Monday, April 11, 2011

Journal 28 - The Final Proposal

I can't believe my final proposal is going to be 30 pages long. I wondered while I was writing this morning if that was too long...

I really have appreciated the guidance that was given as Proposal Guidelines on Blackboard. I've really appreciated the effect that having to write this proposal has had on my research development. I think the curriculum for this paper is rigorous (obviously, or I wouldn't have felt I could only meet the requirements with 30 pages) but helpful if followed to the exact instructions. A lot of the things that this proposal asks for are aspects of the field study I'd like to understand better for myself and having to write about it helps me feel more prepared for the field.

I'm working on my background research and my methods section today before I turn the paper in, and I got some great feedback from Joan. She is really good at focusing her comments on things that are doable to change but make a big difference. I am really glad I'm not doing this research by myself because it was so good to hear from her that my methods and plan were viable, that my concerns about group interviews were legitimate, and what I might try and do if some things don't work out. I can tell she's going to be very helpful in the field, and hope that when I have concerns or encounter challenges in the field, we can figure out a way to be flexible, use what I CAN get, or work around the challenges.

Writing this proposal was really helpful to me because it forced me to identify and specifically articulate what I want to study and how I'll do that. When I was done with my methods section of my paper today, I felt so good about going into the field and doing research, not because I think everything will work according to plan, but because I had a plan and had articulated what my goals are.

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