Week 5 Blog

     Hello Professor and fellow classmates,

Week 5 was indeed a challenge for me. Assignment 1: Finding Peer-Reviewed Empirical Research Articles was by far the most challenging. I have learned a few new things from the article that I found.  I do believe that the Veterans Health Administration is trying to find ways to help their veterans deal with mental health.  The article I found talks of the VA focus on the rehabilitation and recovery by transforming their mental health services.  I remain encourage by my readings. 

     I did reconsider the focus of my research question after emailing Professor MacLeod and reading this article.  I still aim on focusing on the effects of our veteran’s benefits but now will narrowing it in on how to improve them.  The other studies that was mentioned in the peer-reviewed empirical article that I found was on peer-led services.  I plan on looking into this further as I do believe that it will aid in benefiting our veterans. 

     I believe that my research skills are coming along I am doing a little better every week.  Learning new things weekly has been great. However like I stated in the beginning of my blog this was a ROUGH week it was hard for me pining down the right type of questions to put into the database to get results on my subject.  Week 5 assignment 1 notes stated “Remember that time and patience is key to doing thorough and meaningful research.  It was so true, it took a lot of time, and it was a little frustrating as I felt that I was struggling to find what I was looking for. 

     I am an adult learner like perhaps most of us are that is taking this course. We all have life issues going on. There has been realizations that has occurred to me in week 5 in completing my readings and assignments. I need to stay focus, I have been working every day in some way on my homework.  I plan on sitting down on looking at areas where I can do things differently.  Research for me as I said in week 1 blog is new.  The course Badke (2014) book has been helpful. I usually print off the assignment and follow it step by step which has been also helpful.  

     I hope you all have a good week 6 and are feeling more confident about your research. I believe this is a good class and if we are able to get a grasp on the basics of how to access the different sites to find information for our subject matter we will have a good foundation for the rest of our classes.  Looking forward to your feedback.