Research and Journal Entry In our information filled, globalized modern world we find the issue of intellectual property to be really important. Many of us probably have witnessed – numerous times even – the power of the written word and the consequences of abusing it. Contemporary media provides us with many examples of misinformation and the harm that taking words out of context may cause. This is why the right to intellectual property deserves the special privilege to be protected. I think that in reading and interpreting WWR chapter 7, the following quote stuck out to me: ”One of the resons that we reasearch is not only to learn new things, but also to make sure that we know what we think we know. You also want to show your reader that you can back up yor knowledge with citations. The goal is, of course, that your knowledge represents reality as best as possible. In other words, to the best of your ability, your knowledge represents what is actually occurring out in the real world.” (WWR, 168.) The above statement explains why such protections have to be applied to research as well. As a student I will confess to sometimes being annoyed by all the citations we have to do. But when I think about it, original research and ideas are like inventions or new music, because their creators deserve recognition for their efforts. It also helps us organize our thoughts and – as the book says – make sure that what we are saying is really true.

Swanson, Troy. Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010.