Advice

Advice I would give to those writing their first scientific paper would be to start researching as soon as you find your topic! There is not such a thing as too much research, but there is such a thing as too little! Be specific in your research, the more specific, the narrower your search results will be, and there will be less to go through to get to good, reliable information. I would also tell them to work on the paper at least every other day, if not every day. Even if the paper is not due for several weeks, doing a little bit at a time will ensure it is the best you can do. Make sure to be organized, and have at least a few people read over it to make sure it flows well, and grammar is correct. Always use credible sources, and learn to cite properly to avoid plagiarism!!

Final paper

I am feeling very frustrated right now. I have been trying to finish up my paper the last couple of days but I can't access it because Microsoft Word is acting up. I have tried to re-install it, and have called them several times, but it still is not working. I have no where else to go to do it, and don't know what else to do! I only had a few paragraphs left, and now this. I should have finished it last week instead of waiting until a couple days ago. By the time I figure it out it will be too late. It goes without saying that I will be done with writing for a while after this experience!

Blogging

I do not think I will continue to blog after this class is over. It has been an okay experience. I do like to talk about what I'm going through during class, but I would rather do it on the discussion board or in person than on a blog. I do enjoy the online social environment, just not in a blog-type form. I know there are some blogs that have become very popular, and that is how some people make a living. I just would not know what to blog about if I was not given a specific topic, or unless I had something major going on that I needed help with. I suppose in the latter case a blog might be useful so that I could get some unbiased opinions.

Peer Reviews

My experience with peer reviews have always been pretty good. I think peer reviews are a good idea because they are not as intimidating as letting the teacher do it. I did not often receive really harsh criticism, but sometimes the criticism was not as constructive as it could have been. It is not always easy to take the feedback of others when it isn't good feedback. It is much easier to take it personally and not be able to use the advice in a way that benefits the final paper. When I read someone's rough draft, I will definitely point out any grammatical errors, but I also have a hard time criticizing someone else's work. I will put notes on what I think might sound better, or if I think the paper should be written in a different order. Overall, I think the revising or editing I do to someone's paper helps them write a better final draft.

Future Research

I have a lot of ideas when it comes to treatment vs. no treatment in elderly cancer patients. It all comes down to one question: How often is it better for elderly cancer patients to go without treatment and still live a fulfilling life? My grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005. He has had the most common forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation.For the past several years, his health has gone downhill. He is still with us, but has been in and out of the hospital for reasons other than cancer treatment. These reasons include side effects of his cancer treatment. I have since began to wonder.."Would he still be with us if he never received treatment for his cancer, and lived life as if cancer-free? And if so, would he be in as much pain as he is in right now?" I know it all depends on the type of cancer and if it has spread, but sometimes it seems as though the treatment is worse than the disease itself. I think more research should be done on this topic, especially for elderly patients, because my grandfather has become a completely different person ever since he began treatment. I just want there to be a way to preserve the quality of life for this population of people affected by cancer.

School

In high school, I always planned to go to college after I graduated. Instead, I had my first child when I was 18. Almost five years later, I am married with three children, and also work full time. It wasn't until about a year ago that I started thinking about college again. I really want to be able to provide for my family, and allow my kids to have a good life. The job where I am at now has plenty of potential to move up, but a degree is required, just like a lot of jobs. Luckily, Kaplan has just what I need. With a busy home and work life, online classes just made sense! I can go (almost) at my own pace, do homework when I find time, and still get the degree I need and want without having to worry about driving to and from class, and getting a babysitter for my kids. It is stressful at times, but it is definitely worth it! Going back to school was a great decision, I just wish I had done it a couple years earlier! It keeps me busier than I have ever been, including taking care of my kids and working full-time, but I can't wait to have my degree and be able to work in the medical field for the rest of my life!

Giving credit where it's due

It's very important to give credit where it's due...in the real world and in class. When writing a paper, of course we can come up with ideas of our own. When writing about something factual, however, there is usually already research that has been done on the topic somewhere, whether in a book at the library or online. It is only fair to cite sources properly and acknowledge the person or people that gave you more information for your topic you are writing about. Taking the ideas or information and passing them along as your own will get you nowhere and give you nothing but trouble. I would feel so vulnerable and betrayed if my ideas were stolen and passed off as someone else's! To be seen as professionals we must act like them, and that means no stealing, ideas or anything else!!

Online student

To be honest, I was so nervous starting Kaplan last year. I had no idea how online classes would be-I figured they would be really hard because I am so used to the traditional classroom-teacher-classmates method of school. Now that I've been "attending" Kaplan for a year, I have to say that I love it! It can be difficult sometimes, but there are many ways to get help, such as emailing the instructor directly, or asking help from tutors. I love having basically my own schedule to do homework, and enjoy the online atmosphere. It is also great to not have to worry about actually going out and driving to my classes; I can go in my living room!!I'm not sure if I'll never take an ordinary class again, but as for now, the online classroom is where I belong!