Are plastic bags worth it?

Reflection:

1. What questions did you need to research in order to research your topic?

In short: 1. Why are plastic bags harmful? 2. What are the positives? 3. What is being done today?

In order to come up with my final presentation, I had to separate my research into a few different questions. The first one was about why plastic bags are actually harmful. In that category, I had to figure out what makes them harmful, what they harm, and how much. After I figured out their impacts on the Earth, I had to find some positives, or why plastic bags are still being used to this day. Then, I moved to the modern day, and answered my blanket question of what is being done now. This branched off into be looking for environmental organizations, laws banning plastic bags, and alternatives for them.

2. What new or familiar digital tools did you try to use as you worked through this project?

For this project, I not only used a presentation software (Emaze) that was new to me, but I also used all images from either Pexels or the built-in no copyright image search engine. I used the Gale Database at first, but didn’t end up using any information from there as I found that other sources were more convenient for this particular topic. However, I increased my knowledge in this resource and will definitely use it in later assignments.

3. What was the process you used to investigate the topic?

To put together this presentation, I first made the template for my project, with the main headings ready to go. This way, I could stay organized by researching one section at a time. I would look at a variety of different sources until I had gathered my needed information, then put it into my own words and display. The only exception was a quote I took from a National Geographic article, which I credited as well.

4. How did you verify and cite the information you found?

I made sure to take information from trusted, credible sources, that are either common knowledge or I have heard family members/ teachers mention. I made sure that facts or statistics matched those of other articles, in order to ensure their credibility.

5. How did the process of completing this challenge go? What could you have done better?

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this project, especially with the software I used. The research was not too difficult since plastic bags are very talked about nowadays, although finding trustworthy websites took a bit of investigating. To improve for next time, I would make more use of the resources provided from the school, or choose a topic that is more greatly covered in those databases.