Blog Post #6

My long essay will be about a five-week study abroad trip I attended in Rome, Italy, in the summer of 2018. Rome is synonymous with history -- which means I must conduct a lot of research. Several research methods from Tell It Slant caught my attention. The first research method is using library books. I learn better from hard-copy materials and am certain I can find a book on Rome at the Sacred Heart library. I could also utilize Internet searches; however, I find the Internet to be overwhelming in terms of data and prefer something simpler. It is essential to include historical information about Rome because it will make my essay more interesting as well as more accurate. It will show increase my credibility as a writer by being factual. 

The book also describes ethnography as a form of research that examines cultures. By reading books from the library and researching online, I am conducting ethnographic research. Including information about the culture of Rome will strengthen my essay because I will be respecting and acknowledging cultural differences between our countries, and help readers understand what it is like to actually be there. 

Another research method is immersion. Although I cannot go to Rome and immerse myself in the culture again, I have a travel journal that I kept from my trip. I re-read my journal entries and remembered so much about my trip that I had already forgotten. I consider this to be a form of immersion because I put myself back in Rome, visualising the same things and experiencing the same feelings. I think it would also be helpful to reach out to my close friends that I met from the trip and ask them about their favorite memories, as a way of immersing myself in their friendship again as well. This could take form of an interview, which is a research method mentioned in the book. Immersion will improve my essay because I will be able to convey specific emotions and experiences in a more vivid manner.