Dear fellow research enthusiasts,
As I dive deeper into my summer research journey, I find it important to look back on the surprises and problems I’ve faced. Good planning is crucial for any research project, and mine is no different. My project, “Exploring the Impact of Solitary Confinement on Recidivism and Social Outcomes,” has had its fair share of challenges and successes.
At the beginning, I was surprised by how tricky it was to find all the right literature for my study. I started with search engines like Google Scholar, criminology databases, and the FSU library, using the term “solitary confinement.” I quickly realized this wasn’t enough to find all the relevant information. So, I had to think of other terms that might bring up the same topics. Words like “prison segregation,” “segregated housing,” and “isolation in prisons” helped me find more useful studies and articles.
One of the biggest challenges I see for the rest of the summer is going through a huge amount of literature. Reading and analyzing so many articles, research papers, and documents to build my thesis can be overwhelming. But, after talking with my faculty advisor, Dr. Steven Zane, I got some good advice. He suggested focusing on key words and reading abstracts first to decide if an article is worth a full read. This tip has been really helpful, letting me spend my time on sources that will truly benefit my research.
I also find it beneficial to create a separate running document of the research and sources I am going to utilize and categorize them in reference to not only their importance but role in this research. Dr. Zane also gave me a book that’s been a great help. It’s teaching me how to organize and understand the large amount of literature I need to review. This has made the whole process less scary and more manageable.
Even with these challenges, some things have gone really well. I’m getting better at finding the right search terms, which is giving me a richer collection of literature. The strategies from Dr. Zane are making my research more focused and effective.
In summary, while the journey has had its bumps, I’m happy with the progress I’ve made. The initial surprises and problems have been tackled with good strategies and helpful advice, leading to continuous improvement in my research process. As I keep going, I’m determined to overcome any obstacles and reach my goals, driven by my passion for justice in the criminal justice system.
Warm regards,
Gladine Lamarre
HSF House Blogs 