RJA #15: Reflection

I have learned a great deal in this class to be honest. I think most importantly is how to do proper research and where exactly to look for pertinent information for a topic. Internet research has become a huge part of basic research done today and therefore can become overwhelming in its own right, due to the enormity of data out there. It helps to know which databases exist and for what purpose, be it scholarly, a wiki, news sites and published material, including books and journals. It's amazing the breadth of information is out there, but it's also a student beware situation though because not all sources are reliable or accurate.

In terms of writing a paper it takes a huge effort to organize all the data into an understandable and coherent thought process. Pulling information from various sources and tying them all together is one of the hardest parts in all. As always these days it is also mandatory to cite and give credit where credit is due and to know the difference between common knowledge and not common. Also knowing how to trim a paper down in scope of the topic is very tricky from what I have encountered. I really enjoyed this class and learning more on a subject I would not have otherwise gone out and done research like I did on was really fun. Overall I found this class mind opening and useful in the sense I will obviously be using these skills in the future abundantly.

Write at least one paragraph about what you learned in this class this semester–about your topic as well as about the research and writing processes–and how you will be able to use it in future classes and your professional and personal life.

RJA #14b: Application Project References

APA Style Reference Sources:

Maryansk, J. (Actor). Robin, M. (Narrator). (2008). The World According to Monsanto [Motion picture]. USA: Image & Compagnie Productions.

Smith, J. (2007). Seeds For The Future (pp. 1-139). Collingwood, Australia: CSRIO Publishing.

Government Accountability Office. (2008, November). Genetically Engineered Crops: Agencies Are Proposing Changes to Improve Oversight, but Could Take Additional Steps to Enhance Coordination and Monitoring. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0960.pdf

Caruso, D. (2007, April 8). How to Confine the Plants of the Future? The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/business/yourmoney/08frame.html

Kelland, K. (2010, April 26). Scientists Find New Way to Help Crops Fight Pests. USA Today. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2010-03-17-Biotech17_cv_N.htm?csp=usat.me

RJA #14a: Application Project Progress Report

For the Application project I picked writing a letter to a family member to discuss a perspective of the topic from the farmers point of view. The family member that I am writing to is my grandmother, who used to work on the farm. This is a good member to use because I can compare and contrast the old way of farming with the modern way now in use.

So far for the application project I have just started putting together the letter I am writing. It is not finished all the way but the gist of the letter is complete. In the letter I have told my grandma about all the new and fancy technology that is use these days and how it makes life so much easier. This makes the letter informational and also seem like it's actually a real letter that would be written.

To finish off the the application project I have a few more things to do. First of all I have to finish out the letter and make sure it flows and is coherent. Second I need to include some of the information from my sources so that it has some proven facts to back up the claims to my grandma with whom I am writing too. That should be about it though in finishing up the project.

RJA #13c: Application Project Example

http://www.writinghelp-central.com/friendly-letter-sample.html

In this example of an old buddy writing to catch up with a friend who has moved to Tokyo for a job. This example can help with my application project in a few ways. One is that it's good to relate past experiences to new ones to give them a reference point. This way the reader can compare the two experiences. Another is posing questions in the letter to make it more authentic, this makes it seem the person to whom one is writing will continue this pastime and write back. Good to ask questions or opinions on what they think of my situation or problems I might be having. So hopefully with this example and others they will serve to better my letter writing for the application project.

RJA #13b: Application Project Plan

For my Application Project I plan on writing on writing a letter to a family member. In the letter I will portray myself as a local farmer who has just finished my second season of planting GMO corn. I will explain my own stories and revelations I have made with planting this new crop. I seek to compare the before and after of planting GMO to non GMO corn. In the letter I hope to plainly explain to my family member what I was hoping for going into this new project and if the realities lived up to my expectations. I also hope to capture the issue from a local farmers point of view so that more people would be able to relate to the situation.

RJA #13a: Word Cloud

Word Cloud Web Address:

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1965337/GMO

RJA #12b: Field Research Report

Sharon - Associate of Wellness Bodies @ Whole Foods

What is your stance on GMO foods in our supermarkets? She had no issue with GM foods in supermarkets but thinks that consumers should have the knowledge that their food is not contaminated with crops of a GM origin. She said that since she works at Whole Foods she knows that none of their products are sourced from GM crops so this is not a concern to her. But that families that cannot afford Whole Foods should have the choice like her in places like King Soopers to "vote with their wallet" as she put it.

Do you think they should be labeled separately from non-GMO products? She does think so. It's only fair to the shopper that they have the choice of ingesting GM food into their bodies. She said that scientists have not proven the fact that GM foods are just as safe as their regular counterparts.

Do you think processed foods should also be labeled? This is always a point of contention when brought up, she says. She said she knows that processed foods usually have no difference from their non GM counterpart. But that a consumer should be given a choice if they want to support GM food or not. Just because someone can't tell the difference in processed food doesn't mean they should have to indirectly support them.