Course Reflection

Throughout my research process, I narrow down my topic and focus on minority identity instead of a general analysis on the construction of self identity. Initially, I wanted to probe the pro and con of two educational models: home schooling and traditional education, inspired from Andrew Solomon's "Son" and Cathy Davidson's "Project Classroom Makeover". Yet, I realize that the paper could just turn out to be a plain comparison of statistical datas and existing research results, and there is a limited space for my own original argument. Thus, I attempt to propose an ideal educational model combining the research results and make up my own argument. Then while incorporating Twenge's argument as a counterargument, I realized that I can focus Twenge's discussion of self-esteem education, make it the frame and the parameter of the effectiveness of an educational reform, thus, narrowing down my topic even more. Now, I plan to discuss the correlation between level of self-esteem and the expression of marginalized identity, and how self-esteem education can benefit the minority groups if applied with care. 

Over the course of the semester, I gradually learnt the necessity of investigating the connection between authors' arguments and the significance of their argument by creating my original argument. Because I need a developed and complex thesis statement, I am forced to think, ruminate and question the validity of author's argument. Instead of the old format of one, two, three bullet points from high school english essay, I learnt to construct a logic flow so that each paragraph depends on each other. And the argument is gradually developed and completed throughout the essay.