Hello Everyone,
For your first Writing Journal assignment, please read the following article: “Truth: Can You Handle It?" by Monica Hesse, washingtonpost.com April 27, 2008. p. M01
- Go to the website for washingtonpost.com
- Then choose " Web: Results by Google" (next to the SEARCH: data field).
- Next, Type the article’s title in the SEARCH: data field, and perform your search.
You’re welcome to respond to the article however you wish. I do encourage you, though, to consider the following:
Consider Monica Hesse’s points. How does your own experience confirm or disprove what she says about conducting research in the current information age?
Considering the author’s explanation of “wikiality,” what (if anything) can students do to avoid that trap? What are some possible consequences of this phenomenon?
The author mentions the notion of discerning fact from opinion. How do you yourself tell the difference (in your sources for news, for instance)?
What do you think about the amount of time the one student, Hillary Swain, is willing to spend “to track down an answer before giving up”? How much time do you think is reasonable?
What can be done to encourage students to use research as an opportunity to educate themselves and deepen their knowledge rather than a chance to reinforce their own beliefs?
Please include the following information as a heading on your work:
Your name
Eng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #1
Please post your Writing Journal response to this article (200 - 250 words) by Thursday, September 17, 2009.
Have a good day.
Mr. Dierkes
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Matt Casalaina
ReplyDeleteEng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #1
With so much information so readily available at the point of a mouse and a click of a button, it seems to be increasingly difficult to make the effort to thoroughly search for information. What Monica Hesse says about conducting research is accurate; sometimes it is easier to search and receive instant gratification with results from popular search engines and sites such as “Wikipedia” and “Google”. I will admit, when I am hastily looking for information, I have looked on these websites. For background information and general knowledge, they do have positive functions. However, when it comes to formal research, I modify my searching strategies.
In my opinion, what helps students avoid the “wikality” trap is convenient but reliable search engines. Programs like Ebscohost, or online archives of literary criticisms and journal entries from published authors are perfect. They provide sound information from trustworthy sources. Some articles are digital accounts from books that can be found in the library. By putting them in library databases and on dependable websites, it makes it easier to find the same information from text.
I also think it is the responsibility of professors to challenge their students to seek out reputable information. By requiring bibliographies, and limiting website sources, strategies of Mike Grill, an AP teacher mentioned in the article, it forces them to dig deeper, and utilize multiple sources.
Hillary Swain’s time limit of about five minutes to “track down an answer” is unacceptable if the professor sets similar guidelines to Mike Grill’s. However, if it is an ungraded assignment, many students lack the motivation to put forth more effort, feeling that there is no more of an incentive for researching well than for doing a mediocre job. This is a grounded argument. It is not because the student is lazy; I consider myself to be hard-working and motivated. But as Hesse alludes to in her article, there are so many other things on our plate, that unless necessary, there is no benefit to “going the extra mile”.
Samantha Cerasiello
ReplyDeleteEng 1050-20
Journal Assignment# 1
Finding accurate information in today’s society is a difficult assignment, but finding time to find truthful answers is an even more challenging task. After reading Hesse’s article I am inclined to agree that people’s apathy toward finding credible sources is upsetting, but at the same time I can regrettably understand why it has become a problem. The average college student is not only burdened with a heavy course load and pressure to receive good grades, but is undoubtedly involved in activities on and off campus. The adult in today’s society is also constantly busy, and I can understand not wanting to search through books or many internet sites to find a reliable answer. When I perform a Google search Wikipedia is generally the first hit I receive, and if I am in a rush I will scan it over to find the information I am looking for. If the information is not there the next available source is used. If I have time I will check other references to ensure the accuracy of the answer I have obtained, but sometimes it is just not feasible in the fast-paced lifestyle I lead. Our generation has become accustomed to finding things instantaneously and many have blamed laziness and apathy, but I truly believe it is because our lifestyle does not allow for anything less. One is constantly moving from one assignment to another and going to the library to check out a book interferes with the system we have developed to cope with the demands put upon us.
This is not to say I believe all assignments and tasks can be raced through using Wikipedia. Research papers deserve the time and dedication from the student, but that is not to say that the internet cannot serve as a good starting point. I have had teachers and professors that will not allow Wikipedia as a source or limit the number of internet sources one can use, and I understand why. It allows the student to learn what a credible source looks like; a skill one will probably need in any profession, from doctor to lawyer to businessman. I believe discerning fact from opinion is a skill that everyone constantly works on, for there is bias everywhere, even when the information is supposed to be objective. I also believe it is human nature to gravitate toward information that agrees with our own opinions, and people will dismiss credible information as opinion if other credible resources more in concurrence with their opinions are presented. Avoiding prejudice and bias is more difficult than just finding a reliable source.
CorAngela Andrada
ReplyDeleteEng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #1
Who could blame one for using the internet for research when it is universally known that the internet has all the answers to any question you may have? The internet IS called the “world wide web;” it contains a variety of information from all over the world. Plus, it’s easy to use. Have a question? It’s effortless, “Google” it. One is bound to discover the answer to their question. However, the simplicity of researching on the internet is agreeably quite misleading. Yes, the process of research is easy, but exactly how truthful is the acquired information? In all honesty, it’s not very accurate.
Usually, students are given research papers that they view as a hindrance. A research paper is just another thing that the student must complete; it is usually of no relevance to the student’s interest to have to write a ten page paper with various citations. Thus, a student usually uses the internet to quickly investigate the topic at hand in order to complete the assignment. There is a lack of interest of the topic and of the objective of having to write a paper (unless of course, one enjoys writing). The gloomy perspective of writing the long research paper provides an incentive for students to quickly learn about the topic, usually through the easiest method/s available. Google and similar search engines provide specifically that: a perfect getaway for the typical stressed student to easily learn about a topic. Not to say that this is right, however, it gets the job done. Why should one focus on something one has no interest for? The internet is used to provide information, it is up to the reader or researcher to decide whether or not the information is valid and useful.
Richard Chen
ReplyDeleteEng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #1
In this information age, anyone who needs to look up something can search for it on the Internet and the answer would be one click away. However, the ability to discern fact from fiction in the answer is not as easy. Posting information on the internet is as easy as finding it thanks in part to Wikipedia and Google. People of any race, gender, background, culture, affiliation, can post things on the internet-be it fact or fiction.
The article mentions the definition of collateral misinformation from urbandictonary.com and I can say that I was guilty of doing this. I would change things in Wikipedia just to mess with my friends or to prove a point. After reading this article, I wonder how much collateral damage I caused from people reading my false entries.
However, in high school I never used Wikipedia solely for that fact- anyone can change entries. Wikipedia’s premise is built upon this concept. Moreover, my teachers would not even allow it and would cringe upon hearing Wikipedia. But I do agree that’s it a good starting point. People just need to check the citations and sources and find a legitimate and reputable source to back it up. Yet, if we think about it, can that source be totally unbiased? For example, Fox News Channel has been accused of having a Republican/Conservative slant in their news reports even though they say they are “fair and balanced.” Another good example was the crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip a couple years ago. In western news, predominate view was that the Palestinians were the aggressors however, in Muslim news, the Israelis attacked first. But, in the end both sides had equal responsibility for the violence and the news channel blew it totally out of proportion. I learned this from a teaching assist in my AP American History class who had just visited Israel and witnessed the situation first hand.
Because of this, I am now usually hesitant about news channels reporting about foreign affairs so I usually research the topic before I draw conclusions. I like to know both sides of the story. This can be helpful to students doing research since it deepens their knowledge of a topic by bringing both sides of the topic to the table. Also, it eliminates any bias they had in the beginning.