Contributing Knowledge
Students will be able to draw conclusions based on analysis and interpretation of primary evidence and place that work in conversation with other source materials
This outcome was one that wasn't really addressed till late in the semester. This deals with data and my ability to make meaning of it. There are a couple ways I demonstrate this, but some of the clearest is in my discussion section of my research paper, as well as a practice example done in class.
Texting Data
Before I undertook the challenge of analyzing my own data, I was apart of an in-class assignment looking at the data from an article concerning how the language in texts changes over the course of a relationship. By completing this activity, I got a taste for what it is to make conclusions from narrow data and can still be viable. The picture below is a graphic created to illustrate the texts used in 2008 from both people, versus the texts used in 2014. Using this graphic, I was able to make a few conclusions. The language seems to switch from a more conversational intention in 2008 using words like "fun" "love" and "hey", to more basic or task-like language, like "Ok" "dinner" and "Yeah". "Home" is also seen prominently in both 2008 and 2014 and seems to be the most used word that stays consistent over the years.
Discussion Section
This is the highlight of my Research Paper. This is the discussion section, wherein I review the data that I have collected and make some claims from what I have collected in an effort to try to answer my questions I had at the start of the semester. I also use this section to discuss how my research fits into the broader community. In the sections highlighted red, I make two conclusions from my research: "unconventional" teaching is seen in a positive light, and the rhetoric seen in "unconventional" teaching is different from what is seen in a more traditional approach. These sentiments weren't exactly new information, but adds to the relatively small field of information that already exists surrounding this subject, seen highlighted in blue.