1. The differences and purposes of popular magazines, trade/professional magazines, and scholarly journals; and how to differentiate between the three (refer to #2).
2. The main differences between the three exists within their uses; audience; language; and authors:
- Scholarly journals consist of in-depth analysis for scholars and researchers, written in specialized subject vocabulary by experts in a field or scholars.
- Trade magazines are useful for up-to-date information of an industry, written for those in the industry with industry jargon, by professionals in the specific industry.
- Popular magazines captures current news; general interest; popular culture, and is written for the general public in everyday language by journalists and other staff/guest writers.
3. Advantages of print forms of periodicals: the physical text is more convenient to carry around than a computer, it is often easier to read printed text than text on a computer screen
Disadvantages of print forms of periodicals: more expensive to publish and distribute than electronic forms, not as easily accessible as an online text
Advantages of electronics forms of periodicals: the text can be accessed at any computer, cheaper to publish and distribute, individual sections can be found by using the search option, hypertext
Disadvantages of electronics forms of periodicals: one must have a computer nearby to access the text, often more difficult to read than printed text, cannot be conveniently carried like a printed text
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Research Log Entry (due Thursday, October 25, 2007)
1. How are Socrates' ideas of the body and soul relevant today? Today's conception of the body and "soul" and its significance is what I'm looking for.
2. Body and Soul
3. Google, Academic Search Premier, CQ Researcher, Lexis Nexis, Brittanica Online
2. Body and Soul
3. Google, Academic Search Premier, CQ Researcher, Lexis Nexis, Brittanica Online
Monday, October 22, 2007
Research Log Entry (due Monday, October 22, 2007)
1. We continued our study of databases and we did some hands-on exercises/experiments with different databases on the CSUEB Library website.
2. Formulating search terms seems to be significant. Using the right terms could be the difference between finding a treasure trove of records related to the topic of a search, or finding nothing related to the topic at all.
3. By either broadening or narrowing a search, I can continue exploring any given topic. Also, by changing the search terms, I may also gather more records from a database. And of course, I can search on more than one database.
2. Formulating search terms seems to be significant. Using the right terms could be the difference between finding a treasure trove of records related to the topic of a search, or finding nothing related to the topic at all.
3. By either broadening or narrowing a search, I can continue exploring any given topic. Also, by changing the search terms, I may also gather more records from a database. And of course, I can search on more than one database.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Research Log Entry (Thursday, October 18, 2007)
1. What is justice?
2. I used the search terms: Justice and Philosophy, and then I narrowed the results by: justice and philosophy > philosophy > justice. Yes, they did work because I found many results that grappled with definitions and the purpose of justice.
3. No, I did not try alternate terms as my initial search was successful.
4. My results were perfect; I had 81 results, which is just right. Around 100 is an appropriate amount of results, because the results can be sorted through fairly quickly and there is still a large base of sources to choose from.
5. Almost all of the results answered my question either explicitly or implicitly. While some applied justice to certain topics, there were still implicit definitions and concepts of the purpose of justice in the sources.
6. Boolean operators can be used to either broaden or narrow a search. In the case of "and," it will narrow the search, whereas in the case of "or," it will broaden the search.
2. I used the search terms: Justice and Philosophy, and then I narrowed the results by: justice and philosophy > philosophy > justice. Yes, they did work because I found many results that grappled with definitions and the purpose of justice.
3. No, I did not try alternate terms as my initial search was successful.
4. My results were perfect; I had 81 results, which is just right. Around 100 is an appropriate amount of results, because the results can be sorted through fairly quickly and there is still a large base of sources to choose from.
5. Almost all of the results answered my question either explicitly or implicitly. While some applied justice to certain topics, there were still implicit definitions and concepts of the purpose of justice in the sources.
6. Boolean operators can be used to either broaden or narrow a search. In the case of "and," it will narrow the search, whereas in the case of "or," it will broaden the search.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Research Log Entry (Due Monday, October 15, 2007)
1. - Boolean operators
- Databases
- Searches
- Databases that the library is subscribed to
2. The amount of databases that I have to choose from is the most important point. For whatever research the task calls for, I can choose whichever database best suits my needs.
3. I can use Boolean operators whenever I do an internet search. I can use the library resources whenever I research.
4. Obtaining resources has now become a few clicks on a keyboard, rather than lengthy wild goose chases, searching for relevant materials. The time constraints of the research phase have been drastically reduced, allowing for writing to be done much more quickly. As the writing process becomes faster and faster, I am sure that there'll be connection with the growth of information.
- Databases
- Searches
- Databases that the library is subscribed to
2. The amount of databases that I have to choose from is the most important point. For whatever research the task calls for, I can choose whichever database best suits my needs.
3. I can use Boolean operators whenever I do an internet search. I can use the library resources whenever I research.
4. Obtaining resources has now become a few clicks on a keyboard, rather than lengthy wild goose chases, searching for relevant materials. The time constraints of the research phase have been drastically reduced, allowing for writing to be done much more quickly. As the writing process becomes faster and faster, I am sure that there'll be connection with the growth of information.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Research Log Entry (due Thursday, October 11, 2007)
1. Do we profile people based on their age?
2. Do people of differing ages, in general, treat each other differently? If this is true, then why? What about people with similar ages? If this is the case, then why? If we do profile based on age, is it done simply by appearance or by other means?
3. I first asked if the problem existed, then I asked to provide evidence that the problem exists. Furthermore, I asked what the possible cause of the problem may be.
4. My final question is: If this problem exists, then what effect does it have on age groups within society? The question brings the problem out of theory, and into its concrete significance in our world. It's more complex than the original question because the original asks if the problem exists, which can be easily answered with observation; the final question asks why it is problematic, which may have all sorts of possible answers. I could expand the concept of why this question is problematic, to why is anything problematic, and then how can we identify problems... and probably even further.
5. What is profiling and why do we use it? Is profiling ethical, and why? If profiling is an unavoidable reality, then what results of it are our responsibility? And many more questions on profiling and its nature...
2. Do people of differing ages, in general, treat each other differently? If this is true, then why? What about people with similar ages? If this is the case, then why? If we do profile based on age, is it done simply by appearance or by other means?
3. I first asked if the problem existed, then I asked to provide evidence that the problem exists. Furthermore, I asked what the possible cause of the problem may be.
4. My final question is: If this problem exists, then what effect does it have on age groups within society? The question brings the problem out of theory, and into its concrete significance in our world. It's more complex than the original question because the original asks if the problem exists, which can be easily answered with observation; the final question asks why it is problematic, which may have all sorts of possible answers. I could expand the concept of why this question is problematic, to why is anything problematic, and then how can we identify problems... and probably even further.
5. What is profiling and why do we use it? Is profiling ethical, and why? If profiling is an unavoidable reality, then what results of it are our responsibility? And many more questions on profiling and its nature...
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Research Log Entry (due Monday, October 8, 2007)
1. We discussed different types of information; we examined three news sites (FoxNews, CNN, LATimes) to compare the similarities and differences between them; and we did an exercise in which we asked questions based upon an original question.
2. All the points are important to me. Information is the keystone of any society, without it society could not exist. The news is the main source of information on current events for almost all the world; whoever controls the mass media controls the attention of the globe. And questioning is by far the most important, because how could I even know why information or news websites are important to me if I was not able to ask myself the question, why do I think these things are important to me?
3. I think I'll try to find a circumspect arrangement of sources when opinion is involved, in order to reduce bias.
4. Authority is a problem in itself. By what ways do we judge what kind of information has authority, and how do we know we are using good judgement? The use of scientific modes of thought? How do we know scientific thought is sound to begin with? Can experiments be manipulated to achieve a desired result? And what about issues that are beyond the bounds of scientific thought?
Does authority come with a distinguished name and a graduate degree? Is authority a social construct? If it is a social construct, then does authority have any concrete, non-subjective credibility?
5. Topic development leaves a trail of clues, questions, for the sleuth of knowledge. By piecing together this puzzle of questions, she can begin to see the answer that lies within them all. Most people call these sleuths geniuses, but the genius is actually in their method of inquiry.
2. All the points are important to me. Information is the keystone of any society, without it society could not exist. The news is the main source of information on current events for almost all the world; whoever controls the mass media controls the attention of the globe. And questioning is by far the most important, because how could I even know why information or news websites are important to me if I was not able to ask myself the question, why do I think these things are important to me?
3. I think I'll try to find a circumspect arrangement of sources when opinion is involved, in order to reduce bias.
4. Authority is a problem in itself. By what ways do we judge what kind of information has authority, and how do we know we are using good judgement? The use of scientific modes of thought? How do we know scientific thought is sound to begin with? Can experiments be manipulated to achieve a desired result? And what about issues that are beyond the bounds of scientific thought?
Does authority come with a distinguished name and a graduate degree? Is authority a social construct? If it is a social construct, then does authority have any concrete, non-subjective credibility?
5. Topic development leaves a trail of clues, questions, for the sleuth of knowledge. By piecing together this puzzle of questions, she can begin to see the answer that lies within them all. Most people call these sleuths geniuses, but the genius is actually in their method of inquiry.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Questions
We discussed four different types of information in class today: facts, objective, subjective, and opinion. Would room need to be made for another type: ideas? Where would something like German idealism or existentialism fit within those? Ideas as such seem to blur the lines between all four types. What do you think?
Also, we explored both CNN, FoxNews and the LATimes online and I noticed that on the front page of all the sites, the word "Burma" was not mentioned ONCE; and the word "Myanmar" only appears three times: twice on FoxNews, once on the LATimes. Do you find anything wrong with the fact that a government that is murdering its own citizens is hardly even mentioned on a front page where an Olympic athlete is the headline? I'm sure Chomsky's having a field day...
Also, we explored both CNN, FoxNews and the LATimes online and I noticed that on the front page of all the sites, the word "Burma" was not mentioned ONCE; and the word "Myanmar" only appears three times: twice on FoxNews, once on the LATimes. Do you find anything wrong with the fact that a government that is murdering its own citizens is hardly even mentioned on a front page where an Olympic athlete is the headline? I'm sure Chomsky's having a field day...
Thursday, October 4, 2007
2. Research Log Entry
1. How did Socrates die?
2. Google.
3. Socrates death
4. Several sites that describe his trial and death.
5. Altavista, Dogpile, Yahoo, Ask.com, and many others
6. How is Socrates death still relevant today?
2. Google.
3. Socrates death
4. Several sites that describe his trial and death.
5. Altavista, Dogpile, Yahoo, Ask.com, and many others
6. How is Socrates death still relevant today?
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