Final exam

Deep web: Article "Distad, M. (2011). The Future of Print: The Book. Feliciter, 57(5), 182-184" found on the EBSCOhost database which I used through the Clark Library.

Authority -- The article's author Merrill Distad is an author, editor and librarian.
Sources -- Published by Canadian Library Association without visible sources of information.
Purpose -- The author's opinion is that hard-copy material is here to stay.
Evenness -- The article reflect's the author's aforementioned opinion.
Coverage -- I don't see how it applies to this article.
Timeliness -- Article published in 2011.
Overall the article meets the ASPECT criteria for credibility. The author is clearly qualified to write on the topic. The article is recent and the author uses statistics and data to back-up his points. 

Open web: Article "Morrison, E. (2011, August 22). Are books dead, and can authors survive? The Guardian." found on guardiannews.com using a search of the site.

Authority -- The article's author Ewan Morrison has written of four novels.
Sources -- The author includes separate articles through links in his article.
Purpose -- Ewan Morrison is of the opinion that e-books will soon make hard-copy material and writers themselves obsolete.
Evenness -- The article is opinion based, so it has a clear bias towards the author's opinion.
Coverage -- I don't see how it applies to this article.
Timeliness -- Article was published in August 2011.
Much like the first article, the author is highly credible and the statistics, data and other evidence in the article are backed-up by external links. I would say it meets the ASPECT criteria.

Article summary:
I agree with the article's points that with the boom of e-books and online news, hard-copy materials like books, magazines, journals and newspapers may become obsolete. But it seems a bit far fetched to assume that the role of the writer would be affected by that transition. The author argues that the internet will force those who write an article to offer their work for little-to-no cost, making writing an impossible thing to make a profession out of.

But what about screenwriters and journalists, do they not qualify as writers? Movies as a medium has benefited from the technology boom, and the writers of those productions will surely benefit. Internet newspapers like The Huffington Post are rivaling their print counterparts like The New York Times and the Washington Post by offering their articles exclusively online for free. For revenue, internet newspapers use the technique used by their print counterparts, they advertise. The writers for that site are doing just fine it seems.

I would say that the most compelling argument offered by the author would be that there is a shift from printed materials to e-books and websites. This has been seen most recently with the announcement by The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, Louisiana that they would be moving most of their articles online. I can agree that writers may have to struggle as a result to a transition from print to digital, but they will survive. And I'm pretty sure that "struggle" isn't anything new to writers.

Create a Web Page

http://letteraday.org/students/bhalvorsen.html

This activity was really fun and by far the most challenging so far. For the body of the web page, I used an article I have been working on about St. Johns City Hall. I added the picture with the help of this how-to page: www.w3schools.com/html/html_images.asp

The takeaway from this activity is a clearer understand of what .html is and how to write a basic web page.

Finding Information on the Open Web and summary

.gov: Searched "censorship AND law" on Google.
"Obscenity, Indecency and Profanity". Federal Communication Commission. FCC.gov. Web 10 June 2012.
This site is an official government site about current US censorship laws. The FCC has the authority to write about the subject. Evenness is not inherently assumed since the FCC has interests in laws. But their purpose is clearly to keep regulated communication in the U.S. censored (to a limited extent).

.edu: Searched "censorship AND history" on Google.
Ickovic, Caleb; Lane, Cristina; Jones, Martha. "Censorship in China". Duke University. Duke.edu. 12 April 2006. Web. 10 June 2012.
The sources cited under the article's "references" section is thorough, although they do cite Wikipedia. The article takes a balanced approach at Chinese censorship laws, giving it evenness. It was published in 2006, giving it some date, but can still be considered timely. 


.com: Searched "censorship AND history" on Google.
Head, Tom. "Censorship in the United States" About.com. Web. 10 June 2012.
The author is a civil liberties writer for About.com giving him the authority to write about the topic. The purpose of the site is to offer encyclopedic article about various topics.

.org: Searched "censorship AND history" on Google.
Newth, Mette. "The Long History of Censorship". Beacon for Freedom of Expression. Web 10 June 2012.
The organization's purpose is to offer a database of articles on censorship. Because of their mission, their article on the history of censorship gives them the authority on the topic. 




I would suggest the .com or .edu domains when searching for information like this. Searching .gov can get some results, but for a historical perspective it doesn't offer much. There are several scholarly articles under .edu domains. I don't think that the domain means much when it comes to evaluating sources. The best way is to use the ASPECT.

Research Journal, Part 8: Types of Information: Focus on Search Engines and Web Sites

Search tool: Gigablast has advanced search features that include allowing you to search an exact phrase, "all of these words", and "none of these words". A unique function is that you can restrict certain URLs and list URLs you want.

Metasearch tool:  All five of the features Gigablast had are included in Metacrawler. You also have to option to restrict search by language. There is a yellow and white page directory to search.

Subject directories: I used Internet Public Library where  "wildcard" search features included inserting a "?" or "*" in a word. Their example is "b*d could return "bad", "bond", "branded", etc." and  "b??d could return "band", "bond", "baud", etc.". All of the five previous features are also available.

Finding Articles in Periodical Indexes

Search statements:

censorship AND histor*

censorship AND legislation

censorship AND "freedom of speech"

censorship AND law

Scholarly journal:

Azhgikhina, N.. "Censorship in Russia: Old and New Faces. " World Literature Today 85.6 (2011): 34-39. Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 27 May. 2012.

After searching "censorship and 'free speech'" I came across this article and it serves as a good example of historical and modern censorship. The in-depth article was written by a journalist and published in the journal World Literature Today.

Magazine:

Sirico, Robert A. (1996, July). Don't censor the Internet. Forbes, 158(3), 48.  Retrieved May 27, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 9862827).

I found this article after searching censorship AND legislation. It is useful because it is a recent example of censorship that is still an issue today. 

Newspaper:

BILL KELLER, Special to The New York Times. "A Proposed Soviet Law Limits Press Censorship. " New York Times 27 Sep. 1989, Late Edition (East Coast): ProQuest National Newspapers Core, ProQuest. Web. 27 May. 2012.

This article is useful since it explains several examples of censorship in Soviet Russia over its history. It also explains how the laws were changed to allow some dissent.

My original search term brought limited results so I broadened my search to "censorship" and go too many hits. A suggestion said Censorship AND "freedom of speech" so I clicked that, and got some results. I then changed the last part to "legislation" and then "law". All latter results had plenty of journals, newspapers, and magazines to sort through.

Searching techniques

1. Will presidential election reform solve the issues with the Electoral College and the popular vote?
   reform AND "Electoral College" AND "popular vote"
2. Does television advertising by the pharmaceutical industry have an impact on prescription drug abuse?
   advertising AND pharmaceutical AND abuse
3. 
   Does anti-smoking advertising by the tobacco industry lead to increased smoking among youth?
   advertising AND tobacco AND youth
   
   
4. Is the current lack of sunspot activity affecting global warming?
   sunspot AND ("global warming" OR "climate change")
5. Has the U.S. trade and globalization policy hurt the middle class?
   globalization AND (class OR labor)

• What are some historical examples of censorship?
  histor* AND censorship

Focus on books

Library Catalog:


Searched term: censorship

Citation: Hull, Mary. Censorship in America. Santa Barbra, California: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Print.

Subject: censorship (United States)

Format, location and call number: Circulating book, Cannell second floor, call no. Z658.U5 H84 1999

Clues: Publisher seems reputable: http://www.abc-clio.com/, 2001 is a relatively recent book

Summit:


Searched terms: censorship, America

Citation: Paxton, Mark. Censorship. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2008. Print.

Subject: Censorship -- United States -- History

Location and call number: University of Portland, call no. Z658.U5 P39 2008

Clues: Reputable author, publisher and recent pub. date

Differences: Summit gives you the book contents and related books.

Books 24x7:


To narrow searches, on Books 24x7 you can selected where you want to search (by title, author, ISBN, or general content) and what words you want to search. You can also search for to proximity of the words, any words, all words or an exact phrase. When you add words, your searches will narrow. But if your search is too narrow, you won't get a return.

Google Books:

Searched terms: Censorship in America

Citation: Nye, Valerie; Barko, Kathy, ed. True Stories of Censorship Battles in America's Libraries. United States: American Library Association, 2012. Google Book Search. Web. 13 May 2012

Clues: Published this year, editors seem experienced in the topic.

Summary:
All the tools I used are very similar. All give you the basics of the book (author, title, ISBN, subject etc.) Google Books allows you to see clips of of some books, which proves useful. The benifit of the Cannell catalog is that those books are available for quick reference. Summit offers a useful similar book tool where you can view books that consist of the same subjects. The advanced search on Books 24x7 was a bit confusing, but was otherwise useful. I would say the best tool was Summit and the library catalog. Google Books is also a good to since it picks obscure and specific books on your topic.

--Brian

Matching sources to needs

Practice questions:

1) Is a vegetarian diet healthier than a meat-based diet?

For the an answer to the first question I would use a medical journal where I would find studies and analysis from health care professionals.

2) Target often forces musicians to alter lyrics in order to have their CDs sold in Target stores. Is this censorship?

Finding an answer for this question I would use popular magazines or newspapers to find both sides of the issue.

3) How much more can a college graduate expect to earn over someone with a high school diploma?

For this question, I would look on an official government web site, like the Department of Education.

4) Should educators use commercial services to combat plagiarism?

To find this question, people (like educators) would be the sources as well as popular magazines and newspapers. People will give you a first-hand account of their opinion on the subject. Newspapers will probably have that perspective as well.

5) Is the current lack of sunspot activity affecting global warming?

Books or academic journals would be the best sources for this question. Academic journals would be preferable since it is a recent issue, but both would probably do.

Research questions:


1) Where are examples of censorship throughout time?

Books would be the best way to research this question since I would need historical context.

2) Do US censorship laws on the books today conflict with the First Amendment?

Academic journals, written by constitutional lawyers or experts, would be the best source for this question since analysis from an expert would be needed.

3) What are the motivations of the people leading the censorship movement?

For this question, a newspaper or magazine article would probably be the simplest option. However, if you could talk to the people, you would get a first-hand account of their motivations.

Summary of Research Journal Part 3: Exploring Topics

Focusing on censorship, I got a wide array of materials including examples of today's censorship, historical censorship, self-censorship, and the motivations behind censoring material. Gale Virtual Reference Library was a good source for information on the topic from experts on the subject while Wikipedia was a good source of raw data and facts, like lists of censorship laws. Overall, combining the two helped me have a complete understanding of censorship.

--Brian

Three research questions

1) Where are examples of censorship throughout time?
2) Do US censorship laws on the books today conflict with the First Amendment?
3) What are the motivations of the people leading the censorship movement?

--Brian

Wikipedia search

Censorship article from Wikipedia:
*Different rationale for censorship includes, political, religious, moral, military and corporate.
*Book, film, music, maps and the internet are just a few of the censored things.
*State-imposed censorship is common in authoritative governments.

Work cited:
"Censorship." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. April 4, 2001. Web April 29, 2012.

--Brian

Gale Virtual Reference Library topics

I researched my topic, censorship, on the Gale Virtual Reference Library and compiled the following ideas:

1) Censorship is not a settled issue.
2) Censorship is a legal issue.
3) Censorship is a moral issue.
4) Censorship is controversial.
5) US gov. has laws restricting content.
6) Science is often censored
7) Books are often censored
8) Usually self-censorship is deliberate, but not always voluntarily. Most true in suppressed countries.
9) Pornography is often censored.
10) Opposing political opinions in one-party countries are often censored.
11) Some people think speech, even under the First Amendment, can be limited.
12) Some forms of censorship are common
13) FCC censors TV and radio
14) Film is self-censored
15) Censorship is often a result of fear, both legitimate and not.

Work cited:
*Laursen, John Christian. "Censorship". New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Scribner's, 2005. 290-295.

--Brian

Unit 2: Plagiarism

1. Since the author of the first writing is telling personal experiences about a vacation they do not need to cite any sources.
2. Writing two is a statement of personal opinion about the feelings of Americans and no citation is needed.
3. The author of the third writing refers to a statistic so they must cite the source of that number.
4. The author of the fourth writing summarizes the opinion of the original author so a source must be cited.
5. In writing five, the author uses direct quotes from the source and at the end of the author's summary and includes the proper citation.
6. The author of the sixth writing completely fails to cite the source of the quote they use.
7. In the seventh writing, the author is giving the reader a first-hand account of what someone said, so they do not need to cite a source.
8. Since the eighth writing states common knowledge, the author does not need to cite sources.

To avoid plagiarizing I carefully read through and summarize in my head what the author is trying to convey. This way, if I am writing something myself, I will not accidentally copy the original work. If you read it multiple times, you can also get a clearer understanding of an original summary. I have learned through this unit (or re-learned rather) Clark's strict rules on plagiarism. And of course, citing work is a must.

--Brian

Getting the blog up and running

As a former (and now current) Blogger user, I knew enough of the basics to get my blog up and running without a hitch. I am aware that the title "Brian @ Clark College" might not be the most original, but I can always tweak it at another time.

I did get a chance to learn how to use the new Blogger, including the revamped design. Opposed to the former Blogger, the new one is much more appealing to the eye and seems to be a little more neat.

I try to keep my online footprint as light as possible, but am a member of most major social networking sites. I host my baseball history blog at Wordpress and have a semi-active account on Wikipedia.

Obviously there are pros and cons to using a digital format over an analog. For one, the analog format, such as hand-written class notes are more easily accessible and functional for a class room environment. However, digital work-spaces, such as Blogger, where you can post an assortment of multimedia tools, can be helpful as well.

Assignment:

Set up Your Own Blog

On the class discussion you watched a video about blogging and posted a comment. Now you're going to set up your own blog. As you learned in the video, a blog is a "web 2.0" tool, which means that you can use it to contribute information to the Internet without knowing any special coding or computer skills. All you need is a browser (like Firefox or Explorer) and Internet connection, and blog host. For this class you will be using Blogger.com to host your blog. Each week you will use your blog to record your assignments(called Research Journals)and I will provide feedback and guidance.

Start by watching this short (2 minutes) tutorial::

and follow the instructions to set up your own blog. Give yourself adequate time to fill in all the blanks required and also upload a profile picture. When it comes to naming your blog try and be a bit unique and easy to remember so you don't end up with Cindy1144.blogspot.com. One thing to remember as you set up your blog, the name of the blog cannot be changed. While I encourage you to use your creativity, please make sure that either your user name or name of your blog includes your name so I can easily identify it.

Be sure to remember these things:

• your user name
• your password
• your blog name and URL (The web address, like xxxx.blogspot.com- this is a good time to bookmark your URL. However, remember you can always find your blog again by going towww.blogger.com and signing in.)

3. Explore Blogger a bit. Go to the design link and select template designer in the line under the labeled tabs, then select a template and background(color palette)that you find pleasing/interesting to the eye. You can also go to advanced to select your favorite font and color(one thing to remember, please don't make it impossible for me to see your text and if possible stay away from the dark background and red or purple text- it's hard for my old eyes to read.) You might leave the layout tab for later after you see how the default layout works, you always have to option to change your template and layout during the class. If you choose a template that displays your posts in a very narrow column, it can make it harder for me to view and grade the assignment. You should always view your blog after you post to see how it looks and make any corrections using edit post if necessary. 

4. Create your first New Post and give a summary of this assignment. What did you learn? What do you think the difference might be using a digital workspace as opposed to an analogue(paper) one? Are you a member of any other online communities(i.e. facebook, twitter, etc.)?

5. Send me an email (abullock@clark.edu) with the URL (web address) of your blog. While you are required to use your clark email for your Moodle profile, it's fine with me if you send me email from your personal email, however, please include the course name in the subject line so I know it is class related and important and remember to sign your name so I know who I am interacting with.

That's it! When you want to get back to your blog, just enter the URL in a browser address bar and log in.

This activity is worth 10 points(5 points for setting up your blog and 5 points for your first post).