- Since reading a little more about my population my assumption has changed slightly, but I still feel that it is correct. I assumed that the Mdewakanton were making good money off of their casino, and I have found that to be true. I don't know yet how much each individual profits from the casino or how many of the people work to earn an extra income.
-My next question that I want to look at now is how much each individual tribes person makes from being a member of a tribe who owns a casino.
-So far the information I have found has been a lot of background information about the tribe and a little bit about their casino ownership
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Encyclopedia vs Wikipedia
- Encyclopedias are good because you know exactly who created that entry and you know that all of the information in the entry is correct. The article was written by a scholar or someone with knowledge in the area and all facts are double checked before the book goes to print. Some negative aspects are that the books are huge! Even if you could check them out from the library, it would be inconvenient to carry that around in your backpack- especially if you needed more than one volume for the subject you're studying. If there was online access to all of the encyclopedias and their content that would be very convenient. That's a plus about Wikipedia is that all of the information you're looking for can be found by in a few mouse clicks. It's easy, convenient, and doesn't require a library card. The information can be accessed from anywhere at any time. A negative thing about Wikipedia is that you don't always know who wrote the article or if all of the information in it is true. The facts might be skimmed through before it becomes set in stone on the website, but their review process is a lot easier than it is for information that gets put into an encyclopedia.
-I was not able to find any print encyclopedias on my topic. I'm not sure if I was not using the right key terms or what the issue was. I was not able to find encyclopedias as a choice on the library website under the advanced search options, so maybe I was doing something wrong.
-For the E-encyclopedias I tried searching Minnesota AND Indians* AND Casino and got nothing, then I tried Minnesota AND Casino, and got no results, then I tried Indians* and Casino and still got no results. I tried Indians AND Minneota and got 3 results but none of them were relating to the topic I'm researching.
-Considering how I was not able to find any encyclopedias on my topic, it would be easier to use the Wikipedia information I found. The information on the website sounded correct and was more up to date than many of the books I have found in the library.
-I was not able to find any print encyclopedias on my topic. I'm not sure if I was not using the right key terms or what the issue was. I was not able to find encyclopedias as a choice on the library website under the advanced search options, so maybe I was doing something wrong.
-For the E-encyclopedias I tried searching Minnesota AND Indians* AND Casino and got nothing, then I tried Minnesota AND Casino, and got no results, then I tried Indians* and Casino and still got no results. I tried Indians AND Minneota and got 3 results but none of them were relating to the topic I'm researching.
-Considering how I was not able to find any encyclopedias on my topic, it would be easier to use the Wikipedia information I found. The information on the website sounded correct and was more up to date than many of the books I have found in the library.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
OPAC scarch experience
1. I chose to research Native Americans in Minnesota and their connections to casinos. If I need to pick a specific tribe, it will be the Mdewakanton Sioux. I'm planning to just stick with any tribe in Minnesota because there are not many book options just about the Mdewakanton and casinos.
2. I found a book with general information about Indians in the upper Midwest and a more specific book on the Mdewakanton tribe and their casino.
3. The first search I did was "native Americans" which was way too broad. I then used the advanced search and searched "Indians" and "Minnesota" and came up with my first book that just has general information about Indian tribes in Minnesota. Then I searched 'indians" and "mdewakanton" and "casino" and came up with my second book. I was not successful on my first try because the search topic was way too broad and came up with over 2,000 books which is way too many to look through.
4. There were ebooks available for the search terms "indians" and "minnesota", but they were specific topics that I was not interested in. I would be interested in reading an EBook if there was a good one on my topic. I think it's easier to just have the book pop up on the computer then to have to write down the call number and go hunt through the library for it.
5. Not applicable.
6. I do have a mobile device where I could read an EBook- I did not since there was not one on the topic I wanted, but I have read articles on my Ipod touch before and it is different then a print book because its very small and you have to move the screen around a lot to see the whole thing. And when you turn pages it has to download it- it takes longer then turning the pages of a book.
7. I did keyword subject "minnesota indians" which came up with 185 titles. I then tried searching "minnesota casinos" and "indian casinos" and nothing came up. I didn't want to scroll through all 185 titles and didn't see any that were really what I was looking for on the first few pages. It was annoying that I couldn't do the advanced search to try and find all of those specific keywords or books that were closer to my topic. Overall I like the Miller Center OPAC better because it's search features have many more options.
2. I found a book with general information about Indians in the upper Midwest and a more specific book on the Mdewakanton tribe and their casino.
3. The first search I did was "native Americans" which was way too broad. I then used the advanced search and searched "Indians" and "Minnesota" and came up with my first book that just has general information about Indian tribes in Minnesota. Then I searched 'indians" and "mdewakanton" and "casino" and came up with my second book. I was not successful on my first try because the search topic was way too broad and came up with over 2,000 books which is way too many to look through.
4. There were ebooks available for the search terms "indians" and "minnesota", but they were specific topics that I was not interested in. I would be interested in reading an EBook if there was a good one on my topic. I think it's easier to just have the book pop up on the computer then to have to write down the call number and go hunt through the library for it.
5. Not applicable.
6. I do have a mobile device where I could read an EBook- I did not since there was not one on the topic I wanted, but I have read articles on my Ipod touch before and it is different then a print book because its very small and you have to move the screen around a lot to see the whole thing. And when you turn pages it has to download it- it takes longer then turning the pages of a book.
7. I did keyword subject "minnesota indians" which came up with 185 titles. I then tried searching "minnesota casinos" and "indian casinos" and nothing came up. I didn't want to scroll through all 185 titles and didn't see any that were really what I was looking for on the first few pages. It was annoying that I couldn't do the advanced search to try and find all of those specific keywords or books that were closer to my topic. Overall I like the Miller Center OPAC better because it's search features have many more options.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
What do you assume to be true about Native Americans in Minnesota?
I decided I want to learn more about Native Americans in Minnesota this semester because I took an American Indian class freshman year and since then I have wanted to know more.
I assume that many Native Americans in Minnesota are making a lot of money off of the casino industry and that they don't have to work or pay many taxes.
I learned a little bit about the Indian casinos in my class, but I have heard statements like that from my family members and even a friend who is part Native American.
The most difficult challenge in doing research on this population will probaby be finding enough information about the population and their ties to the casino. I'm keeping an open mind to whatever the results are that I find. I know I don't know much about them and that is why I choose to do my project on them!
I assume that many Native Americans in Minnesota are making a lot of money off of the casino industry and that they don't have to work or pay many taxes.
I learned a little bit about the Indian casinos in my class, but I have heard statements like that from my family members and even a friend who is part Native American.
The most difficult challenge in doing research on this population will probaby be finding enough information about the population and their ties to the casino. I'm keeping an open mind to whatever the results are that I find. I know I don't know much about them and that is why I choose to do my project on them!
What is critical thinking?
I think that critical thinking means looking beyond the surface of issues and not just accepcting everything you hear but questioning that information and trying to find its real meaning.
The expert definition of critical thinking I found was from criticalthinking.org. They devote their entire website to talking about critical thinking so I feel that its a pretty legit site. They defined it as "Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and
imposing intellectual standards upon them".
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
They don't really say that there is a particular process that one should engage in to think critically they just talk about how one should stop and examine their life and the things around them and think beyond the usual.
I think the connection between critical thinking and IM 204 is that we will be asked to use critical thinking during the class. Just from the first day of class it seems like we will researching topics we are prejudice against or know little about. Then we will have to think critically about that information to change or not change our ideas about that culture or group of people. If we don't use our critical thinking skills and keep an open mind we will not be able to learn as the professor would like us to.
The expert definition of critical thinking I found was from criticalthinking.org. They devote their entire website to talking about critical thinking so I feel that its a pretty legit site. They defined it as "Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and
imposing intellectual standards upon them".
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
They don't really say that there is a particular process that one should engage in to think critically they just talk about how one should stop and examine their life and the things around them and think beyond the usual.
I think the connection between critical thinking and IM 204 is that we will be asked to use critical thinking during the class. Just from the first day of class it seems like we will researching topics we are prejudice against or know little about. Then we will have to think critically about that information to change or not change our ideas about that culture or group of people. If we don't use our critical thinking skills and keep an open mind we will not be able to learn as the professor would like us to.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Introduction
Well here we go.
I'm new to the blogging world and is interested to learn more about it through this class. I've been in many writing classes before (and I'm currently in one this semester as well) so I have no problems with writing. I think writing online is an even easier format because it is less formal. I hope that people don't take the anonymity of the internet for granted and say things that they wouldn't normally say outside of the "cyber world". My expectations for IM 204 this semester is that it will be a class that will help further open my mind to diversity and help me improve on my research skills.
I'm new to the blogging world and is interested to learn more about it through this class. I've been in many writing classes before (and I'm currently in one this semester as well) so I have no problems with writing. I think writing online is an even easier format because it is less formal. I hope that people don't take the anonymity of the internet for granted and say things that they wouldn't normally say outside of the "cyber world". My expectations for IM 204 this semester is that it will be a class that will help further open my mind to diversity and help me improve on my research skills.
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