Reference Sources

Reference Sources

Our group six topic is on the link Reference Sources. “This is a great way to look up quick facts, definitions, statistics and overviews using online dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories and etc.”  http://lrts.stcloudstate.edu/library/research/default.asp 2/22/2011 This is also a good way to look for a topic that you might find interesting. They’re very good about having information on many different/ controversial topics. Here are some of the tools that this link provides.

Credo Reference

CQ Researcher

Discovering Collection

Educator’s Reference Complete

Facts of File (World News Digest)

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

MasterFILE Premier

Points of View Reference Center

Sage Reference Online

Science Reference Collection

Clearly there is a lot of resources here that you could use as a valuable tool to aid you in writing a paper or whatever the case maybe. We’re going to zoom in on just two of these resources and explain them in depth, what they can be used for, and how to use them. We’ll talk about the Discovering Collection Link and the Facts of File (World News Digest).

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"Discovery Collection: A good resource for very basic information on virtually any topic. This comprehensive reference resource includes essays, critical analyses, biographies, and primary sources in both text and multimedia."
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Different things it can do:

1-      Popular topics

2-      Different subjects

3-      Publication searches

4-      Advanced searches

With just putting in key words you are able to pull up many different passages and in those passages the key word is highlighted.

The databases selected for searching offer a combined 281,559 articles and were last updated as recently as February 22, 2011

http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/dispBasicSearch.do?prodId=DC&userGroupName=stcloud_main date visited 2/21

Now I’m going to talk about the Facts on File (World News Digest) reference site. This is a searchable news and events site in addition to using the encyclopedia and almanac. This site gives top stories that date all the way back to 1940. Some special features that this resource has maps, photographs, historic documents, and overviews of key issues. Basically you can just type the topic you’re interested in and if available there will be articles related to that topic. Right on the front page they have a in-depth coverage, Special Features, and Research Topic Idea Categories which are both useful and interesting.

The URL to this site is http://www.2facts.com/wnd_home_feature.aspx

Steps for Interview

1.      Brainstorm Interview questions

2.      Pick the top 20 questions that you would be able to ask any international student.

3.      Figure out where I am going to meet my interviewees

4.      Go to where I am going to find my interviewees

5.      Ask someone to participate in my interview

6.      Do a background paper about their region/country

7.      Get a tape recorder

8.      Find a place where the interviewee and I will both be comfortable to have the interview.

9.      Conduct the interview

10.  Write about how I felt the interview went. What can I do better next time?

11.  Translate the interview from the recorder to paper

12.  Post paper on the blog

13.  Ask if the interviewee have any friends that would like to help me out

14.  Find other people to give the interview to

15.  If not from same country do another background paper.

16.  Try to figure out a time and place to meet with the next person.

17.  Conduct the second interview.

18.  Ask myself how this interview went. What can I do better?

19.  Translate the interview from the recorder to the paper

20.  Post the paper onto the blog.

21.  Conduct the third interview.

22.   Ask myself how this interview went. What can I do better?

23.  Translate the interview from the recorder to the paper.

24.  Post the paper onto the blog.

Interview objectives for Stephanie Van Houtan

1) Step out of my comfort zone and talk to someone new.
2) Learn about someone elses culture
3) Listen to what people have to say about Americans and take what they say to heart
4) Learn something new about someone
5) Find out what people have to say about thier own culture.
6) To see someone elses opinion on different things.

My Questions

1) What was the hardest thing about transitioning to the U.S.? (Culture shock)
2) Why did you decide to come to SCSU instead of studying or working in your own country?
3) What is your opinion of the American diet?
4) What were your preconceptions about the US before coming here and how have they changed?
5) What are your personal experiences with racism since coming to the US?
6) What are some cultural differences between your country and here?
7) Who takes care of the finances in your family?
8) What is customary in your family for dating?
9) What do you like most about your home culture?
10) What was your reason for becoming a international student? What were the benefits in your prospective?
11) Do you think that learning English is difficult?
12) What religions are commonly practiced in your country?
13) How often do you get to contact your family? Why?
14) What do people do for fun on the weekends in your country?

Goup 6-12 Questions

FOOD

1.       What is your opinion of the American diet?

2.       What are some dishes that are serviced for your meals?

3.       Is it common to find fast food restaurants in your home country like it is here?

EDUCATION

4.       How important is education to where you are from?

5.       Is it tough to find a good paying job in your country without a post high school education?

6.       What was your reason for becoming a foreign exchange student? What were the benefits in your prospective?

CULTURE

7.       The U.S. is becoming more diverse as the decades go on, is that similar to where you are from?

8.       What is a traditional festival in your country? Explain in detail the festival.

9.       What do you like most about your home culture?

OTHERS

10.   What kind of relationships do you have with your family?

11.   What is customary in your family for dating?

12.   Is valuing sports and being athletic important in your country?

20 Questions

1. What is your favorite thing about your home country?
2. What is your religion? Explain in detail.
3. What types of food do you make?
4. What types of routines do they have?
5. What is a big holiday you celebrate?
6. What traditions do you have?
7. What's your favorite music?
8. What is your favorite T.V. show, what is is about?
9. What is your governement like, how do you feel about this?
10. What is customary in your family for dating?
11. Do you come from a big family?
12. What do you like about SCSU?
13. How do you feel about our government?
14. How do you feel about the traditions in the U.S.?
15. What do you think of the clothing that Americans wear?
16. Do you feel that Americans are open minded?
17. How do you feel about the American diet?
18. How do you feel about the health care system?
19. What is the average life expectancy in your country?
20. What do your parents do for a living?

Group outline 6

Topic: What is global communication and how has it promoted the globalization witnessed in the past ten years.
Introduction:

Thesis: Global Communications has changed world perspectives in many different ways, including advances in technology, social interactions with friends, and economically.

Body:
            1) Advances in Technology

a.   Doctors are able exchange information and knowledge on a global level.

b.   With our new advances in technology we’re able to help less advanced         countries thrive.

c.   Also communicating on a global level is just all around easier with satellites, the                   continual growth of internet, and cell phones.   

2) Social interactions with friends

            a. With the use of Email you’re able to receive mail globally without the delay of travel. 

b. Connecting with friends via Skype

                       i.      See a person’s face from across the globe.

                       ii.     Able to send text.

                       iii.    The program that you can download onto a computer is free.

3) Economically

a.       Promoting global trade

                       i.      Exchange of oil which is as vital substance throughout the world.

                       ii.     Getting essential goods to countries that can’t produce the goods themselves.

Concluding sentence: Global Communication has changed the world perspectives in many different ways.