As we slowly approach the end of the first month of classes, we also creep closer and closer to the end of the summer. Now that students are finally starting to get comfortable with their schedule and get into a routine, the coursework is picking up and so is the socializing. From seniors to freshmen, there is no denying that there is always some adjusting to do when starting a new school year. As professors become more aware of us getting in a swing of things the homework load does not get any lighter. Do not worry! With this also comes new and exciting things to look forward to.
Over the course of the last two classes and this past week, we wrapped up an assignment as well as began to introduce a new assignment in Unit 1. During Tuesday’s class period, we had already completed our Feeder 1.1 rough draft and went through some advice on how to take our paper to the next level for the final draft. Throughout the duration of this class, we talked about some mistakes that are commonly made when writing research papers such as this one, and how to correct those for the next submission. We talked about how to polish our citations, proofread our information, and the preferred format to look out for in the final product. After we went over mistakes to look for when editing our assignment we shifted to peer reviews. We did not have much time for this portion of the class, but it was helpful to look at our classmate’s work to get an idea of what the final product should look like. I personally was very appreciative to have another set of eyes that understood the rubric and was able to critique my work. I appreciated every ounce of feedback I received because it made the process of finishing the final draft much smoother.
In Thursday’s class, we finished up the discussion about Feeder 1.1 and then began to talk about Feeder 1.2 and what is expected for that. We then spent the remainder of the time talking about the evaluation of a well-done scientific study. As a class, we discussed the flaws of an experiment called, “How do higher levels of caffeine consumption affect student performance in class, specifically the ability of first-year undergraduate students to retain new information?” We pointed out how the information was not clear and the study was done incorrectly followed by how to correct those mistakes. After using that as a baseline for the material that we were going to talk about in class, we talked about the readings and videos we did for homework prior to class. First off, in our groups, we talked about The New York Times article “10 Monkeys and a Beetle: Inside VW’s Campaign for ‘Clean Diesel.’” My group talked about the individuals involved as well as what the study was hoping to prove. With this being said, we determined that Volkswagon, EUGT (European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector), and the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute wanted to prove that diesel was a cleaner engine type in their models. After reviewing the article we then talked about a John Oliver video called “Scientific Studies”. Based on this video we talked about how scientific knowledge can get misconstrued over time as information spreads and gets altered.
We are slowly but surely improving as students and settling into the environment we all recently were introduced to here in Chapel Hill. As we make memories such as the first football game of the season and grab meals with friends, we cherish our time here at UNC, no matter what age we are. The course content we learn in English 105, as well as other courses, is setting us up for success as we all part ways towards various different career paths and majors. As students we can already see a full circle moment in the future, walking away from these courses with newfound knowledge and skills.
Featured Image Citation:
Welk, Kate. UNC-Chapel Hill Launches an Expansion of Its Digital and Lifelong Learning Platform. December 1, 2020. Photograph. 2U News and Press. https://2u.com/static/57ff71a7b4a4cb92f841888cac2e84e8/44b4e/unc-chapel-hill-south-building_0wPbvLE.max-2880×1800.jpg.