Class notes 11/9/10

Here’s the powerpoint from class today, in case you’d like to review it for strategies for writing your research paper: LIB1201_1109.

Also, here’s the Avoiding Plagiarism handout that I passed out in class today: http://library.citytech.cuny.edu/instruction/pdf/plagiarismtips.pdf.

Here are the websites we discussed in class today:

Citation Machine (http://citationmachine.net/): You can use this website to help format your References list in APA style. Also, remember that many of the library databases allow you to email citations and articles to yourself, so you can cut and paste them into your References list.

Writing Summaries (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/write/handouts/summary.html): A guide to writing summaries from Columbia University. Remember that summaries are recommended over paraphrasing for your research paper.

Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/01/): The Purdue Online Writing Lab’s guide.

Omit Needless Words (http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk5.html#13): This advice from the classic writing guide is almost 100 years old and still relevant. Writing in a formal, academic style doesn’t have to mean using complex terms. Try to write as clearly and simply as you can, and don’t forget to proofread your work (reading your paper aloud may be helpful).

We also looked at two sample papers written using APA Style, to get a feel for what APA style looks and sounds like:
Sample Paper #1: http://my.ilstu.edu/~jhkahn/APAsample.pdf
Sample Paper #2: http://www.dianahacker.com/pdfs/hacker-shaw-apa.pdf

Homework for 11/9/10

Please do the reading in Badke (see syllabus for details) and write one blog post of at least 100 words on the following:

You’ve now written your research proposal and annotated bibliography – the next step will be to write the first draft of your research paper.

– What strategies will you use when writing your first draft?

– What’s worked well for you when you’ve written other research papers?

– Do you feel uncertain or have any questions about writing the research paper?

What is Plagiarism?

Larry makes me rethink the issue of plagiarism. Is it plagiarism to use others’ contents and create completely different ideas? Indeed, there are so many remixed contents online as Larry introduces in his video. As a kid I don’t really feel it is just copied contents. I think it depends on how they use the recreated contents. If the contents are related to money, it would be troublesome unless the original author allows them to use his/her contents. As an architectural student, I learned “Imitation is mothers of creation” in my first year of lecture. There is a famous architect who created incredible architecture through copying from one of the most famous architect ‘Le Corbusier’. His name is Ando Tadao, a world famous Japanese architect. His style of architecture as like Le Corbusier and he said he was inspired by Le Corbusier’s work. However, he didn’t just copy from his, he also recreated Le Corbusier’s word to his word. As Larry mentioned, in early 20^th century people existed as only readers; however, through the new technology, online and digital contents, people changed as creator and author. Digital media give public a chance to be a creator although people use others’ contents. I think it is time that people keep being reminded of what plagiarism is and people and law have to judge that points. Also, critical thought is important to keep others’ intellectual properties. People have to have a skill that which one took others’ idea, which one can be called as ‘Recreation’.

-Hyeongi Kim

Class today + next week

Hi everyone,

Please remember to complete your blogging homework even if you were absent from class today. I also want to clarify that the blogging homework is due by the beginning of each class, just as a printed writing assignment would be due at the beginning of the class period. If you haven’t submitted Tuesday’s blogging homework yet, you can post it today and still get partial credit.

For next week we’ll have two more classes on issues in information: Tuesday’s class on preservation and Thursday’s class on ethics. Please do the reading and bring a copy of the reading to class on *both* days.

These are complex issues and I know that some of this reading is a bit more challenging than what we’ve read before. Here are some strategies you can try:

– Read each article twice. I like to read straight through an article once, then on the second read I underline important or confusing parts and write notes in the margins (including any questions I have).

– If you come across a word you haven’t heard before, don’t hesitate to look it up in the dictionary. One option is http://www.dictionary.com.

– These longer, challenging readings can be difficult to summarize. Try putting the article down after you’ve read it and freewriting a sentence or two describing what the article is about. Sometimes it’s helpful to speak the sentences out loud — if it seems strange to talk to no one, try describing the article to a friend or family member.

– I’m sure you’ve also noticed that the scholarly articles we’re reading are written in a very formal style and use jargon or specialized terms. Often jargon is necessary, but sometimes academics (myself included!) do not write as clearly and simply as we should. Clear and simple writing is an admirable goal — you don’t need to use specialized words in your blog posts if there is another, more common term.

– Ask questions! Be skeptical! None of these issues are simple, and there’s no one right or wrong answer. The issues we’re examining affect all of us — use the blog posts to explore your thoughts and ideas about these topics.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend!
–Prof Smale