Hello everyone! I can’t believe how fast this research experience is flying by. As my first time being a research assistant, I have encountered and am continuously working through new obstacles and questions I have. My project involves a literature review of K-12 educational quality and how it affects health outcomes. During the first few weeks of my research, I learned how to navigate different databases and import articles into a program called Covidence. I have been working on using this program to assist in the literature review process. I encountered the most challenges while deciding which articles to include in our study. I have often second-guessed myself while doing this but it has been helpful working with another research assistant and bouncing questions off of our mentor.
As a woman of color, I have been interested to read about the disparities in our education systems and how they affect all people of color. My research has allowed me to do this and gain a more comprehensive understanding of how many factors influence educational quality. All of these factors then affect the health of students, teachers, and families. My identity has fueled me to really pay attention to what resources are listed in these research articles. I hope to look into these further and see how effective they are at creating more equitable education systems.
My research experience has been so much READING! I thought I would be used to this as a psychology and Women and Gender Studies major but I was not ready for this. I am enjoying it and look forward to seeking out other research opportunities after this, however, I need to crack open a fiction book soon.