Week 6 October 8, 2008

The reading for this week had me a little confused at first, the goal I believe was to show how easy it was to create and run a web page. But on the contrary I came away from it having no clue of what I had just read!  Although I really did enjoy all of the ways they tried to make us feel sorry for those poor and lonely books awaiting readers. I love books and I love the Internet, and it’s a big enough world that they both can exist in happy harmony!

I took a computer systems class once in my undergrad days, we were supposed to learn all of the jargon used in building and creating a program.  Then we were to take all that we had been taught and build are own mini program. It was the most painful experience of my life, I barely escaped that class with a passing grade, let alone a knowledge of building programs.  That is probably the reason for my great fear of coding lists!  I will leave the dirty work up to individuals with a love for codes, program building, and all the other stuff that comes along with it.

Week 5 September 30, 2008

I’m not what you would call computer literate, I mean I can get on the Internet and do the most basic jobs (like email, myspace, facebook,etc.).  And to think that there are individuals who have invented these programs that use algorithms to sort through information to return with the most relevant information is just amazing.  I know we talked about H-Bot last week in class and how some teachers believe that if students can use calculators in math class why shouldn’t they be able to use h-bot in history.  And in a way I suppose it is along the same lines. If you know how to use a calculator correctly than you with have positive output, and the same goes for searching the right question on h-bot, you will end with a right answer.

But for everyday random questions, home-made Jeopardy games, or that quick paper you forgot to write until 10 minutes before class, h-bot and other API’s seem to be good tools. Just like wikiepedia the API’s have their flaws too, not every program is going to be perfect. Unlike wikiepedia I just might use the syllabus finder and h-bot the next time I need quick information . It’s seems honest enough to me!

~Sarah

Don’t Fear the Wiki September 24, 2008

It’s not that I fear wikipedia, it’s that I’ve been taught (brain washed) into not even acknowledging the use of it while doing historical research. In most of my undergraduate classes the professor would even put in the syllabus that use of wikipedia for research was not acceptable. And in the Anthropology department they went so far as to threaten being kicked out of a class.  But it also seems to me that every time I do try and give wiki a chance I am disappointed in the result.  For example I had to give a presentation in my class today on Perry Miller, while doing research I decided to give wiki a chance. For the most part the information in the biography were correct. There was this paragraph thought detailing an account that Miller had been in a relationship with one of his graduate students, got into a fight with another professor over it, etc.  When I questioned my professor (who knows the life of Perry Miller like the back of her hand) she stated she had never heard that story.  And just when I was so close to giving wiki a shot!

I’m not going to completely bash wiki even though I will state now that I will probably never use it when doing historical research, but it does have it’s positive aspects.  It’s amazing how much information and topics are located on wiki, I have searched everyday stuff that I’m interested in knowing. Like when I heard of a foreign game my friends in Plymouth use to play called Kubb, I looked it up and learned the rules so that when I got to play I understood the game.  It’s for sure an invention that we will all use at one time or another.

I’ve been trying to break this horrible habit I’ve had since freshman year of high school known as procrastination. But how am I to do that when the Internet has made everything so easily accessible! So I have a quick report due in the morning and it’s midnight, jump on a search engine, do a couple hours of reading and typing and tada I have a complete and informative paper! The Internet has made life easier in so many other ways, but are we doing ourselves a disservice? Honestly I think that one has to curb the amount of on line research and still go with the old fashion way of checking out books at the library!  The feeling of satisfaction of finding something over a database versus holding that dusty, crinkled document in your hand is in no way similar. When you make a big find, and it’s right there in your hands, words cannot describe the feeling that comes over you. We as historians have to learn how to use all resources that are available to us for research, no matter how big of pain in the ass it is to carry 8 books in your backpack!

Sarah~

More Articles September 17, 2008

Just today I had to make several copies of a book for one of the many professors I assist, and it was the most mind-numbing job I have ever had to perform! To think that the goal is to make Libraries and their collection digital to the point that all books would be readily available via the Internet it crazy. We are the society of doing things at the speed of light and making books available for example when I do a Google search (that I love so much) is making our lives just a little easier. 

Our library has made research for historical papers much easier, with their lovely databases and all the fun items that can be found.  So far in all three of the courses I am taking this semester we have all discussed the use of the databases for the research that will need to be completed for our final projects. Some of the items available in the databases are things that 10 years ago would have taken me weeks to go through and get enough information to write a research paper. Now I log onto to the schools library and start my search. I can have that 10 days worth of research done in 4 hours now. It has for sure made my life and I’m positive others life’s easier!

Google Articles September 17, 2008

Google is my lifeline when I search for basically anything on the Internet, and as far as I know most people use it as well.  It is the most reliable search engine that I have ever come across, and after reading these three articles I can understand why. I never really knew what went into a search engine performing the instantaneous search for you, or how it even chose the web pages that it did.  Now I have a better idea of the immense amount of time and effort that goes into building such an amazing system.

I always thought that the only security that was on your computer was the one you downloaded yourself or what came on your computer when you bought it.  But that is far from true, when doing a search Google chooses web sites that are most “trusted” and ones that they believe to have a better reputation.  Knowing that they are a kind of back-up system reassures my mind that I am getting the best possible information that is out there.  Now I have the ability to even to a google book search, which once again I never knew was possible.  Learning so much about my favorite search engine has reassured that it is the best possible place to do my research.

Dan Cohen Article September 10, 2008

Blogging is something that I had heard of but never been a part of. To tell you the honest truth I would have never taken the time out of my busy schedule to even read someones blog. Granted our generation sees blogs as a way for teenage ranting and raving, for all their friends to see. Which in no way interests me. It is astonishing though to see it being turned into something that will aid the education of students. Cohen sends an interesting message to all professors looking for new ways to teach. He is uutilizing a powerful popular culture networking system to enhance the tools of teaching.

Cohen raises an excellent argument in that if we can take a little time here and there for the posting of what interests us most in history and what areas we excel in, than there could be some amazing ties made between bloggers and the information posted.  The technology that is offered to the historians of today is endless, research has become painless and pleasant! This is just another example of what can be done with the technology used daily. Turning something most see as useless into something that can bring an entire class together over their views on an article enhances class discussions, by bringing them into the on-line world!  Cohen has deffinitley changed my view of blogs and how they open more doors for technology to aid in the education and research in not only the history field but in all others. Now if I can just learn how to use my blog!

Sarah

About Me September 3, 2008

I am from Ohio and did my undergrad work at Miami University.  I am a graduate assistant in the history department. And I am pursuing a Graduate degree in public history.