Blog Post #5: Plagiarism

This blog post is in response to an article that was written by Trip Gabriel, "Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age". It talks about how students find it easier to copy and paste research papers, instead of taking the time to actually put together a research paper and cite their sources. Excuses have been used that 'there was no author' or 'it's common knowledge', when really, the students are either just lazy or don't know how to appropriately manage their time, leaving them cramming all night, aka copy and pasting, their research paper, that they probably had at least a month to write. 

Another problem is that students don't seem to think that plagiarism is a big deal. Obviously, if they thought that there were consequences, then they wouldn't do it. And, if plagiarism isn't strongly enforced, or if the students don't think it is strongly enforced, they why should they spend a lot of time writing a paper and citing all their sources, when they can just copy and paste a paper in a manner of minutes? 

Plagiarism is a major problem, and until students realized how big of a problem it is, and the consequences of it, then plagiarism is just going to keep continuing. 

Blog Post #4: Introduction to Research Topic

When I was choosing a topic to write about, I was trying to keep my major in mind: nursing. Also, I would like to specialize in pediatrics. So, I wanted to write about a topic that pertained to pediatrics and nursing and/or health. This led me to think about health problems that are currently a problem with the pediatric population and this lead me to childhood obesity.

            Childhood obesity is caused by many things, such as an increase of inactivity of children and an increase in the quick, cheap, easily attainable fast food and junk food that the children are eating. This decrease in exercise and increase in calories is an equations for increased weight and increased health problems.

            The inactivity is provoked by the children sitting at the computer and in front on the television, either playing video games or simply watching TV. And, now a days, with most families having both parents working, picking up fast food for dinner, or ordering in a pizza, is more convenient that having to make a healthy, well-balanced dinner.

            The complications of childhood obesity, are the same as obesity in general; diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and possibly even stroke. Consuming high fat diets and not exercising, cause plaque to build up in the arteries, which can cause high blood pressure and possibly heart attack or stroke. But unlike general obesity, with childhood obesity, these problems are occurring much earlier in their life and decreasing the lifespan on the young generation.  

Annotated Bibliography

Blog Post #3: Annotated Bibliography:

http://www.ahrq.gov/research/dec10/1210RA17.htm

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2010). Risk factors for cognitive decline still murky.
     Research Activities 362, 12.

     This article is the main points and summary of an original article that was in Annals of Internal   Medicine by the NIH Conference. It talks about how many tests and much research has been done testing many risk factors for cognitive decline, and there has not been any significant correlation between any of the risk factors tested. Also, there was testing done on possible interventions to improve or slow the progression of cognitive decline, with the same results as the testing of the risk factors. I feel that this article is very well written and gets to the point quickly, which means that you can get the important information out of the article promptly. Finally, this would be a good article if you are doing or contemplating the idea of doing an article on the risk factors of cognitive decline; by reading this article, you would find out quickly that there has already been a lot of research on this topic and there isn't a correlation between any risk factors and cognitive decline.
    

Blog Post #2: Response to "Attached to Technology and Paying a Price"

So...not only do I now have a blog, but this is now my second post. Here we go again...

Response to "Attached to Technology and Paying a Price":


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html?_r=1

Above is the link to an article that was in The New York Times titled "Attached to Technology and Paying a Price". It is written by Matt Richtel and is a true story about a family that is completely taken over by technology. Quoted from the article,

"That is the tweet that appears on the left-most of Mr. Campbell's array of monitors, which he has expanded to three screens, at times adding a laptop and an iPad. On the left screen, Mr. Campbell follows the tweets of 1,100 people, along with instant messages and group chats. The middle monitor displays a dark field filled with computer code, along with Skype, a service that allows Mr. Campbell to talk to his colleagues, sometimes using video. The monitor on the right keeps e-mail, a calendar, a Web browser and a music player."


Is this really what the world is coming to? Completely obsessed and controlled by technology? Don't get me wrong, I think that having the internet and cell phones is very convenient and a nice luxury to have, and I do have a Facebook, but I would hate to see what would happen if I ended up like Mr. Campbell in the article. I don't think that I could ever multi-task that much and wouldn't want to. It's nice to know that I am not the know of person that has to sit in front of the computer 24/7. I mean, what kind of life would that be? If you are focused on nothing but that screen, or even screens, in front of you, how can you enjoy the life you have? You would never have time to enjoy your family, or do things, like going on vacation and actually relaxing. Is that how you would want to live? I know I don't.

Soon, you would be watching, or more likely standing by while your children and even their children are growing up. Do you want to be apart of those experiences, or simply wake up one day and wonder where your life has gone? Life is too short and too precious to spend it totally engulfed in technology and not actually living it.

Blog Post #1: Introduce Yourself...

So...I have to start a blog for my English class. I never thought I would ever have a blog, because I never thought I was that great of a writer. But, here it goes anyway...

Blog Post #1: Introduce Yourself

What do you want to know? 

I'm currently attending IUP and a sophomore Nursing major, which pretty much means I have no life outside of attending classes, doing homework and studying. I graduated from Homer-Center High School in 2009, where I was a member of concert band, marching band, jazz band, saxophone quartet and our competing percussion ensemble. I was also a member of chorus, mixed ensemble, and women's choir along with National Honor Society and varsity club. During my senior year, I attended county chorus, district jazz band, district band and regional band, as well as competing with the percussion ensemble in Wildwood, NJ. 

Throughout elementary and high school, I was also a cheerleader. I cheered for the elementary school from 4th-6th grade and was on an all-star competition squad from 6th-12th grade. 

I thinks that's enough. My life's not that exciting and everything I'm telling you is about the past. We shouldn't look back on the past, but live life now, in the present and dream about the future.