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Taylor Lynn Meadows
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney
"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."
Zora Neale Hurston
Appreciate the Apprehension: Quote
Appreciate the Apprehension
"No one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before." -Stephen Hawking
Appreciate the Apprehension: Headliner
The first statistic class set in motion the next year and a half of my associates’ degree, Statistics 112 (STAT 112). A learning objective of this class is to be able to use key concepts and search terms to find available online and print resources in the University library in order to gather information for bibliographies and well-articulated written reports. One of those reports was an annotated bibliography. An annotated bibliography is a list of citations with a brief description that informs the reader about the relevance, accuracy, and validity of the opinion of the writer. The annotated also embodies the article’s and the writer’s reliability, which is defined as the ability to be relied on or depended on, as for accuracy, honesty, or achievement. The transition from basic research into peer-reviewed scholarly research was difficult.
Dr. Alhaddad (professor for STAT 112) explained that we would be finding a media article that referred to a statistic, and then we found the published research behind the media article. The goal of this task was to help us understand that reliable content is critical for researchers, and media articles can be misleading. The media article I analyzed was titled, “School Lunches Becoming Healthier, Statistics Indicate”. My purpose was to go through the media article to find the premise for this assumption that the title had made. As referenced in my first artifact, titled Report 1, I found a slight justification for the healthier school lunches (“School-Level Practices to Increase Availability of Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains, and Reduce Sodium in School Meals — United States, 2000, 2006, and 2014.”). However, according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the overall nutrition of school lunches is still not up to par with health guidelines.
In my second artifact, you can see the annotated bibliography done for STAT 112, where I reviewed literature and wrote about the different factors that comprised the article. Dr. Alhaddad taught us the basis of an annotated bibliography, by following basic steps like the setting in which the study took place, and who participated for example. It was our assignment to make clear all aspects of both the media article and scholarly study and by doing so, were able to determine if the claims were considered legitimate and reliable.
Appreciate the Apprehension: Services
This picture is the USDA recommended daily amounts of each food group. The USDA focuses on the amount and type of food to be ingested, as well as safety for foods. This is different from the CDC, whose main point is to provide protection from health threats.
Appreciate the Apprehension: Quote
Following the first report, I felt more competent at the concept of an annotated bibliography, and the rationale as to why reliable content matters. Our assignment for the second report (artifact three) was to create a research proposal based off of our findings. I focused on the amount of Calcium intake for children from birth to age 10 because while researching topics that were similar to healthier school lunches, I came across an article by the CDC “Vital Signs: Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Children — United States (Sonia et. al., 2014). This article described sodium in the diets of babies (children aged 1) and referred to breast milk and formula. This is what encouraged me to also study in depth the Calcium intake from birth to age 10. Aforementioned in the picture above the USDA purpose is to show the amount and type of food to be eaten. This third artifact represents my opportunity to take the annotated bibliography process and venture on my own.
After reviewing my submission for the class, Dr. Alhaddad reached out to Dr. Easley because she believed I had potential to do undergraduate research. She informed me of this, and I attended my first Research Club meeting where I asked Drs. Sellhorst and Easley if I could join.
Research Club has been the most rewarding extracurricular activity I have ever had the pleasure of being a key member. Since Statistics 112, I have written two proposals, three abstracts, three grants, and currently working on two different research studies.
Through Research Club (BTC) I have had the opportunity to participate in Celebration of Research and Productive Scholarship during Undergraduate Research Week. I hosted two presentations, ‘Hator-Ade’ and ‘D-Lightful, Vitamin D Solution for Health’, both of which are located on Lancer Scholar Square. In order to successfully complete these exhibitions, I underwent a process of collecting information and understanding it completely to be able to explain the conceptions and have the ability to answer various questions regarding. For the ‘Hator-Ade’ display I created a ‘homemade’ Gatorade and took a survey on students to see if people could taste a difference in the two types. I exceeded the expectation and created the survey between the homemade Gatorade and store-bought Gatorade to further elucidate my knowledge on the subject matter, showing my reliability as a presenter. As you can see in the pictures of me with my poster, there are various graphs that I created and cited from previous authors on the comparison of Gatorade to water. I spent weeks researching scholarly sources that were peer-reviewed to ensure the accuracy of my data that I would be disseminating to others.
Appreciate the Apprehension: Services
These are pictures taken of me during Celebration of Research and Productive Scholarship. The picture on the right is me showing off my poster and survey score thus far. The picture on the left is me presenting to a group of students interested in the history and health concepts of Gatorade.
Appreciate the Apprehension: Gallery
Statistics cultivated my brain for research and future nursing career. I now realize that the importance of comprehending specific health indicators, something I never realized applied to the field of nursing. While writing abstracts, I am incorporating statistics to health indicators like hand grip strength, body fat percentages, and body mass index measurements. To calculate this, I use an equation called Wilks Lambda which I initially learned in STAT 112.
I have been taught a number of lessons in and outside of the classroom. Especially, I have comprehended the research process of reliability. Not everything you read (even from ‘reputable’ sources) can be automatically trusted. There are reasons why published research articles are peer-reviewed, and information is checked multiple times. There are many lessons I have been taught since my first research investigation. I can see my previous mistakes and have constructed competency around my academia and research studies.
I have learned my potential, work ethic,
and perseverance is unwavering, and those characteristics are just what it takes to be involved in research.
Appreciate the Apprehension: Services
Appreciate the Apprehension: Text
Appreciate the Apprehension: Text
Appreciate the Apprehension: Text
Beyond-the-Classroom Artifacts
The link to my ‘D-Lightful, Vitamin D Solution for Health’ poster that I presented on during Celebration of Research and Productive Scholarship week that is posted on Lancer Scholar Square.
A link to my second presentation called, “Hator-Ade”. I explained the creation of Gatorade, why it is necessary for athletes, and the overall health benefits. I also made a homemade ‘gatorade’ and did a taste test on students to see if they could determine which was store bought Gatorade.
Appreciate the Apprehension: Text
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