Lucas Shapiro

Mrs. Tenly

Independent Research

12 February 2016

     This week in research was especially bland because of Barret's absence. However, my class time was brightened by working on the research proposal. I reworked my introduction, reviewed my key terms page, and learned about the justification piece. The research proposal is a pleasant step down from the literature review, but it is very important because it exposes the reader to the topic very systematically. It is important to have an outlined plan like this in the beginning of a portfolio to inform the reader about what they are getting themselves into. It is also helpful as the researcher to write the research proposal because it forces me to think concisely about what my research is truly about. Our task is to convey briefly the significance of our research, and it is difficult to pick out the main pillars of my research; however, I have been able to do so and now feel more confident in my research.  

     My introduction previously only featured information about the neurology portion of my research because I developed it so early in the research process. Now revisiting it, I see how much I have learned since I first wrote it and have much to add. First, I incorporated the socioeconomic aspect into the body of the introduction, and then added its significance in how the research grew and developed. My literature review included the social aspect of the NFL and the economic obstacle of funding, so my introduction must refer to these ideas. Additionally, I originally planned to go much more in depth with the neurology portion and focus on various subtopics within it, but instead my research is more generally focuses on the impact of TBIs, specifically in sports. All of these changes to my research path are now reflected in my introduction so the reader sees how the idea developed and strengthened along the way.

     My key terms page only features the main ideas in my research because many of the terms I use are subsequently defined in the literature review. Additionally, I have a resource with a list of terminology related to TBIs that I could cite and include if necessary. As I have gone through various sources with confusing words, this portion of the project seems more and more important. It is necessary to define all key terms up front so that the reader is not confused by vocabulary that impedes their ability to understand the research. 

     I did not know that we had to do a justification, but the task does not seem very daunting. We have continuously expressed in various ways the reasons why our research is important, so it should not be a problem to write about it directly. My research has a practical application because of its influence on the concussion crisis and could be used to assess what changes need to be made. I am interested and confident in my research so it is easy for me to write about its significance. I can also see how important it is to provide this for the reader because it further hooks them and reassures them that the research is not a waste of time or not useful. I am excited to be coming up on the end of this project and eventually putting on the finishing touches and practicing presenting the information to one another.