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AP Research Reflection Post: Part 2

Name two strategies you used during the class that helped you manage your time and complete a task/goal on time. How did this help you stay on track or create a well-put-together section of the paper? Name two scenarios where you could have improved your time management or sought help for an issue you were facing. How will you learn from this and apply it to another class/scenario in the future?

In the beginning of the school year, I tried using a planner to organize my thoughts and plan out my schedule. This was quickly phased out as I never kept up with using the planner and relied on my memory to get assignments done on time. The biggest strategy I used to stay ahead with my project was to follow his due dates and not attempt to extend them. By following his guidelines and due dates I was able to complete my project without too much rush. I’m not the best at time management and actually procrastinate quite a bit, however I was able to complete all of the assignments on time. If I ever felt bored, I would use the time to analyze my data or sort through responses. When it came time to put together my paper, all of my sections had been completed by the time I got to spring break and it didn’t take too much effort to revise.

Like I mentioned earlier, my time management is not great. I decided to wait until after the ACT to start collecting my data, which was fine because I was still ahead for my project. The only issue was that I procrastinated going to stores and gathering data and didn’t have it finished until late March. This put me a little behind, but I was able to catch up again. I sought help after collecting my data on how to write my analysis. I truly did not understand what to put in the analysis or how to structure it. I asked my English teacher for her input. I did this once again when putting together my presentation. I was stressed about the order of the slides and the overall information that should be included.

This class has really taught me that I need to get better at managing my time and not procrastinating. While I would like to be able to keep a planner, I don’t think that it’d be the best option for me because I’d forget to update it or even look at it. Perhaps I should try sticking notes to my computer to help me remember what I need to complete. The aspect of time management is really necessary in all pf my classes considering that I am taking mostly APs and play sports. Additionally, I need to get better at asking questions and asking for help. It’s not that I don’t want help, but I can’t think of any questions to ask. Overall, I need to get better at managing my time and asking others for help.

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AP Research Reflection Post: Part 1

Reflect on one challenge you encountered in developing your topic or research question. What is one thing you would change about picking a topic/collecting data? How would the strategy you discussed help improve your project?

When I first started AP Research, I had no idea what my topic should be or what would make a good topic. Originally, I wanted to do a scientific experiment or do a project related to the Pink Tax and was stuck in limbo on which topic would make a better research project. The biggest challenge for me was deciding how to make the project “good” and I focused too much on the score aspect of the class rather than the actual research process. I am unsure of how ended up deciding on a topic but I did eventually land on the Pink Tax. While this topic was interesting, I found that it was difficult to acquire some sources since it was a topic that was not often studied.

Throughout the course of the class, I often compared myself to others and theirs projects and I found that was the biggest barrier to me being confident in my topic and completing a solid project. I wondered if I had picked a topic that was rigorous and required effort or if my project was “too easy”. With so many people telling me that surveys don’t score well, I felt dejected. Others in my class were completing experiments and conducting full-scale interviews, and to me it felt as though my project was inferior. But after completing the year, I’ve come to realize that comparing my project to others did not nothing to help me. I focused more on the score I would get rather than actually writing my paper.

Looking back on the year, if I were to give myself one piece of advice , it’d be to stop focusing so much on what other people are doing and to focus on what you want to do, and how you want to structure your project. It’ll be much more worthwhile if you are confident in your abilities while writing this paper, whether it be in actual topic selection or your chosen method. I’m glad I never switched my topic as I think I had interesting results. If I had listened to my thoughts in the middle of the year and switched, I think I would’ve felt even more dejected.

 

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