It was both difficult and empowering to write this research paper. I had hoped to move beyond the stereotypes individuals traditionally have for OCD—particularly for clean obsessions- type OCD—and to present it as the multifaceted neurological and psychological disorder it really is. This assignment enabled me to synthesize all of the knowledge I had gathered during the semester: how to construct an academically sound argument, how to incorporate sources in meaningful ways, and how to mix scientific facts with human experience.

The most significant thing I was able to learn was how to synthesize several sources into one single clear argument. Not just in terms of quoting studies, but in having them talk to one another. I also felt more confident in paraphrasing, organizing ideas logically, and citing in APA style. Peer review assisted me in realizing what needed to be corrected in terms of clarity and improved transitions in certain areas of my draft, and I addressed all of these in the final draft.

Above all, this assignment provided me with an arena in which to merge the voice of academe with compassion and activism. It made me remember that it’s possible for scholarship to be informative and influential. I feel better equipped to approach future writing assignments with more organization, self-assurance, and better knowledge of how to involve readers.

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.