Nates English blog

 Prompt Response: The most compelling issue in our question is security vs freedoms. Our topic the effects of counterterrorism on civil liberties, and the main argument is that the only way to stop the terrorism is to overstep on the rights of privacy. That is the main argument that our question asks and its been a challenge to locate the correct answer. In our research we found that certain political parties have different views on it and that makes it hard to really decipher what is right and what is wrong.  Summary: We started to pick our sources and find evidence. Reflection: I learned how to evaluate sources.

Prompt Response:  Doing the annotated bibliography really cleared things up for me because it forced me to actually organize my thoughts instead of just having a bunch of random tabs open. I noticed that most of my sources connect by agreeing on the main problem, but they all suggest totally different ways to fix it, which gave me a much broader view of the topic. This is helping me shape my argument because now I can move past the basic facts and focus on comparing the different solutions I found. Moving forward, my paper is going to be way stronger because I can use my sources to back up my own ideas while also explaining why some other perspectives might be wrong. Summary: We continued to work on the annotated bibliography. Reflection: I learned how to make an annotated bibliography.

 Prompt Response: The evaluation part was definitely the hardest for me because I had to stop just reading the info and actually figure out if the author was biased or if their methods were legit. This challenge helped me grow as a researcher because it taught me to be more skeptical and not just trust every professional-looking source I find online. Dealing with that difficulty is going to help me when I write my paper because I’ll be able to pick the strongest evidence to support my points instead of using weak or one-sided arguments. Since I already did the hard work of judging the sources, I can now focus on how they fit together to prove my thesis without worrying if the info is actually reliable. Summary: We made our annotated bibliography. Reflection: I learned how to make an annotated bibliography.

 Prompt Response: I noticed that some of my sources focused on hard facts and data, while others shared personal stories and emotional opinions, which really highlighted the different ways people experience the same issue. These differences helped me see that the topic is way more complicated than it looks on the surface, especially when experts and regular people don't always agree. Seeing all those multiple sides made me realize there isn't just one simple answer to the problem, and it forced me to think about the situation from a much broader perspective. Because I had to look at so many different viewpoints, I understood the whole topic much better and was able to write a paper that felt more balanced and well-researched. Summary: We continued to research for our project. Reflection: I learned how to correctly research my project.

Prompt Response: Using GALILEO was way different than just googling stuff because I actually found real articles and books instead of random websites. I started using specific keywords and filters, which helped me find exactly what I needed without scrolling through pages of junk. Evaluating the sources made a huge difference since I only picked things that were peer-reviewed and actually trustworthy. In the end, my research was a lot better because the info I used was way more solid and professional. Summary: We continued our research project  Reflection: We learned how to effectively research.

 Prompt Response: The cartoon shows politicians using foreign drama to distract people from major problems happening at home. While everyone looks at the news about Iran, the Republican elephant is actually crushing Uncle Sam with new laws. The artist suggests that "beautiful" bills and ICE enforcement are doing more damage to the country than outside threats. It's meant to make you question if you're being distracted while your own rights are being stepped on. Summary: We learned about sourcing. Reflection: I learned how to source.

 Prompt Response: It is better because I know that the website is creditable and reliable. Googling most of the time will give you information that is biased and you dont really know where it comes from. When using Galileo it's easier to identify a creditable source and get good information for research. This strategy will make our information stronger and more detailed, leading to a better paper. Summary: We researched more. Reflection: I learned how to correctly research

 Prompt Response: Yes because a couple of our group members dont know much about our topic. The research helped educate us as we were looking at counter terrorism and ways to stop terrorism. It very difficult because there can always be ways to try and stop terrorism but there is no way to completely stop it. Policies can help but they cant solve the issue and thats why its hard to solve. Summary: We researched our topic. Reflection: We learned how to research.

 Prompt Response: Some challenges I have faced when working in a group would be when some people in the group dont carry their load and they end up leaving more work for the rest of the people in the group. Now with this project I think that I need to hold my group mates accountable to make sure that we all do equal work. I think with my group for this project that wont be an issue because it seems like everyone in our group wants a good grade and is willing to do the work. Summary: We started brainstorming our project. Reflection: I learned how to correctly brainstorm.

 Prompt Response: If I had zero limits, I’d take my closest friends to a private island in the Maldives where we could just chill in overwater bungalows and jet ski all day. We would spend the whole time eating five-star food and honestly just vibe without any teachers or parents telling us what to do. It would be the ultimate break from reality because we’d finally have the freedom to do whatever we wanted without worrying about the cost or getting back for school. Summary: We did a common lit Reflection: I learned why college is good.

 Prompt Response: Chris’s need for total independence was his downfall because he refused to take a map or the right gear, which made him totally helpless against the power of the Alaskan wilderness. I tried to be just as independent when I insisted on fixing my own computer without any help, but I ended up breaking it even worse and had to admit I didn't know what I was doing. Both situations show that wanting to do everything yourself sounds cool until you realize that being unprepared can lead to a total disaster. Summary: I was absent. Reflection: I was not in class.