Category Archives: Research Experiences

Final Course Reflection

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  1. How do you view search differently?

Well i will say this was totally new research experience for me, as an engineering major i never really did research like this, which mostly base on history, libraries and archives.  All tools we used in this class as a search engine were really interesting for example Brooklyn Eagle newspaper which i can access from any public library, secondly GIS was really impressive as well.

2. How does a geographic viewpoint impact you after this course?

Just like i said before i never had this kind of class before, i think its because i always take my engineering courses but this time i wanted to try a different course but also have some relation with my major as well. After visiting the sites in vinegar hill and learning about all the history of  that area i felt i was missing lot of stuff in my life. It was really interesting to see how old architecture developed with time.

3. Will you use primary source in future? Why?

In my case yes of course i will because i am doing civil engineering so and as a member of American Society of Civil Engineer i know we have to deal with lot of publications in data center, so i will see primary sources more often.

4. How could teachers make research a more engaging process? What could be taught earlier?

I think its better to introduce all the tools for research at the beginning  of semester in that way everyone will have little extra experience at the end of the semester, which will help all students to produce a well developed project.

Final Reflection

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1. How do you view research differently?

Over the semester, I have learned a few new research methods. Coming from a liberal arts background, I was already exposed to library resources, especially online databases. Some new resources, especially NYC public resources, were new for me, and they were very illuminating. The research tools, especially GIS tools, were especially interesting; they have opened up a whole new way for me to interact with spatial data.
2.  How does a geographic viewpoint impact you after this course?
Well, I had never studied a “place” before, so it was a new experience doing so. I will always stop and think now about a location’s history wherever I go. I am tempted to look at some archival information in my home town of White Plains now.
3. Will you use primary sources in the future? Why?
Possibly. I am heading into medical research at the moment, and I guess case reports are a primary source. Medical photography could be considered primary source as well, though I’m not sure the term applies outside of a historical context.
4.  How could teachers make research a more engaging process? What could be taught earlier?
I think a scavenger hunt experience, in the archives could be an interesting exercise, especially early on. I would like to have seen GIS tools earlier.  A multi-class Sketchup demo would be good too, as it is a very useful tool.

End of Semester Reflection

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  1. Prior to this class, research in general has always been the most daunting part of assigned projects and papers. By researching so frequently during the course of the semester, it is a task that I am much more used to. I now know about more research tools and databases, which will come in handy for any future research projects that I may have. In addition, visiting archives and libraries to do research is something that I have not done often prior to this course. It was a good experience for me to be able to visit a site and actually look through tangible sources rather than just depending on computer-based research.
  2. I think that having a geographic viewpoint in mind when researching helps narrow down one’s scope. By knowing that the area we were focusing on was Vinegar Hill, I was sure to focus my research on that neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods. As a class we visited sites that either were located in Brooklyn or had sources about Brooklyn. The sources acquired at these sites were much more relevant.
  3. I will definitely be seeking out primary sources in the future. These sources will most likely not be maps, photographs, or bridge plans. Due to my field of study, which is legal studies, legal research plays a large role in working efficiently and drafting documents. Cases and statutes will be primary sources that I will need to research and cite to both in my classes and work.
  4. I think that because many people do not have much experience doing primary source research, being provided with online databases and knowing how to contact libaries and archives for help would make research more engaging. Once a person gets confident in researching sources, he or she will be more inclined to do so. When research is place-based, it would be beneficial to the researcher to visit the location. I think being able to have firsthand experiences and observations of an area would help with engagement.

 

Refelction: GIS Tool, CartoDB

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CartoDB is an online tool that streamlines the creation of GIS based visualizations. It’s easy to use GUI allows users to rapidly upload datasets containing geographic information, and to plot the data onto maps.  Built on industry proven open source software, like PostGIS, PostgreSQL, and JavaScript, CartoDB allows users to write powerful code (if desired), and to produce reliable and content-rich visualizations.

CartoDB offers many of its services for free, however access to their API, and some more advanced features requires a subscription and payments.

 

An image of a map  created using CartoDB shown below:

Parking Pay Boxes in Chicago - map screenshot (12425234683).png
By Steven Vance from Chicago, United States – Parking Pay Boxes in Chicago – map screenshot, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43114946

Project Plan

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Deliverables: I will be analyzing a summary of the street I have selected from 1920-1940 which I may present as a PowerPoint or as a documentation report. I will decide on the most appropriate choice once my project is in the final stage. I will consult with my classmate since we have a focus on a similar aspects of the project.

Report/Summary Construction Process:  Most of the information I accumulated was from my classmate and others were from resources such as books, articles, websites, archives and historical maps/documents. I will use most of the information from my reports and bibliography. I will be combing all information and focus mostly on the changes of Hudson Avenue over a period of time.

Research Gaps: My time period gap is from 1920-1940 because I was trying to keep it within a 20-year gap. There is limited information relating to the causes for the changes of the Hudson Avenue.

Project Plan

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Deliverables: I will be constructing a report/summary (Presentation Material) of the information from my research of the demographics, politics, and urban renewal of the 1920s thru the 1960s (Scope), which may be presented as a PowerPoint/Prezi Presentation, and/or documentation report, and/or project, and/or technological media on a consolidated platform such as OpenLab, CartoDb, SketchUp, Wikipedia, YouTube, etc. I will be able to determine the most appropriate platform once my project is in the final stages. I will also coordinate my research with a classmate since we are focusing on similar aspects of my research project. His consolidation platform would be my main consideration towards my research contribution.

Report/Summary Construction Process: I will be using and consolidating the information from the resources from my research, such as libraries (books), web searches (“dot-gov” and articles), archives (historical maps/documents). The main consolidation of information will be taken from my previous reports and bibliography. I will combine and focus information regarding demographics, politics, and urban renewal to produce a final project geared towards a sociological (social sciences) approach.

Research Gaps: Although there is information regarding the demographics, politics, and urban renewal of the 1920s thru the 1960s, there has been limited information about the causes for the landscape cutoff point at Hudson Avenue and York Street.

Evolution of My Project: My project has changed/morphed from a focus of the cause of a physical aspect (landscape) of a street (Hudson Avenue) into a more sociological focus of the demographics and politics involved in the urban renewal of the 1920s thru the 1960s.

Final Project Deliverables

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Throughout the semester the focus of my research has been on how the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge affected the vitality of Vinegar Hill. After my research at the libraries, archives, and online, I have obtained a lot of information regarding the Brooklyn Bridge. However, I have not found a lot of information on how the Manhattan Bridge changed Vinegar Hill. Because of this, I think that the focus of my final will be predominantly on the Brooklyn Bridge. My scope is wide in the sense that I am focusing on multiple factors that involves the Brooklyn Bridge. Some factors include but are not limited to the following: population change, public perception, why the Brooklyn Bridge was built, its effects on transportation, and how the bridge changed the ferry industry, if at all. In addition, I am toying with the idea of delving into the actual construction of the Brooklyn Bridge.

I think that the best way to produce my research in a final project is in written form. I would like to post my final project on OpenLab as a page dedicated to the Brooklyn Bridge. As of now I am researching and writing independently. Even though my work is independent, I want to contribute to the project page that is being set up by a fellow classmate for the entire class to post on.

 

Mid Semester Course Progress Reflection

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This course has given me an invaluable assortment of research techniques, and it has reinforced some or my older research skills and also presented me with new ones; for instance, I am now able to look at a topic in a new perspective with a more “open” mind. I’ve learned new technological aspects involved with research, such as not only using online resources, but also using archives for primary access to artifacts. I have made a significant contribution to the world of research with Wikipedia, and it is credible and relevant. Now, I have an enjoyable experience from conducting research, and I can see, first hand, the results of my contributions to research. I feel confident in my approach towards researching. I have grown considerable from this course, and my knowledge gained from this course will benefit me for the rest of my life. In fact, I now use these research principles with my other courses and for my personal uses and purposes.