Welcome to my weblog. For easy viewing access to the contents of this weblog, click on the topics link in the righthand column. My Multigenre research project can be located under the topics list. I hope you enjoy your visit.

My name is Christina Watkins. I am a student at Marshall University studying Communication Disorders. I became interested in studying Communication Disorders about four years ago. A friend suggested the program to me after I said I would like to do some form of therapy as a profession. I come from a long line of healthcare career relatives. I am now a senior and I also hope to attend graduate school at Marshall. I would like eventually to work in a clinical setting helping patients with acquired communication disorders.

During the summer of 2002, I decided to take a class called CD315. The class was an "Introduction to basic skills in computer networking including telecommunications, network information retrieval systems and virtual community/culture. The class satisfies the computer literacy requirement for CD majors." In the first few weeks of class we were able to gain knowledge about information literacy. This included learning about researching information on the internet, how to join professional mailing lists, how to make a webliography. I had never created a webliography nor did I have much experience on researching information on the internet.
Throughout the course of the class we had to create a Multigenre Research Project. The hardest task of this project for me was putting together an essential question. I had to choose a question to research that I found interesting and then find an answer to the question as one possible solution. I did not have trouble choosing the topic but the challenge came when I had to decide what input I want to include in the final results of my research. I decided to research information that pertained to dementia and aphasia and how to educate caregivers of patients with these conditions. I feel that my multigenre project demonstrates what I found important about this topic and how I would present the information to other classmates and the public.

I have so many ideas that I want to add to this project but I can't seem to figure out how to do them. I plan on asking people in my class this week when we meet for the last time. I'm looking forward to that meeting because I can't wait to see everyone. I have really enjoyed viewing their work and seeing how they have all pulled it together. I am still working on the finishing touches to mine. I think a lot of my work is lacking conclusion at the end. I am speaking of my editorial and my interview. I am still working hard at tying my pieces together. I know what I want it to look like but I dont quite have it layed out yet. This past week, I struggled with all those computer quirks. Thanks to Lekei I have more Microsoft options on my computer. She allowed me to download her disks. That was very thoughtful. I know I couldn't afford to do that myself. I have been going to the library but unfortunately they only have four computers with a 30 minute time limit on them. Besides some of the people that come in there and get on the internet are kind of creepy looking. I am too scared to peep over their shoulder to see what they might be viewing. Some of them look just like they live on the streets. It's a little unnerving. But that's where I get my best concentration. I am looking forward to attending the library in Huntington this fall instead. Next week is all we have left. I had better get cracking on these little additives I want to include. I still have to site all my information also. I've got my work cut out for me this week. It's too hot to go anywhere else during the day anyways.