LIB 1201 Fall 2012

hi everyone,

I posted an updated class schedule on the course OpenLab site. You can find it under Syllabus. Some of the blogging assignments may be adjusted a bit to accommodate due dates of other written assignments. The annotated bibliography is NOT due Monday, November 5. It is now due on Wednesday, November 14.

See you Monday! Stay safe.

~Prof. Leonard

The issues that I have come across while doing this research project is finding reliable sources. I am also dealing with an issue that i’ve always dealt with which is, writers block. I try to think of ways on how I could attempt to write this paper such as, what my opeining sentence might be. I have been using google extensively to try and develop ways on where to locate my sources. During class, we have gone over ways that can help us locate a better source especially on how to use a search engine. Now I am more aware on how to formulate a sentence on google that can strengthen my search.

The most difficult task i’ve come across with this project has really just been starting it. I’ve never really had an easy time getting ideas from my brain out to others, and more specifically, on to paper. I’m looking more and more to just brainstorm and get ideas out of my head and written down. This strategy hasnt brought any new success specifically, but its better than not having anything written out at all. What makes things like this difficult for me are that its an execution problem, not an understanding problem. I’ve a clear idea of the goals for the project, I just hope i can attain them.

The biggest issue I had with my research topic proposal was aiming it into the scope of this class. I feel like the best papers you can write are the ones you are actually passionate about and one thing I’m really into anime and other aspects of Japanese culture.  From the beginning I set out to write an academic paper on otaku culture once I was aware of the assignment.  The trick was figuring out how it fit into the class topics and at that point I had no idea how it could be done.  I even put aside a backup topic that had a higher chance of working in this class but one I was less enthusiastic to write about in the case this proposal fell through.  The discussion we had during class and the articles we read on social media however gave me some ideas.  A good portion of the discussion was focused on the negatives of social media but I wanted to make the case for the positives of it.  Then my topic idea hit me in the face; what if I can write about the positive effects social media has on niche cultures such as otaku cultures?  Of course I needed to flesh it out a bit more and the professor really helped me arrive at a proper sounding topic.