Research Analysis

Research Analysis
April 27, 2009
English 102
Robyn Minarik

Technology is all around us, everywhere we go technology is used. The internet is one of those technologies that seems to follow us. I can’t remember the last time I went a day without using the internet. I use it to keep in touch with friends, directions, or to find out when the bus is going to be at my stop. If there isn’t a computer around, I just use my cell phone. My generation seems so dependent on the internet and in my essay I wanted to explore the affect of this reliance.
I developed my topic of laziness from previous discussions I've had with my mom. We've talked quite often about how technology is making students lazier and in a way less smart. My mom would always tell me about how they had to use typewriters and had to think way before they typed something because there was no backspace, no spell check. The texts we read helped me develop a better view on this topic so I can have more a background to begin with for my writing. I was influenced to look into the idea of technology and laziness after reading Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut; for example, the invention of ice-nine. Vonnegut uses this disaster to show the side effects of science. After reading Cat’s Cradle, I then read Technology Matter’s by David E. Nye and I noticed similar ideas which further opened my eyes to the affects of technology. Nye rationalizes his feelings about technology by giving examples of disasters that’s happened because of these inventions. All giving examples of how technology can cause bigger problems.
I think the perspective I take on my topic is the college student who has had years of technology that has been making me lazier. I have a firsthand knowledge on this. Instead of looking up how to spell a word in the dictionary I can just left click the word and see how to spell it right. Since I’m a part of this generation that grew up with the internet, I find it particularly interesting and valuable to research how it has affected me. I also thought this topic would target my peers so they can also know the possible side effects. I wanted to achieve a better understanding of the internet in today’s culture so I broadened my research and examined other texts with similar thoughts and ideas. I wanted to examine if the internet and technology was making things for efficient or just hurting us in the long run.
The research part was a bit of a struggle for me because it was hard to find sources that were creditable. I also had a difficult time pulling all my research together in the end to make an interesting paper. It took me awhile to decide what I what angle I wanted to come from with my essay. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk more about my response to the authors or how the authors expressed their views. I debated for awhile the two ideas and decided that both ideas weren’t too far apart so I just settled on using both suggestions. I constructed my essay by sitting down and looking over my notes and quotes that I highlighted and thought were important. I took my previous essays and added more detail and quotes to expand on my thoughts and build a better understanding of my purpose.
I decided to use one some of my own examples of how technology has affected me personally; for example, spell check. I include my examples to personalize my example and make the essay more interesting for the reader. I wanted to include my ideas and not just have all scholars ideas as another stakeholder.