1. After taking into consideration the insightful feedback of Aline, I don`t think that changing up my topic sentence would hurt. After deliberation and revision, my new topic sentence is:
A healthy lifestyle is contributed to by a symbiotic relationship between humans and the native microorganisms of the body.
I intend to explore and discover why this is so.
2. The search terms that I will start this journey on are:
microorganisms AND body, immune system AND function
3. A) The search for these first two articles was conducted with ease. There were a multitude of articles pertaining to microorganisms, both beneficial and detrimental. After browsing through, I chose to narrow it down to probiotics found in the digestive system. I changed up my search terms, clearing the search bar at the top of the page and entering in `priobiotic AND digestive system.` While waiting for the page to load, I pondered upon the novelty and overall coolness of the word probiotic. As the results began to load up, I concluded that probiotic will be my new word. Also, it sounds pretty nifty if I say so myself. When I started to click through articles, two in particular caught my eye.
B) De Moreno De Leblanc, A, S Chavez, E Carmuega, R Weill, J Antoine, and Gabriela Perdigon. "Effect of Long-Term Continuous Consumption of Fermented Milk Containing Probiotic Bacteria on Mucosal Immunity and the Activity of Peritoneal Macrophages." Immunobiology 213 (2008): 97-108. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.
- This article is an abstract of a study on the effects of milk on the digestive system. Considering this format, it is easy to determine that this article comes from a scholarly/research periodical.
Thomas, Stephanie. "Kraft Bets Consumers Will Hunger for Bacteria." Advertising Age 78 (2007): 4-47. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Keyword: probiotic AND digestive system.
- This article is about how Kraft predicts that the general population will be looking for medicines to correct internal ailments in the near future. This article is from a trade/professional periodical, as the journal is catered to advertising and marketing buffs.
C) As this search continues, I am sure that I will probably add many more search terms than I blogged earlier. As Aline said, I`m on the right track but I`m not entirely dead on. Then again, who would obtain perfect results after the first search? The process is the journey, and that`s where the intellectual reward lies.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Research Log Entry 6.1: Topic Refinement; Periodicals
1. What was discussed today in class?
In class of Friday, we further discussed topic refinement and started exploring the types of periodicals and their respective functions. The last time I did something like this was back in high school, so this session was a refreshing one for me.
2. Describe the differences among a popular, a trade/professional, and a scholarly journal.
The discerning the types of periodicals from each other wasn`t difficult. A popular periodical is catered to the general public, writing stories not of significance (pop culture) and slapping on some color pictures for the readers to ooh and ahh at. A trade/professional periodical targets specific people in a certain field, localizing language for a certain group specialized in some field yet still attempting to make everything pretty. The last type, a scholarly/research periodical, contains garrulous articles, deep in understanding and prolix in stature. The last type of periodicals is not meant for the normal reader; the original information contained in them is not for those looking for the latest gossip.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of print and electronic forms of periodicals?
The first thing that comes to mind is the convenience factor. Electronic forms of articles are quicker and easier to find, as they are only a few letters in a search bar away. The printed forms, however, are filled with pages of information where the table of contents must be consulted in order to find relevant and desired information. One good thing about printed articles, though, is that the full text of research and studies are contained in one area. Online forms may contain only a portion of text, forcing a continuation of the search, in turn making the process of finding information more difficult that would be anticipated.
In class of Friday, we further discussed topic refinement and started exploring the types of periodicals and their respective functions. The last time I did something like this was back in high school, so this session was a refreshing one for me.
2. Describe the differences among a popular, a trade/professional, and a scholarly journal.
The discerning the types of periodicals from each other wasn`t difficult. A popular periodical is catered to the general public, writing stories not of significance (pop culture) and slapping on some color pictures for the readers to ooh and ahh at. A trade/professional periodical targets specific people in a certain field, localizing language for a certain group specialized in some field yet still attempting to make everything pretty. The last type, a scholarly/research periodical, contains garrulous articles, deep in understanding and prolix in stature. The last type of periodicals is not meant for the normal reader; the original information contained in them is not for those looking for the latest gossip.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of print and electronic forms of periodicals?
The first thing that comes to mind is the convenience factor. Electronic forms of articles are quicker and easier to find, as they are only a few letters in a search bar away. The printed forms, however, are filled with pages of information where the table of contents must be consulted in order to find relevant and desired information. One good thing about printed articles, though, is that the full text of research and studies are contained in one area. Online forms may contain only a portion of text, forcing a continuation of the search, in turn making the process of finding information more difficult that would be anticipated.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Research Log Entry 5.2: Academic Integrity; Exploring Databases (2/14)
1. Write a brief topic sentence and statement of exploration for your topic.
Microorganisms in the body are a vital group to the survival of man and animal alike.
2. Formulate appropriate search terms that you might use to being your research process.
microorganisms AND body, immune system AND function
3. Examine the various library databases available to you through this library and list the possible databases you might use to begin your search process.
- Academic Search Premier
- Biological Abstracts
- Britannica Online
- HAYSTAC
Microorganisms in the body are a vital group to the survival of man and animal alike.
2. Formulate appropriate search terms that you might use to being your research process.
microorganisms AND body, immune system AND function
3. Examine the various library databases available to you through this library and list the possible databases you might use to begin your search process.
- Academic Search Premier
- Biological Abstracts
- Britannica Online
- HAYSTAC
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Research Log Entry 5.1: Academic Integrity; Exploring Databases (2/11)
1. What was discussed in class today?
In class on Friday, we continued a discussion on exploring databases. It was nice to get a couple more tips on searching for the academic articles that we may need in the near future.
2. What points were particularly important to you and why?
One of the most vital and useful characteristics of databases that I failed to see last week was that there was a variety to choose from. As I searched through the links presented on the page, there were a multitude of them, a wall of hieroglyphic links waiting to be clicked on and discovered.
3. When engaging in the search process, what techniques might you use to ensure that you can continue your exploration without running into a dead end?
When using search engines, I`m partial to using as many keywords as possible. On Google, I`ve found it a good habit to type out a load of words pertaining to my topic in order to find everything that I need. However, when it comes to searching through academic databases, I`ve found that the simpler search, the better it is. Using too many words can extremely narrow the search. Like looking through the opposite end of a scope, sight is narrowed and the picture drawn on the eyes is shrunken and small.
In class on Friday, we continued a discussion on exploring databases. It was nice to get a couple more tips on searching for the academic articles that we may need in the near future.
2. What points were particularly important to you and why?
One of the most vital and useful characteristics of databases that I failed to see last week was that there was a variety to choose from. As I searched through the links presented on the page, there were a multitude of them, a wall of hieroglyphic links waiting to be clicked on and discovered.
3. When engaging in the search process, what techniques might you use to ensure that you can continue your exploration without running into a dead end?
When using search engines, I`m partial to using as many keywords as possible. On Google, I`ve found it a good habit to type out a load of words pertaining to my topic in order to find everything that I need. However, when it comes to searching through academic databases, I`ve found that the simpler search, the better it is. Using too many words can extremely narrow the search. Like looking through the opposite end of a scope, sight is narrowed and the picture drawn on the eyes is shrunken and small.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Research Log Entry 4.2: Beginning Database Features and Searching (2/8)
1. What was your final question?
Biology is not one of my strongest classes; it`s why I don`t want to become a doctor. Earlier this week, we were going through the functions of the organs, and the liver surprised me. I didn`t strike me that it was actually important. So, I asked myself, Can a person live without his liver?
2. What terms did you use to conduct your search?
For my search, I typed the words ``liver function organ human body.`` Surprisingly, it did not return any results. Perhaps my search was too narrow.
3. Did you need to try alternate terms? If so, what terms did you choose? Did your new terms work any better?
After failing to find out more about this fascinating organ of the human body, I curiously typed in ``importance of liver.`` Fortunately, this brought up a lot of results.
4. How would you evaluate your final results? Did you have too many, too few, or just about right? What number do you think is appropriate and why?
I think that there was a good amount of results returned. I only had 33 to look through, which made the search fairly easy. The studies and articles that were returned were mostly about problems and diseases of the liver. It was pleasant to have turned up a small number of results.
5. How well did your results answer your question? Comment on whether all or some or none of them answered your question?
Upon looking through the results, only a few of them answered my question. After reading a study of the correlation between the health of the liver and weight loss and a few more articles, I found that it was a very vital organ. It is used to produce bile, which breaks down fat molecules, and contains glycogen, an important molecule that is used to produce energy from within the body. After my search, I concluded that it would be hard to live without a liver.
6. How did you use Boolean operators to refine or manipulate results?
I didn`t really use Boolean operators; there really wasn`t a need for it. I found my answer with ease. However, if I wanted to expand my search, I could`ve included a few other terms pertaining to human body organs and connected the two with the operator OR. If I wanted to narrow my search, I could have connected terms with the operator AND. And, if I wanted to make the job of the search engine really hard, I could have excluded terms and attached the operator NOT to them.
It`s good that search engines don`t have feelings. Or else we`d have to start using that ``Feeling Lucky`` button a lot more often.
Biology is not one of my strongest classes; it`s why I don`t want to become a doctor. Earlier this week, we were going through the functions of the organs, and the liver surprised me. I didn`t strike me that it was actually important. So, I asked myself, Can a person live without his liver?
2. What terms did you use to conduct your search?
For my search, I typed the words ``liver function organ human body.`` Surprisingly, it did not return any results. Perhaps my search was too narrow.
3. Did you need to try alternate terms? If so, what terms did you choose? Did your new terms work any better?
After failing to find out more about this fascinating organ of the human body, I curiously typed in ``importance of liver.`` Fortunately, this brought up a lot of results.
4. How would you evaluate your final results? Did you have too many, too few, or just about right? What number do you think is appropriate and why?
I think that there was a good amount of results returned. I only had 33 to look through, which made the search fairly easy. The studies and articles that were returned were mostly about problems and diseases of the liver. It was pleasant to have turned up a small number of results.
5. How well did your results answer your question? Comment on whether all or some or none of them answered your question?
Upon looking through the results, only a few of them answered my question. After reading a study of the correlation between the health of the liver and weight loss and a few more articles, I found that it was a very vital organ. It is used to produce bile, which breaks down fat molecules, and contains glycogen, an important molecule that is used to produce energy from within the body. After my search, I concluded that it would be hard to live without a liver.
6. How did you use Boolean operators to refine or manipulate results?
I didn`t really use Boolean operators; there really wasn`t a need for it. I found my answer with ease. However, if I wanted to expand my search, I could`ve included a few other terms pertaining to human body organs and connected the two with the operator OR. If I wanted to narrow my search, I could have connected terms with the operator AND. And, if I wanted to make the job of the search engine really hard, I could have excluded terms and attached the operator NOT to them.
It`s good that search engines don`t have feelings. Or else we`d have to start using that ``Feeling Lucky`` button a lot more often.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Research Log Entry 4.1: Beginning Database Features and Searching (2/5)
1. What was discussed in class today (Friday)?
In class on Friday, we discussed databases and how to search through them using boolean operation words.
2. What points were particularly important to you and why?
When databases were discussed, I thought of the convenience of this service. No longer would we have to spend long hours through aisles of books, laboriously search through mountains of pages, and carry tons of hard-covered dumbbells in and out of the library. During high school, this would have been very useful had I known that there was this much information in the online databases of libraries.
3. How can you use the techniques discussed in class today (Friday)?
Reports, research papers, and the river of life should flow much easier now. All of the information waits to be unharnessed, standing readily by, being held back only by one click of the mouse.
4. What ideas and thoughts do you have about this search strategy?
As I`ve stated before, this search strategy is very useful. Its convenience is conducive to make reports as quick and easy as possible. I can`t say anything more. I think it`s pretty neat and nifty. This way, we wouldn`t have to go through the mounds of secondary sources; the primary sources are just one click away. I think that it`s very nice, to be honest.
In class on Friday, we discussed databases and how to search through them using boolean operation words.
2. What points were particularly important to you and why?
When databases were discussed, I thought of the convenience of this service. No longer would we have to spend long hours through aisles of books, laboriously search through mountains of pages, and carry tons of hard-covered dumbbells in and out of the library. During high school, this would have been very useful had I known that there was this much information in the online databases of libraries.
3. How can you use the techniques discussed in class today (Friday)?
Reports, research papers, and the river of life should flow much easier now. All of the information waits to be unharnessed, standing readily by, being held back only by one click of the mouse.
4. What ideas and thoughts do you have about this search strategy?
As I`ve stated before, this search strategy is very useful. Its convenience is conducive to make reports as quick and easy as possible. I can`t say anything more. I think it`s pretty neat and nifty. This way, we wouldn`t have to go through the mounds of secondary sources; the primary sources are just one click away. I think that it`s very nice, to be honest.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Research Log Entry 3.2: Formulating a Question (1/31)
1. What was your first question?
In my General Studies class, my professor required all of the students to create an eProfile on Blackboard. One of the criteria being graded is a completed resume along with a few references. Unfortunately, I didn't know who would go onto that page. A question came into my head: "Who should go on my reference page?"
2. List all the intermediate questions that you formed between the first question and your final question.
a. Can anyone go on my page?
b. Is there a certain number of people that should go on it?
c. Are friends allowed?
d. Should it go at the end of the resume, or be attached to it?
3. What approaches and ideas did you implement in each of these stages?
a. My General Studies teacher recommended that I put the people "who have weight" academically and authority. Although I did not have to use an online search engine, I thought that this information was quite informative.
b. In Google, I searched "resume references" and came across this website named "Career Owl" (http://www.careerowlresources.ca/Resumes/Res_Frame.htm?res_references.htm~right). They were quite clear in what should go in a resume and what should not. Upon evaluating "Career Owl," I found that it was a legitimate, relevant, and valid website, based in Canada and similar to Monster.com.
c. After reading through the "Resume References" at Career Owl, putting friends as references would not be a good idea. The references should be superiors and professors, people that have authority.
d. As I browsed through, I discovered that it would be much more orderly to attach it as a another piece of paper rather than trying to fit everything on one page. However, after closing this question, I wondered to myself, "what if things are different in Canada?" Curiously, I brought Google back up and typed up the previous keywords. After clicking and browsing, I found that the format given by Career Owl is universal, despite the fact that it is coming from a site outside the United States.
4. How would you evaluate your final question? Is it more complex? Do you think you could continue further with the process and come up with something even more complex?
I think that it is clear that a references page is vital to any resume seeking attention. Through research, I found that it is good to keep a short list, no more than 5 people, balanced between academic and nonacademic references. My final question (d.) is no more complex than my original question. Surely, I can continue asking questions upon questions, stacking them on top of each other, building some insurmountable structure with them. But, I won't do that. I've found what I needed.
5. What other questions might help you to continue your exploration?
On the topic of resumes, I think that a lot of deliberation must go into what goes into which category. What is defined as "work experience?" Does it require that I get paid? Can it be volunteer work? What is defined as volunteer work? Are not all occupations "volunteer work" in some way? Can I print all of this on colored paper? Should I go to Kinko's to print it rather than at home?
Things like this shouldn't go unanswered.
That's why there's Google and Yahoo.
In my General Studies class, my professor required all of the students to create an eProfile on Blackboard. One of the criteria being graded is a completed resume along with a few references. Unfortunately, I didn't know who would go onto that page. A question came into my head: "Who should go on my reference page?"
2. List all the intermediate questions that you formed between the first question and your final question.
a. Can anyone go on my page?
b. Is there a certain number of people that should go on it?
c. Are friends allowed?
d. Should it go at the end of the resume, or be attached to it?
3. What approaches and ideas did you implement in each of these stages?
a. My General Studies teacher recommended that I put the people "who have weight" academically and authority. Although I did not have to use an online search engine, I thought that this information was quite informative.
b. In Google, I searched "resume references" and came across this website named "Career Owl" (http://www.careerowlresources.ca/Resumes/Res_Frame.htm?res_references.htm~right). They were quite clear in what should go in a resume and what should not. Upon evaluating "Career Owl," I found that it was a legitimate, relevant, and valid website, based in Canada and similar to Monster.com.
c. After reading through the "Resume References" at Career Owl, putting friends as references would not be a good idea. The references should be superiors and professors, people that have authority.
d. As I browsed through, I discovered that it would be much more orderly to attach it as a another piece of paper rather than trying to fit everything on one page. However, after closing this question, I wondered to myself, "what if things are different in Canada?" Curiously, I brought Google back up and typed up the previous keywords. After clicking and browsing, I found that the format given by Career Owl is universal, despite the fact that it is coming from a site outside the United States.
4. How would you evaluate your final question? Is it more complex? Do you think you could continue further with the process and come up with something even more complex?
I think that it is clear that a references page is vital to any resume seeking attention. Through research, I found that it is good to keep a short list, no more than 5 people, balanced between academic and nonacademic references. My final question (d.) is no more complex than my original question. Surely, I can continue asking questions upon questions, stacking them on top of each other, building some insurmountable structure with them. But, I won't do that. I've found what I needed.
5. What other questions might help you to continue your exploration?
On the topic of resumes, I think that a lot of deliberation must go into what goes into which category. What is defined as "work experience?" Does it require that I get paid? Can it be volunteer work? What is defined as volunteer work? Are not all occupations "volunteer work" in some way? Can I print all of this on colored paper? Should I go to Kinko's to print it rather than at home?
Things like this shouldn't go unanswered.
That's why there's Google and Yahoo.
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