highchool essay
The following is a sample of an I-search paper. Pay particular attention to the MLA formatting, to the headings used and to the way in which the content follows the outline provided to you in the “How to Write an I-Search Paper” section of this manual. Annie Student
Mentor’s name
English 12
10 October 2004
LIVING WITH ASTHMA
What I Already Knew / What I Wanted to Know
“Well, Annie, it looks like you have asthma,” our family physician
informed me. I could not believe what I was hearing. I thought that I
had been suffering from a very stubborn cold. Questions started going
through my head as I listened to Dr. Davis explain my condition. I’m
in high school. Aren’t I too old to get asthma now? How can I stay
on the softball team? Will I still be able to go on camping and hiking
trips with my family?
I already knew that asthma is a chronic disease which affects the
lungs and that certain medications help control the number and
severity of asthma episodes. (That’s when the coughing and wheezing
start.) I didn’t know much more than that.
I needed to know more about what might trigger an asthma
episode. Would I be able to keep up with other players on the softball
team? Are there certain types of trees and plants that I should avoid?
Section 1 What questions do you have? Explain what you already know about your topic. Explain what you need to find out about your topic.
After much pleading and negotiating on my part, my parents had
finally agreed that our family could have a dog. Would I be able to
live with it?
I made a list of the things I needed to know. From that list, I was
able to form my research question: Can I effectively manage my
asthma? As my Culminating Project Product, I decided to create
“Annie’s Guide” – a brochure on asthma management that I could
use to better monitor my condition, so that it didn’t hinder my athletic
participation and active high school social life any more than it had
to. I had great tech production skills and was sure that once I had all
the information I needed that I could produce a usable, beneficial
brochure to carry with me at all times to monitor my asthma and its
treatment.
My Search Process
My research took about three weeks. I began my research by
doing some background reading in the Encarta online encyclopedia.
That site provided a definition of the term asthma, information on
how the lungs function, the causes of asthma attacks, and the
diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Statistics on the number of
Americans with the disease were included in the article. Most of the
information, including the statistics, was supported by the
information in the Merck Manual of Medical Information.
From there I did an online search combining the terms asthma and
Explain about the Product or Performance you will create for your Project. Section 2. Describe your research “journey.” Include information
managing in the Google search engine . Of the many sites that were
available, I chose to use the American Lung Association’s web site.
There the information on asthma was current, well organized, easy to
understand, and it provided answers to all three aspects of my
research question. A Whois search of lungusa.org confirmed that the
web site was registered to the American Lung Association. It gave me
a street address at which I could contact the American Lung
Association, as well as the date the site was last updated. Again, I
used the Merck Manual of Medical Information to confirm the
accuracy of the information. This was the only resource I evaluated
for accuracy, currency, authority and purpose.
Dr. Davis referred me to an allergy/asthma specialist named Dr.
Emma Anders. Since she was going to treat my asthma, I decided to
interview her for my paper. I forgot to take her busy schedule into
account, and I did not know that she had planned a short vacation
during the time I was doing my research. She graciously agreed to
meet with me after her office hours one day. Dr. Anders was a great
source of information on all aspects of my disease, but the most
unique feature of our interview included a demonstration of two
instruments, a peak flow meter and a metered-dose inhaler. She also
sent home a video on the appropriate use of both pieces of equipment.
I felt sure that my “Annie’s Plan” brochure would be better
developed with an understanding of both the meter and inhaler.
about online searches that you conduct Describe any interviews that you conduct.
During the next week I went to my school library. My school
librarian directed me to the reference section where I could find many
specialized medical encyclopedias. I chose to use the Merck Manual
of Medical Information because it was the most current publication
on the shelf. The vocabulary was much more technical than what I
had found in the other sources. Included in the article were a table
that showed the different medications used to treat asthma and a
graphic that illustrated the correct use of an inhaler. Using the
library’s OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) to search for books, I
did a subject search using the term asthma. My school library didn’t
have any titles that dealt with asthma. I realized that I would have to
go to the public library to find books.
Still at my school library, I talked to our school librarian about
using Proquest, a very comprehensive online magazine/newspaper
database. Our librarian showed me how to use the “Browse Topics”
feature. This feature allowed me to find the search terms used by
Proquest and to narrow my search. I found asthma listed as a search
term with 111 subtopics. I narrowed my search by adding the
subtopic athletes to one of my searches and teens to another.
At the public library I searched the OPAC (Online Public Access
Catalog) using asthma as the search term in a subject search.
Surprisingly, many of the titles shown in the catalog were checked
out. I didn’t want to place any titles from other libraries on hold, so I
checked out one of the two titles on the shelf. The book, Breathe
Right Now: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Treating
the Most common Breathing Disorders, was much longer than I
had anticipated. Consequently, I read only some of the chapters.
By the end of the third week, I felt I had plenty of information. My
original search question remained the same: Can I manage my
asthma? I was able to define exactly what it was that I wanted to
manage. I ended up narrowing my topic to three areas I had to deal
with in order to manage my asthma: environmental factors,
medications, and sports/exercise. When I developed my brochure, I
made sure that each of the three areas that I thought were important
were addressed.
The Search Results / What I Have Learned
According to the Encarta encyclopedia, many Americans, have
asthma and that number has increased dramatically in the last 20
years. “More than 17 million Americans suffer from asthma, with
nearly 5 million cases occurring in children under age 18. In the
United States, asthma causes 5,500 deaths each year… Among all
Americans, the prevalence of asthma increased more than 60 percent
between 1982 and 1994” (Abramowicz). The management of asthma
is a health issue for many people, besides me. I will be able to
manage my asthma and live a full, active life by minimizing the
effects of environmental factors that can trigger asthma episodes,
Section 3. Explain what your research taught you that helped you develop your Product.
following my physician’s instructions about medications, and by
sticking to an exercise program. Following my progress with
“Annie’s Guide” will help me do this.
Numerous substances can trigger an asthma attack of coughing,
wheezing, and shortness of breath. Allergens constitute the largest
category of triggers (Abramowicz). According to Susan Berg,
“Allergens are substances that produce an allergic reaction in people
who are sensitive to them.” Common allergens are pollens from
plants, animal dander, dust mites, mold and mildew (23). Dr. Anders
said we would do a series of skin tests for allergies right away. If
I am allergic to certain triggers, allergy shots will help by
desensitizing me to them, making them less likely to trigger an
episode (Anders).
If I am allergic to certain pollens, I can reduce the chances of an
asthma episode by staying indoors when those pollens are in the air.
Indoors, I can reduce the risk of an episode by using the air
conditioner to circulate air while keeping windows and doors closed
to keep pollens out. Cleaning the air with an air cleaning device can
reduce dust mites, mold spores, and other indoor allergens (“85 % of
Americans”).
Two instruments are commonly used in the treatment of asthma.
The first, a peak flow meter, is a tube about six inches long; which
measures a person’s ability to push air from his or her lungs. When a
person exhales into it, he/she can determine if his/her lungs are
working at their capacity. If the lungs are working below their
capacity, it is necessary to take some medication with a second
instrument, a metered-dose inhaler (Peak Flow Meters). A metered-
dose inhaler, a hand-held pump, delivers medication directly to the
airways and helps patients get their breath back very quickly Anders).
Today many different medications are available to help people
with asthma. Medications can be injected, taken orally or inhaled.
Inhaled medications are usually a first line of defense because they
work very quickly, usually in less than five minutes. This is because
they go right into the lungs and not into other parts of the body.
Certain anti-inflammatory drugs are used to keep air passages open
and prevent asthma episodes. One type of these is called
corticosteroids. I was relieved to find that these are not the same kind
of steroids that cause serious side effects in athletes. The risk of side
effects with corticosteroids is very small (“Asthma Medicines”).
Twenty or thirty years ago doctors believed that physical exercise
made an asthmatic patient’s condition worse. At that time doctors
believed a quiet, restful life was best. Now new research is showing
that “people with breathing disorders who can maintain a regular
program of exercise and activity are able to experience maximum
cardiovascular fitness along with greater symptom control, or an
increased ability to exercise and do the activities of daily living.
Exercise trains the respiratory muscles to work more efficiently”
(Smolley and Bruce 127-128). I had been worried that I would have
to drop off the softball team or miss our next family camping trip.
These facts, however, made me confident that I would be able to
continue to do both.\
Nancy Hogshead, a former Olympic athlete, demonstrates some
exercises for asthmatics on a video called Aerobics For Athletes. I
tried some of the exercises, and they are great. Nancy serves as a
wonderful role model. She and other Olympic athletes including Rob
Muzzio, Jim Ryun, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Amy VanDyken have
had to deal with asthma, and many of these athletes still compete
(Smolley and Bruce 128). In fact, a recent study of Olympic athletes
revealed that “more than 20 percent of the American athletes who
participated in the 1996 Summer Olympic games may have had
asthma (“Olympians”). I am very encouraged by this fact.
After doing the research, I concluded that if I developed a plan for
myself, I would be able to manage my asthma. “Annie’s Guide,” my
plan, addresses the areas of medical treatment, environment, pets and
sports. If I do find that I have allergies, I’ll take the allergy shots. I’ll
take my medications and monitor the peak flow levels every day as
well as go in for checkups every three months. Prior to outdoor
activities such as hiking and camping, I’ll have to check the pollen
counts that are published in our local newspaper. If the counts are
high, I won’t be able to participate. As for getting a dog, our family
will have to postpone that decision until I’ve found if I’m allergic to
them. Finally, I can continue to participate in my sports and physical
activities. I’ll use the peak flow meter before and after softball games,
do warm-up breathing exercises, and keep an inhaler handy for
emergency use. My guide, “Annie’s Plan” lays out all of the
considerations I have to make on a regular basis and allows me to
keep track of all of these factors on a daily basis by simply checking
off each element as I address it.
My Growth
I actually learned a great deal about doing research as a result of this
project. For one thing, doing the research took much more time than I
thought it would. Consequently, I have learned to plan my time more
efficiently. I’ll schedule an appointment well ahead the next time I
want to interview someone. My writing skills also improved. I
learned to use an outline to organize my thoughts before I begin to
write. I’m also better able to write a well-developed paragraph that
focuses on one topic. Proquest and the OPAC at the public library are
both tools that I hadn’t used before, but will use with my next
research project. I also learned how to evaluate information from web
sites.
In terms of making the brochure itself, I already knew a lot of
great document production skills. So that wasn’t much of a stretch.
Section 4. Explain what your learned along the way.
Frankly, it was pulling together all of the information that challenged
me.
In addition to these academic benefits, I got a lot of information
that will help me lead a full and active life in spite of my asthma. The
production of “Annie’s Guide” made me really consider all of the
parts of my life that I CAN control in terms of asthma. Now, I
definitely feel like while I do have asthma, asthma doesn’t have me.
I’ll still be an active, athletic, social, and successful young adult.
Works Cited
Abramowicz, Mark. “Asthma, Bronchial.” Microsoft Encarta 98
Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Microsoftpor., 1993-97.
Aerobics for Asthmatics. Videocassette. Allergy and Asthma
Network /Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc., 1993.
Anders, Emma R., M.C. Personal interview. 12 Apr. 1999.
“Asthma.” The Merck Manual of Medical Information. Whitehouse
Station: N.J. Merck Research Laboratories, 2003.
“Asthma Medicines.” American Lung Association Web site.
American Lung Association. 15 Apr. 1999.
<http://www.lungusa.org / asthma /astasmeds2.html>.
Berg, Susan. “Recently Diagnosed with Asthma?” Asthma Mar.-Apr.
1999: 22-24.
“Olympians Don’t Let Asthma Hold Them Back.” Asthma Mar.-
Apr. 1999: 15.
“Peak Flow Meters.” American Lung Association Web site.
American Lung Association. 15 Apr. 1999.
<http://www.lungusa.org/asthma/astpeakflow.html>.
Smolley, Laurence A. and Debra Fulghum Bruce. Breathe Right
Now: A Comprehensive Guide to Treating the Most Common
Breathing Disorders
This works cited page is in MLA style.
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