Information Literacy Essay Discussion

· Introduction

The topic I chose for my research was on the availability and affordability of insulin.

For my research, I used a mind map, database catalog in the library to find some reliable sources I can use. In this case, I was unable to find. I, therefore, opted to search for insulin and another topic which was closer to the socio-economic issue on insulin. I also used google scholar and searched the term the availability and affordability of insulin. I was able to find a wide range of information. At one point, I filtered my search for peer-reviewed articles but also got sufficient information over the same. I, therefore, selected a few articles both peer-reviewed results and non-peer-reviewed results. Information Literacy Essay Discussion

Below are the three articles I have chosen.

Ewen, M., Joosse, H., Beran, D., & Laing, R. (2019). Insulin prices, availability, and affordability in 13 low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ Global Health, 4(3), e001410. DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001410.

            This article describes the need for insulin but due to high price poor availability has contributed to poor access. Different countries have access to insulin but developing countries are struggling with the accessibility of the insulin to its patient. According to, improving insulin availability and affordability need to be addressed through global and national actions. Which include; prioritizing the supply of more affordable human insulin and also negotiating lower price especially from the manufacture and distribution systems.

Liu, C., Zhang, X., Liu, C., Ewen, M., Zhang, Z., & Liu, G. (2017). Insulin prices, availability, and affordability: a cross-sectional survey of pharmacies in Hubei Province, China. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12913-017-2553-0.

According to Liu et al., (2017) poor access to affordable insulin is a major concern to a patient suffering from diabetes. Therefore, the only way is to address the availability, price, and affordability. The need for insulin in public hospital stands to 70% and median price were higher during that time. Therefore, the patient has to pay a high wage to purchase the drug. The solution for this is, therefore, needed for the government to reduce price, abolish taxes and also develop strategies for more equitable access to insulin.

The article I am reviewing is the article from 2019 by Margaret Ewen, Huibert-Jan Joose, David Beran and Richard Laing. The information is on this year; therefore, it is still relevant and updated since the publication was done few months ago. The article’s topic is right up my alley for my research as it is extremely relate-able. I looked at this source fairly early in my search, and it just seemed so perfect. It is a peer-reviewed source with high stands of academic level since it cuts across many countries which are having problem with the availability and accessibility of insulin. It was published in a journal specifically for the BMJ Global Health journal specifically in health science fields. Margaret Ewen works in Health Action International, Amsterdam-Netherlands together with other authors.

The article lists many resources at the end to support their evidence and the article itself has a factual tone. The purpose of the article is to raise a red flag for the need for insulin in low-income countries. Many patients with diabetes, in particular, are suffering due to a lack of insulin availability. Therefore, the world should come up with strategies in response to ensure patients from low-income countries are able to access and also afford insulin. In conclusion, I learned a lot when doing my research, and I am very glad to have found the resources I did.

Here is the sample and kindly response to this post

thanks

· Identifying Research questions: Explain how you arrived at your thesis statement by creating initial questions on a topic. How did these musings – thoughts or reflections – and fuzzy questions develop into a viable research path? What makes an effective research question? How can a solid research question be transformed into a thesis?

· Considering the rhetorical situation: Describe your audience and your purpose. What was the “setting”? What did you need to consider at the very start of the process?

My initial question for my topic was more of an interest in the technology field, as that is my chosen career field. As a women, I became interested in what that field would be like going into and what obstacles I might face. It has only been in the last 60 years or so that women have been able to go into the workforce, and I understand that sexism is still a major factor against a working woman. I knew from my own experience that STEM fields – that is, science, technology, and mathematics, – are very male dominant. I decided to research on why the STEM fields are typically male operated compared to women. A good research question is guiding in your research and focused (How to Write a Research Question). A solid question can be turned into a thesis based upon again, the ability to be proven or refuted.

My audience would be my classmates and those interested in the issues faced by women in the workforce. I needed to consider not seeming too harsh with my question or come off too strong with what I was doing. I had to take my fellow students’ criticisms and insight into account in order to broaden my horizons and reach a greater audience.

I have overcome the issues of finding credible sources, ones that are written by experts or people who are familiar with the technological field. I have also had to overcome dealing with my own knowledge on the subject and not letting that butt in on my research. I have had to take into account that not everyone is going to understand the lingo I use without explanation. A good habit to adopt is to reflexively describe the terms being used in a way that makes sense to everyone so I might reach a greater audience. Information Literacy Essay Discussion

I would advise other students to listen to those around them as you might not realize that even if they are not doing the same thing as you, they can offer great insight to your work that you may not even realize.

Resources

How to Write a Research Question. (n.d.). Retrieved from  https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/how-to-write-a-research-question