Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Lesson 5- I. Research Log Entry (Oct 29, 2007)

1) Many things were discussed in class today but the core concept/topic revolved around determining what types of publications were what (i.e. Professional, consumer, trade etc). We also did some more delving and discussion about the different databases and different methods to use them.

2) Popular journal- This is a more mainstream journal/publication that is more consumer friendly about the topic(s) it discusses.

Trade/professional journal- This type primarily focuses on catering to people whose careers revolve around the specific profession/occupation. They are also focused to markets/companies (business). Essentially their is an exclusive professional focus.

Scholarly journal- This type primarily caters to people within education. For example, some might be topic specific (business, science etc) within education. (And/or an educational background within a particular field)

3) They both have their pros and cons. Print first off, is a hard copy and may seem to be more professional because of the literal print. Print is something that costs money (the publications) whereas a lot of online 'material' is free. The cons of print are that it is somewhat harder to access in certain situations and that you are limited when it comes to the computer with it (copy/pasting etc).

Electronic forms also have a lot of pluses and minuses. They are essentially the opposite of what I wrote about print. They have more computer accessibility on many levels. On the other hand (cons) they may be perceived as less valuable or reliable as they are online (a blog etc, or just preconceived notions about online work).

Essentially they are both good and usable! A lot of the pros/cons are subjective on a case to case basis (at least sometimes I would assume).

Daniel O'Brien LIBY 1210
PS_ Sorry for posting a little late, I have been extremely busy! See you friday! -DO

Thursday, October 25, 2007

II. Research Log Entry (oct 25, 2007)

1) (Topic Sentence)- The role of public speaking in the current job market is extremely critical due to the fact that it is an important skill in order for career success. (Statement of Exploration)- I will discuss all of the reasons and points as to why public speaking is a critical skill to have in the job market.

2) Public Speaking, career communication, job market speaking, job communication, corporate communication, communicating at work, job presentations, career presentations, effective communication to name a few.

3) I think that there are too many to list that could be useful in some way to better and perfect my search. However some of the key ones are:
-Business Source Premier
-Communication and Mass Media Complete
-Linguistics & Language Behaviour Abstracts

As said there are pieces of information that can be derived from many of them but these are some key ones (I believe).

-Daniel O'Brien LIBY 1210

Sunday, October 21, 2007

I. Research Log Entry --Oct 22, 2007

1) There were several points discussed in class that were all critical and relevant to understanding the proper uses of databases and searches. In class we had more hands on experience with different hypothetical topics with the different databases. We got more into the meat of how to use all the different databases and which ones are better for different reasons/situations. Also we talked more about what we will be doing in the long run in terms of work/projects --no midterms etc.

2) To me (as said in my other blogs) the main important points revolve around proper use of the different databases. This is critical because it will determine how well we are with a large part of our college career and beyond. This is essentially laying the foundation in many respects. As said, I am still learning a lot by listening in class and trying different things with the databases. I can already see progress!

3) I will make sure to maximize the amount of different searches and combinations within the databases etc. I will also try several different searches in different databases with different settings within the databases. Basically I will not give up as easily so I will spend more time/effort with my search which should yield better results!

Daniel O'Brien LIBY 1210

Thursday, October 18, 2007

II. Research log entry (Oct 18, 2007)

1) My final question was, "What is the importance of having a grasp of public speaking in terms of being able to be a functioning member of society with a respectable career?"

2) I attempted a good number of searches with different combinations of terms. Some of them were, "public speaking relevance," "public communication career," "successful communication," "speaking publicly work," and "communicating (at) work" to name a few. In all honesty they worked to an extent (I am still trying to really get a good grip on successfully utilizing the databases). I found results that were related but few that were directly about the importance of 'how important it is to be a good/bad public speaker in the job market.' I think more revision and understanding will help me yield better results. Or perhaps I am looking in the wrong place?

3) I did need to try alternative terms (listed above). Some worked better then others based on the topic & listing etc. I think it is critical that you try alternative terms in your searches, for if you do not you are potentially limiting yourself and research.

4) I would say my final results were, simply put, okay. My reasoning for this is that based on the results I could draw good conclusions/write an interesting paper etc. However I think that there is room for improvement. I think more then enough is always better then not enough. A good number I would say (I'm new to this) would be around 100.

5) For the most part they all in some form or another answered my question, just some better then others. I honestly think that sometimes it is a bit of a chance/luck. I say this because it is really hit or miss as to whether or not you type in key words that are in the article or publication etc. This is why I said previously that it is better to over search then to under search.

6) They help to refine based on how you structure your search. You can focus on one thing more then another, or completely eliminate something from it. I would say it has a lot of influence and can be used to your advantage if you know how to use it properly. As said I am still learning a lot, but quickly and eagerly!

LIBY 1210 Daniel O'Brien --

Monday, October 15, 2007

I. research log entry (Oct 15. 07)

1) Many things were discussed in class today however the main topic was revolving around databases and data collecting, interpreting etc. We learned a lot about the different types and meanings. Also we were made aware of the different databases that the college uses/offers. We practiced searches with them to get a better understanding of them.

2) To me the points that were most important to me were the ones regarding the university databases. I did not know that they existed nor how to use them. I know this is important due to the fact that I know I will have to use them a lot over the course of my college career.

3) I can use the techniques in many different ways, however primarily in my classes and in my research. Also now I can more effectively use the tools because I have a better understanding of just how they work.

4) I think it is one of the best ways to go about a search and I will soon be using it. Everything you need (especially nowadays with the advent of the modern computer) is right at your finger tips. I know that I will have an even better understanding and grasp on it after I get some good in field practice with it.

-Daniel O'Brien LIBY 1210

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

II. Research Log Entry (Oct 11, 2007) --liby 1210--

1. My first question revolves around my Communication (public speaking) class. My question is, what is the role and importance of public speaking in today's job market?

2. Some of the main intermediate questions that I came up with were:
-Do public speaking skills give an employee or potential employee an advantage in the job market?
-How good must these skills be in order to be sufficient?
-What defines good public speaking skills?
-Who set the standards of what good/bad public speaking skills are?
-Are they right, if so why?
-Based on what did they make their judgments on what is good and bad in terms of public speaking?

My list of questions actually continues but this is a sufficient snapshot of where I went with this topic. The other questions get really off topic. It is actually really interesting to see how much deeper you can go on a subject/question.

3. In the different stages I took a few key approaches. First off I made sure that I was very particular and careful with my thoughts/concepts/research etc. I wanted to ask key questions that were relevant and would better explain my main question. Also, asking these other questions will help me understand more about the topic. For all of them my strategy was the same, ask a critical question and continue off of it with logic. It lead me to what I believed to be good questions.

4. I would say that my final question is complex. It requires a lot of research and quite honestly a large part of the answer is subjective with a fair amount of opinion. I probably could continue further but it delves to deep (I believe).

5. Another question that would help me with my exploration would be:
-Do you need to completely follow the 'rules' to be a good public speaker, or could you potentially be unorthodox with your speaking and still be considered good?

This is one example of another question I could ask. It seems to me (at least on this topic) the answers to the questions will be more subjective and opinionated as I continue to go deeper into questioning. It is really interesting to consider all of these different factors and to eventually see where it will take me!

LIBY 1210 Daniel O'Brien

Sunday, October 7, 2007

I. LIBY 1210 (October 8, 07) O'Brien

1. Many things were discussed in class plus we had an interesting and informative activity to ask each other more questions based on the original topic. However the main topic that we discussed had to do with research and researching. We had an in class activity where we had to check 3 different news websites (one national, and two regional) and then compare the different/similar stories and understand why they were such. After finding out the information we then began to understand why the different situations were in the state that they were. Also we did some recap on the previous class topics. Essentially we are delving further into research and its components.

2. For me the points that were most important were revolving around how the stories are generally different based on region and bias. It is very critical to understand this when doing research because it can really throw you off and mislead you.

3. Now in my research I will be very careful when it comes to my sources in terms of regions and bias. Also I will seek out second opinions so I get both sides of the story in order to insure I will be better if not fully informed.

4. I would say consulting others, perhaps in blogs, forums etc. Basically not just relying on a "Google" search. There are many possibilities out there and I feel one should not limit themselves when it comes to their research.

5. I think that their are many ways to improve and grow when it comes to topic development and people should really put a lot into their topic development. It is amazing how much information is out there and it would be a shame to not utilize it to a large degree.

LIBY 1210 Daniel O'Brien Oct 8, 2007

Thursday, October 4, 2007

II. Log Entry (Oct 4) LIBY 1210 Daniel O'Brien

1. The question that I tried to answer through using the web was very general and simple. I decided to ask, "When was the television network MTV created and what is some general information on the network?"

2. With my conventional "web" thinking I elected to only use Google as my search engine.

3. I tried 2 different searches, the first being simply "MTV" and the latter being "MTV history."

4. I evaluated that my results were very thorough. I came to this conclusion because the search gave me two main websites to give me all of the information I wanted. The main page being the actual website of MTV (www.mtv.com) and the second web page being the "wikipedia" on MTV. I know that sometimes the credibility of wikipedia is questioned, but I cross checked a fair amount of the information on the wikipedia to the actual MTV website and it checked out to be accurate.

5. I would say to further my searches and get more complex with them. Perhaps search through forums, news articles, video, etc. There are many possibilities.

6. Honestly nothing major in terms of questions. The only minor question lingering in the back of my mind was if I was perhaps missing something.

Thanks, Daniel O'Brien LIBY 1210