Note-taking, though something of a bother, is really the only way to organize information and condense a source into something more of a reference card of relevant topics. For me, the easiest way to take notes is to put the citation of a source on one side of a notecard (if I"m using a physical book for a source) andthen put information on the other side. Information, in my case, is a quick synopsis of key points, people, and other relevant snippets which let me know what I need when I'm writing a paper. For example, if I've got three books on closely related topics and have difficulty remembering which one discussed a particular topic or had a particular quote, I could reference my notecards and see what makes those three books different - and thereby figure out where I need to go to pull the information I need.
Online, it is much easier to take notes. All you have to do is copy the hyperlink and write a quick annotation - or better yet, download it and write an annotation in some way to make it stand out - italicized, distinct font, etc. The MLA citations can be found later, once the paper is done.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Stereotypes
Stereotypes are bad, m'kay?
More or less, the stereotypes inherent in the media - through advertising, televised sports, print stories, etc. - are self-perpetuating and idealized. In sports, stereotypes are applied to players of various sports. For example, golfers are expected to look like Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus. While these two personas are wildly different, they have become the expected profile of all golfers. Similarly, football players are typically stereotyped as large, brutish men of low intelligence. Stereotypes can be misleading, however: there are, in fact, a wide range of levels of intelligence and physical prowess.
More or less, the stereotypes inherent in the media - through advertising, televised sports, print stories, etc. - are self-perpetuating and idealized. In sports, stereotypes are applied to players of various sports. For example, golfers are expected to look like Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus. While these two personas are wildly different, they have become the expected profile of all golfers. Similarly, football players are typically stereotyped as large, brutish men of low intelligence. Stereotypes can be misleading, however: there are, in fact, a wide range of levels of intelligence and physical prowess.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Chapter 5
So basically, chapter 5 gives you the lowdown on researching. It breaks everything down into incremental steps and offers tips to improve your researching because, as we all know, researching sucks. It is rarely on your topic, you sometimes have to make crazy assumptions and cross-references to validate your sources and tie them together into something resembling a cohesive, cognitive sentence. However, Chapter 5 has the solution!
1) Don't be dumb
Chapter 5 agrees with this basic rule. Don't use dumb sources. For example, if you're writing about nuclear fission, you would probably go to a nuclear physics website, interview a physics teacher at Clemson, or otherwise find a good source. Don't use a government conspiracy theory website talking about how someone thinks that radiation made him big toe smaller or something like that - relative, factual, credible sources only. This excludes Wikipedia, for some reason. However...
2) Start with Wiki.
Don't cite Wiki. Citing Wiki falls under rule 1. However, going to Wiki's sources and citing them is a wonderful idea (after credibility is established, of course. See rule 1.)
3) Visualize it.
If you are swimming in an ocean of information and don't see a way out, find an iceberg. Or rather, the tip. The tip can be your research topic. However, since only ~30% of an iceberg shows above water, it would be wise to find out what's underneath the tip. Break down your topic into base components, then search for backup for your components in various media - the internet, the library, personal interviews, anything. As always, check rule 1.
4)Narrow your search.
Stay on topic. If, say, you're writing about the physics of fusion, it is a great idea to write about the LHC in the aspects which are relative to your topic. The fact that they may have exceeded the speed of light is cool, but not relative to your topic. Make sure that whatever you are expending energy on by writing down - research, paper, phone numbers - is actually worth your time and effort, and that it will come to a good conclusion later. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
5)
1) Don't be dumb
Chapter 5 agrees with this basic rule. Don't use dumb sources. For example, if you're writing about nuclear fission, you would probably go to a nuclear physics website, interview a physics teacher at Clemson, or otherwise find a good source. Don't use a government conspiracy theory website talking about how someone thinks that radiation made him big toe smaller or something like that - relative, factual, credible sources only. This excludes Wikipedia, for some reason. However...
2) Start with Wiki.
Don't cite Wiki. Citing Wiki falls under rule 1. However, going to Wiki's sources and citing them is a wonderful idea (after credibility is established, of course. See rule 1.)
3) Visualize it.
If you are swimming in an ocean of information and don't see a way out, find an iceberg. Or rather, the tip. The tip can be your research topic. However, since only ~30% of an iceberg shows above water, it would be wise to find out what's underneath the tip. Break down your topic into base components, then search for backup for your components in various media - the internet, the library, personal interviews, anything. As always, check rule 1.
4)Narrow your search.
Stay on topic. If, say, you're writing about the physics of fusion, it is a great idea to write about the LHC in the aspects which are relative to your topic. The fact that they may have exceeded the speed of light is cool, but not relative to your topic. Make sure that whatever you are expending energy on by writing down - research, paper, phone numbers - is actually worth your time and effort, and that it will come to a good conclusion later. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
5)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Real or Fake?
It's not just a question about plastic surgery now.
Avatars are virtual representations of ourselves - rather, we assume them to be. In this sense, "we" is assumed to be the majority of internet users. However, in reality, an avatar doesn't know what it is, and there are no limitations in creating a profile/avatar. While it may have some kind of comical role in some situations, in other situations it can be disturbing, and in yet others it can be almost therapeutic. However, all false avatars are examples of deception, which is why I don't agree with anything but an honest portrayal of the self.
Avatars are, as far as other members of an online community know, a portrayal of the self. When that self is not a true self, then it leads to mistrust in the community and a wariness of unknown characters. A lack of true self can also result in a disastrous first meeting of the two characters in real life - for example, a pedophile could masquerade as a 14-year-old boy on Facebook and try to get unknowing girls to come and hang out, then use them as he/she saw fit when they got to the location. This is the extreme negative end of the spectrum. The other end, however, can be just as powerful. Remember when I said before that the avatar is the only knowledge others on the community have of us? Well that can play a huge role in the lives of social outcasts, misfits, or the physically disfigured. In the gaming world, a man with no legs can be an Olympic triathlete, a Beverly Hills woman can be a die-hard NASCAR fan, and I could be, say, a girl who is a prospect for the US women's soccer team.
Avatars are virtual representations of ourselves - rather, we assume them to be. In this sense, "we" is assumed to be the majority of internet users. However, in reality, an avatar doesn't know what it is, and there are no limitations in creating a profile/avatar. While it may have some kind of comical role in some situations, in other situations it can be disturbing, and in yet others it can be almost therapeutic. However, all false avatars are examples of deception, which is why I don't agree with anything but an honest portrayal of the self.
Avatars are, as far as other members of an online community know, a portrayal of the self. When that self is not a true self, then it leads to mistrust in the community and a wariness of unknown characters. A lack of true self can also result in a disastrous first meeting of the two characters in real life - for example, a pedophile could masquerade as a 14-year-old boy on Facebook and try to get unknowing girls to come and hang out, then use them as he/she saw fit when they got to the location. This is the extreme negative end of the spectrum. The other end, however, can be just as powerful. Remember when I said before that the avatar is the only knowledge others on the community have of us? Well that can play a huge role in the lives of social outcasts, misfits, or the physically disfigured. In the gaming world, a man with no legs can be an Olympic triathlete, a Beverly Hills woman can be a die-hard NASCAR fan, and I could be, say, a girl who is a prospect for the US women's soccer team.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Fat is an Advertising Issue
Orbach is right.
The advertising industry has created this monster of unattainable beauty and products which can get you closer. They set out to make money, and have realized their goal - they have developed a huge market base with a physical need for their product. In essence, they are selling a drug - however, this drug is far more addicting than cocaine or marijuana. Rather than sell a substance, they are selling sexiness and acceptance, they are selling the all-american girl lifestyle.
Any situation where the word "victim" is an apt description of one of the parties is a situation that few want to be associated with, especially if they are a large company which is trying to keep up a good reputation. However, the advertising industry has done just that - they have made victims out of every modicum of insecurity in every female in the world which has regular access to them. Jealousy of the better-looking women has, in all probability, been around as long as there have been two or more women on the same continent. However, the advertising industry, with its computer retouching, ridiculous model standards, professional makeup artists and enhancement in one form or another, creates an unattainable standard for beauty, and says anyone less than this is just "average" or "mediocre". However, the beauty companies go on to say, even the average or mediocre can become beautiful with the help of their newest, latest, greatest product.
They're trying to make money, just like the rest of us. It's sad to say that this is not a non-respectable way to make a living. However, it would seem to me that it would be better for self-esteems of women everywhere - and promote public relations and increase market base - if the companies tried to appeal to everyone's individuality, as Orbach said.
The advertising industry has created this monster of unattainable beauty and products which can get you closer. They set out to make money, and have realized their goal - they have developed a huge market base with a physical need for their product. In essence, they are selling a drug - however, this drug is far more addicting than cocaine or marijuana. Rather than sell a substance, they are selling sexiness and acceptance, they are selling the all-american girl lifestyle.
Any situation where the word "victim" is an apt description of one of the parties is a situation that few want to be associated with, especially if they are a large company which is trying to keep up a good reputation. However, the advertising industry has done just that - they have made victims out of every modicum of insecurity in every female in the world which has regular access to them. Jealousy of the better-looking women has, in all probability, been around as long as there have been two or more women on the same continent. However, the advertising industry, with its computer retouching, ridiculous model standards, professional makeup artists and enhancement in one form or another, creates an unattainable standard for beauty, and says anyone less than this is just "average" or "mediocre". However, the beauty companies go on to say, even the average or mediocre can become beautiful with the help of their newest, latest, greatest product.
They're trying to make money, just like the rest of us. It's sad to say that this is not a non-respectable way to make a living. However, it would seem to me that it would be better for self-esteems of women everywhere - and promote public relations and increase market base - if the companies tried to appeal to everyone's individuality, as Orbach said.
Friday, September 9, 2011
High Expectations
This paper is....about what I expected. Many freshman courses are a sort of shock-therapy for students, with intense periods of activity followed by some time to relax. As such, this paper - five pages off of a single picture - is a bit much for someone who is relatively sure that he is not going to have to do this ever again. Having done ~800 words so far, it is not impossible, nor is it even terribly difficult. However, it is a good dose of what a college paper can be expected to be.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The truth is a lie
Photographs, in and of themselves, are rarely biased. However, when the subject is caught in a particular moment - such as when Mr. Kowalski was caught swatting a mosquito - the truth can be distorted. To the viewer, seeing only that one moment in time, he appears to be wiping a tear from his eye, when in reality he was just swatting at a small, annoying bug. This proves that photographs can suggest differing realities within the same image. An image of a refugee walking through the rubble can excise many reactions - either suggesting the strength of someone to come back to a scene of destruction, the determination to rebuild a damaged society, or the utter misery experiences when returning to a dirt patch where a village used to be. A picture, much like a text, is subject to interpretation. It is strongly influenced by the caption or text associated with it - buzzwords such as "disaster" would lend a negative air, while words such as "brave" would lend a hopeful, positive air to a situation which is, in fact, quite desperate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)