Jeanette McElroy
Sylvia Edwards
English 102
Research
Many students often overlook the value of research. Knowing how to do research is a vital part of writing papers and completing certain assignments. Without the knowledge of how to properly do research a student may not be able to gather the appropriate or adequate information needed. In order to better understand how research should be done, our English 102 class at Longview Community College was sent out on a series of treasure hunts or searches, both on-line and on the Longview campus.
In order for students to write papers, which require research, they must have the knowledge of how to do research. As an English 102 student, I was given the task of gathering information from on campus sources as well as on-line sources. The list of tasks required of us included making trips to several locations on campus. The Reading Center, Counseling/Advising Center, and the Writing Center were among the locations required of us to visit. Once at the locations, I was required to gather information about them. I was given a paper with a list of the locations that was to be marked with a specific sticker, by someone at each local, to prove that I had been there. As well as the checklist, the answers to a series of questions to show what I had learned had to be mailed to the instructor. Another of the tasks given to us was to conduct research on-line. We had to access Longview’s homepage on the Internet to gather information about the school along with several programs offered by the departments within the school. Another form of on-line research required of us involved using the Internet as a research tool. This was accomplished by performing several identical searches with several different search engines. Some searches involved using Boolean limiters, while others used quotation marks. The results from each engine were compared with one another. The comparison of these searches gave insight into what types of searches work best on which engines. By completing both the on-line and on campus searches, students were able to learn the benefits of each type of search.
Both searches yielded different results, yet were done in similar ways. In order to complete both searches, a starting point had to be established. Students needed to know where they were going to start from in order to gain the information needed. Students needed to know where they were going to start from in order to gain the information needed. Students needed to know where each of the centers were located across the campus, as well as how to access the Internet and the many search engines used for finding information. The on campus search allowed students to gather information from primary sources. The on-line search provided secondary sources. The on campus search also allowed students to talk one-on-one with actual people. This was beneficial in that it gave students the opportunity to ask specific questions, getting the answers to those questions fairly fast. According to Jan Welterman, an advisor at Longview, the Counseling Center “...provides computers for students to conducts career searches. The computers are also able to look for colleges that specialize in those career fields across the country.“ In talking to Jan, I was able to gather information that could not be found on-line.
The on-line search was not completely useless. In fact it provided some information that I could not find on campus. This information included information about the faculty, history of the campus, and the availability of on-line classified ads for student use. On the opening page is a brief bit of information telling that the campus was, “established in 1969.” Under the “Department Sites” heading on the Longview homepage, I was able to explore several teachers’ curriculums in addition to several of their assignments. Among the faculty listed were Matt Westra, a psychology teacher, and Sylvia Edwards, an English teacher. Another unique feature only found on-line was the student classified ads. In the ads just about anything can be found. Listings ranged from a waterbed to a 1993 Pontiac Grand Am that “...runs great but could use a tune-up,” according to Chad Silvey, the student selling the car. These experimental classified ads can be accessed only from the Internet.
Both searches had value to education in many ways. By performing the on campus search, students were able to familiarize themselves with parts of the campus they might have not explored yet. We were also given the chance to learn about programs and services provided by the different departments. While visiting the Reading Center, I was able to pick up a flyer that was promoting several free workshops that students could attend to improve their strategies for learning. One workshop listed called “Memory and Concentration Skills” was promoted by saying, “Memory strategies such as mnemonics, visualization, association, and overlearning as well as tips for increased concentration will be discussed.” The on-line searches held similar educational value. In the growing age of technology, much information can be found on the Internet. Knowing how to access that information is a fundamental part of doing research. By learning how to conduct the proper searches on the Internet, students are able gain access to the information needed without as much useless material getting in the way. According to the research we conducted, comparing different searches using the same search engine, not all the information we received was useful. When we used Yahoo to search for, Kansas City Royals, it yielded “28,857” hits. By limiting the search to, + Royals-Kansas City, the number of hits was reduced to “767”. Not all of the hits in both searches were useful, but by knowing what to search for, the number of hits can be narrowed, making research easier. Not all students are familiar with using the Internet so doing these exercises gave them the necessary knowledge to use it efficiently.
The searches were also able to provide a value to research students. The Internet can be used as an extensive research tool if one knows how to use it properly. If a student is unaware of what search engines provide the greater amount of useful information and how to use those engines, then they might not be getting the best possible information at all. The on campus research was able to give students hands on experience in doing more formal research. By actually talking to people and going to the locations across campus, students learned what doing physical research is really like.
Without the working knowledge of how, as well as where to conduct research, a student will not be able to gather the necessary information for assignments. By going through these searches, students were able to get the proper training, thus preparing them for harder, future tasks.