Research is like my hair...it's a process.

It's been a while...a year and seven month... but that's okay. In a check in with my niece who is starting her final year at Morgan state, she actually checked in with me. I asked her if I could post a part of our chat on my blog and she said yes.

Me: You’re going to be 21 on your birthday!!!!
🙈🙉🙊
How do you feel about turning 21??? 🙃🙂

Niece: I feel like this is gonna be an amazing new chapter in my life 

Me: Yaaay for Amazing!!!
Go Niece Go!!!
💃🏽💃🏿💃🏾

Niece: Ikrrrrr
Thanks auntie nay nay 
🤗

Me: You’re welcome Niece!
Enjoy the moments! 

Niece: How’s everything with you 

Me: Things are good. I’m behaving myself and working on my dissertation proposal at the moment. I’m reading a textbook that tells me the procedures (in general) I need to use for my project and taking notes on what that will look like for my project specifically. It’s slow moving but very helpful or else I would be lost and sad.
Thanks for asking.

Niece: Wow that sounds like a lotta work 

Me: Yes. But it is necessary. The difference between research and non-research (anecdotes) is that you use systematic processes to design the study, as well as collect and analyze data to come up with an explanation (theory) of an event/phenomenon. The more clearly that you are able to do so, the stronger your research will be considered by your peers/experts in the field. You want to present a strong case so that others will feel comfortable referencing your work for their work (articles/papers/studies), instructing students, making policy recommendations, and applying best practices in the field (in my case when designing instruction in class or online).

Niece: Ooooo that makes sense 
Do u feel like ur ready

Me: I’m getting there...it’s like com[b]ing through my hair. I start off at the ends and work my way closer to my scalp until I can go from root to tip. The dissertation proposal (ends of my hair) gets me prepared to do my project (move closer to the roots so that by the end I can work my way through my data and analysis (root to tip) without mak[ing] a huge mess of everything.

Niece: That makes sense 🤔

Me: *combing through

Niece: That was a good analogy 

Me: Thanks Niece 😁🤗

Me: Good Morning Niece, Do you mind if I post our text about what I’m doing with my proposal on my blog?

Niece: Good morning 
No I don’t mind at all 

Me: Okay. Thank you.

Niece: Ur welcome