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Author Archives: Kimesha
The Cider Process 11/25
An example of process documentation that I located was a spiced apple cider recipe. The recipe tells you what materials and how much of each you need to make the cider. An important thing it also mentions is how many servings you will get from the recipe. There isn’t much to the recipe though, all you have to do is combine all the ingredients in a pot and boil. It would be hard to have any problems with this recipe but I am sure it is still possible. As with all recipes, it is impossible to know how it tastes and if you will like it until you are finished preparing it, but that however has less to do with the process and more to do with the ingredients.
Disappearing Act 11/13
 The Hauptman article, discusses the reasons for documentation.  I think two of the more important reasons for documentation are for acknowledgement and attribution. It is important to acknowledge where you retrieved a certain idea and to attribute it to its creator. In the Bugeja & Dimitrova article, they discuss research in which they try to determine that factors that affect online footnote/citation permanence. Many of the factors have to do with updates and restructuring that lose footnotes in the process. In the example of footnotes that link out to other pages, if the URL is too long, someone creates a new folder to place similar content and produces a failed footnote. It would make more senses to leave a footnote unchanged but over time it can turn out unusable because the web page might be heavily changed or deleted altogether.
More Advanced!! 11/11
Over the past few weeks in this class I have learned helpful tips and tricks when it comes to research or even regular everyday searches. In reading Badke, I have learned new techniques to better my researching needs in library databases and not just depend on Google. I was introduced to and used the EBSCO databases in previous classes, but I have learned more ways to use it to my advantage. I, however, was not aware of Google Scholar. It is useful sometimes and I say sometimes because it can be as much of a headache as the regular Google search engine is.
Search and you shall find! 10/28
Although you can find a lot more pertinent information when using search options catered to scholarly sources, it can sometimes be a little harder. One of the resources that I found very useful was Academic Search Complete. using this database there are various search options and come in handy. There are different search modes and expanders such as finding phrases, all search terms etc. There are also options to search for various document and publication types. One of the best things you can do after you find a long article is to scan through the article. Another option is to do a Find within the documents looking for keywords and reading around them.
When narrow isn’t narrow enough Oct. 21
For me it was fairly easy to decide on a topic I wanted to take on for the research paper. The difficulty came in narrowing it down to something precise enough and manageable for a 5 to 8 page paper. In attempting to narrow my topic, I ended up asking myself more questions than can be covered in the paper. Badke says that a good research project should only deal with one issue expressed by one question. In choosing that one question, I have to decide which issue I am most interested in and which has the most adequate resources to successfully research and develop into a paper.
Search Engines Oct. 15
Search engines are programs that allow users to enter queries and retrieve information. Search engines are built in such a way that when we enter those queries, it presents the searcher with links to information that is most relevant to the query. I say most here because there is still a lot of work that the searcher must do to get the information appropriate for their needs. This has to do with the limits present in the search and match function in the search engine programs. The phrase “good match” explains what is happening. When the search engine matches documents, it does so based on similarity to your query, but that is not always the best match for your purpose. Although search engines are a great starting point for doing research, you need to develop other research skills to aid in effective research.
Knowledge Oct. 7
Information and knowledge is what helps a society grow. It is important to not only have the information but also have access to the information. In the Samuelson article, she discussed Aaron Swartz, who made it his mission to promote broader access to knowledge. Swartz felt that the public should have access to academic and scholarly journals and articles, so that they could broaden and advance their knowledge instead of being limited. In the Brian Martin chapter, he discusses the factors that influence research and thereby limit it. When a group funds a specific research, it is generally to fit their agenda and to benefit themselves. Research should allow for people interested to engage with it and broaden the idea of knowledge and information.
That’s what S/He said!!
The idea of plagiarism is one that comes up frequently in academia. We are always told that using someone else’s ideas as our own is not good, for ethical reasons, however, under the right circumstances it can be acceptable. In The New Yorker article about Quentin Rowan, we see an instance where it is not acceptable. Over the years, in all the pieces he’s written, he has copied word for word verbatim from multiple sources to compose his books, essays, etc. His excuse was that he wanted to please everyone and make them believe he was a great writer. This facade reasoning is not unique to Rowan, generally when people plagiarize or borrow from others, they want their readers to believe that they are just that good. In The Chronicle article, the Hamilton College president, Eugene Tobin, had been using plagiarized materials in his speeches for nine years. His reason is not noted, but it’s possible he had the same reason as Rowan. These two articles demonstrate how plagiarizing can greatly damage your reputation and aid in losing your career, but what about the people who borrow words and phrases on a daily basis? In everyday conversations, we quote someone else, whether it be with song lyrics, movie lines, or phrases, whose origin is unknown, but should we lose too because of it?
Copyright or copywrong? (Group Sept. 25th)
Kimesha, Dimitri and Steve
According to the Grey video, copyright law dates back to the early 1710’s and gave authors control over who could make copies of their books or build on their work but for only a limited time. The law’s purpose is still the same but after many changes by congress, it lasts for lifetime of the author plus 70 years. Both Grey and Lessig agree that copyright is stifling creativity in that we are not allowed to recreate and remix using other people’s content. Lessig’s discussion of this was in relation to digital technologies since our generation is built on technology; it is how we communicate with one another. A defense of copyright is fair use. The idea of fair use depends of the nature, extent and economic aspect of the work being used. The Center for Social Media reading discusses fair use for educational purposes. How educators are allowed to use different media in teaching students and help them learn. This is demonstrated in Faden’s video. He edited different clips from Disney movies to explain how copyright works and what it entails.
What are some other examples of amateur culture that you have seen or created?
Should artists and creators allow their work to be available more freely?
Is there any copyrighted material that you think should not be copyrighted?
Do you have any suggestions on how to make copyright laws more understandable?
How would the absence of a copyright law affect creativity?
