Baby Steps

As I attempted the first part of my research project this week, I was reminded of one my favorite movies. I recently rewatched What About Bob? and the catchphrase of the movie would not stop replaying as I began to research the Southeastern Writing Center Association. The outcomes were mixed and varied, but mostly seemed to stay within the range of why is this here?

Searching ProQuest for Southeastern Writing Center Association wielded results ranging from Taiwan and Imperialism to China and the Huns. Searching LexisNexis for SWCA found me browsing through results for the Holocaust and Jews. It was at this time that Bob's motto flashed through my mind: Baby Steps.

The SWCA as a topic will definitely be one in which the "usual" sources will not yield as much research as I may have anticipated. The first day I researched I found perhaps one article that I would truly utilize. The others would perhaps bring me ideas and lead me down other paths. And then there were the random ones that just made me scratch my head.  

Thus, Baby Steps.

This research project will definitely be an exercise in patience, nerve and an unyielding sense that I just keep looking. Without a doubt, it will be like nothing I have undertaken before. In the words of Bob:

Baby steps as I wade through research; baby steps as I interview countless sources; baby steps as I survey out-of-state writing centers; baby steps as I observe my 20th session; baby steps through a minimum 4000 word paper; just plain ol' baby steps until I knock this monster out of the park.