I've ever intensely observed or questioned someone else about how they went about writing their paper. I've asked a couple question about where they got their information but never how they interpreted or used it.

IV. Personal Reflection
I love the scene that Kleine opened up his article with. I'm sure almost every person reading that scene could picture themselves there as well. Throughout most of my high school, my teachers wanted our research papers were very "cookie cutter" and specific. I remember only doing a couple research papers in which the students were allowed to go off on their own and research in their own way, which is what I think Kleine is trying to tell readers to do.

I don't necessarily have a favorite song, but currently my roommate and I have been listening to this one nonstop.