Chapter 3: "From Single Mother to Successful Student"

Question: Barbuto doesn't say much in this essay about the impact of her professors, advisors or classmates on her success. Why do you think she's chosen to put the focus on the essay where it is?
I think that she put the focus on her child and home life mostly because she wants to make a point that life keeps going while you're in college. In her specific situation, her child has made her life a bit more complicated than a student without a child. She explains in detail her busy life, which consists of work, cleaning, homework on top of caring for her 15-month old. Any traditional student deals with professors and classmates, so she put the focus on what makes her life unique to the majority of college students. By staying organized and occasionally having what she calls "me time," she is able to stay on task and provide for her baby and herself.

Chapter 3: "Saved"

Question: Malcolm X suggests that curiosity is great motivation for learning. Choose a topic that you're curious about. How do you go about satisfying your curiosity about this topic?
Personally, I love to learn in general. Knowledge is power and that is why I'm spending thousands of dollars each semester. If there is one topic that I can't get enough of, it's biology. Biology is literally life. It's so interesting and complex, I could learn about that all day. Whether it's looking something specific up on google, or reading it in a book, it never gets old. I love talking to people who care about it as much as I do. My high school AP Biology teacher was always so thrilled to teach it, and I can understand why. Also, my uncle is really into it as well, and we often have very long conversations about it when we have a family visit.

Chapter 3: "Log on to Learn"

Question: Did it surprise you to learn that traditional-aged students who live on campus account for only 16% of university enrollment? Do you consider yourself part of this minority? What advantages and disadvantages do you think the other 84% of college students experience?
It did surprise me. I had no idea that there were online college courses in the first place. It also surprised me that "online college credentials are held to the same level as Ivy League diplomas by employers." I am part of the 16%, yes. I feel like if a person has the opportunity to attend a college in the flesh, they should. However, it is understandable that life throws curve-balls, and sometimes attending school isn't an option. The online courses give them the advantage of not having a set schedule, facilitating working around other commitments. Also, it is beneficial for people who don't have cars. They don't have to travel to class because all they need is right on the computer. Online courses are a cheaper alternative too. There are many disadvantages, though. For one, the work load is heavier than in person. People taking online courses also don't get to experience the campus life, and are really missing out. Being here in SUNY Plattsburgh I've met so many amazing people who are here for the same reason I am: to learn more. Living in a tiny town near Vermont with a 42-person class, the availability of many different people is severely limited. If you aren't the ordinary high school jock or cheerleader it's hard to find where you belong in such a small setting. Leaving high school and coming here has been such a great eye-opener. I finally feel like I belong somewhere, and people who don't leave their homes don't get to experience this. College is an important "coming-of-age" time in life, and I'm really happy I chose this route.

Chapter 3: "Sticky Fingers on the Information Superhighway"

Question: Do you agree with McDowell that "most students who plagiarize don't know they're doing it," or do you think Mills and Lambert are correct in their belief that students lack the "values" and "ethics" necessary to avoid cheating? Explain.
I think plagiarism seems to have a subjective definition when it actually doesn't. Plagiarism isn't quite a black and white concept because of this. There are some things, such as downloading an entire paper, that are quite obviously plagiarism. Copying and pasting snippets from different places is also plagiarism, although a majority of students see it as being "not as bad" as copying an entire work. Which is true, but still unethical. According to McDowell, "It's less a conscious effort on their part to plagiarize than it is their understanding that this information is all the world's to use." Sometimes the way a source states a sentence is just too perfect to be paraphrased. The words used convey the information so well that changing them seems silly and counter-productive. However, it's easy to keep that sentence, without plagiarizing, by simply adding quotes and citing the source. Ultimately, there is no reason to plagiarize, besides unwillingness to do the work. And in that case, why are you paying for school if you don't want to do the work?