Assembling Your Discussion

1. Assembling Your Discussion Collecting and Describing Data

2. In Previous Discussions We (without talking about it too much) tend to use a core process when making sense of the world around us. This core process is at the center of the “Inquiry and Research” process that the library advocates. Explicating (making it explicit) this process, will hopefully help us develop more focus and efficiency when using it.

3. Simple Situation Question: What do I wear? Collect data: What’s the weather like? What’s clean? Organizing Data (usually done using some sort of theoretical framework): Using my advanced (not) fashion sense, determine a pair of pants that go with a shirt, that go with a tie. Act on choices: Get Dressed.

4. In Our Previous Discussion For this class this process usually begins by asking a good, clear, focused question

5. Example I’ll Use: My Question Although media depiction of wild animalshave become more “sensitive” and “inclusive” over time, it could be argued that there are still significant stereotypes that are reinforced by the media. In an essay identify one myth or stereotype that the media develops and answer the following questions: What does the myth or stereotype include? How is it developed? And what can be done to counteract, undo or otherwise change this myth or stereotype for the better?

6. Your Question …isn’t a question yet (and needs to be turned into one). Here’s the core of the assignment though, for the record. Debate the statement: Be it resolved that the structure of monstrosity apparent in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein can be used to explain [name of technology] and the risks inherent in developing and using this technology. Because of these risks the use of [name of technology] should be [restrictions that should be placed on it].

7. Your Question So lets turn it into a question to start: How does the structure of monstrosity apparent in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explain [name of technology] and the risks inherent in developing and using this technology? And why should [name of technology] be [restrictions that should be placed on it]?

8. Your Question E.G.: How does the structure of monstrosity apparent in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explain cloning and the risks inherent in developing and using this technology? And why should the use of cloning be stopped entirely?

9. My Question Although media depiction of wild animalshave become more “sensitive” and “inclusive” over time, it could be argued that there are still significant stereotypes that are reinforced by the media. In an essay identify one myth or stereotype that the media develops and answer the following questions: What does the myth or stereotype of thefriendly animal include? How is it developed? And what can be done to counteract, undo or otherwise change this myth or stereotype for the better?

10. Collect Data • Why this particular topic? • I am discussing this topic as it is outside of your discussion. But it is still the sort of research topic that requires me to : • Stay focused (answer the question), • Collect data in order to respond to this question, • Organize and make sense of that information • Come to a conclusion. • I also know that you folks and I all have our reading of “Life of Pi” in common and, along with it, Pi’s observations about “animalus, anthropomorphicus: the animal as seen through human eyes (Martel, p.39)

11. In This Discussion Find information (primary and secondary to help answer the question) Develop A Focus Question Or Questions Collect the Information that Will help us Answer that question

12. Collecting Data: My Search 1 Anthropomorphism in the media: Started looking for: “Depiction of Animals in the Media”: quickly found TVTropes—a database/wiki which has an enormous amount of information about archetype/stereotype development in the media, and how animals are typecast. My “hunch” –the topic that I thought I might be able to develop further—was about bears as there is a lot of “bear-human” interaction. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimalStereotypes Realized that there was an enormous quantity of data and I would have to narrow my discussion. Otherwise my topic would be vague and general…I want to illustrate what happens using a good example.

13. Collecting Data: My Search 2 Anthropomorphism in the media: Bears at TVTropes is broken down quite a bit. First found: Bears: Intimidating and powerfully ferocious when provoked — females with cubs are especially vicious and short-tempered — but may be portrayed as calm, slow-moving and wise otherwise. Sometimes lazy — don't bother them when they're hibernating. Young bears will be portrayed as cute, cuddly and brave. After searching around a bit I found subtopics like “bearyfunny” a topic rich with explanations and examples of the sort of anthropomorphizing that I was looking for: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BearyFunny(tons of stuff for secondary explanations of depiction in the media)

14. Collecting Data: My Search 3 Anthropomorphism in the media: Subsequent search for “Bears in Advertisement” (looking for examples of primary sources of ads with bears): Brought me to a personal page” Minka’s Bear Passion” http://www.mibepa.info/bv/bv500.htm Under many circumstances this would not be a good source of information, but in this situation it’s a great one: someone’s fixation with bears provides a great catalogue of primary sources of bear ads that can be used to illustrate the sort of anthropomorphizing that takes place.

15. Collecting Data: My Search 4 Anthropomorphism in the media: Search “problems anthropomorphism bears in media” (looking mostly for additional secondary stuff) yielded a bunch of items. One of significance dealt with “Potential Problems with Anthropomorphism.” Search (to go with my working thesis) “Anthropomorphism and bear attacks” yields http://gerrymaxeyworkshop.com/blogging/?p=6570 chronicles the unusual rise of bear attacks signaling “the end of the dominion of man: Interesting? Seemed a little whacko to me!!

16. Collecting Data: My Search 5 Anthropomorphism in the media: Search “problems anthropomorphism bears in media” (looking mostly for additional secondary stuff) yielded a bunch of items. One of significance dealt with “Potential Problems with Anthropomorphism.” Shifted search to ““bear attacks preventable” yielded: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19770717&id=9YkwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0u0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6828,1052284 http://www.bearsmart.com/ http://dangerous-animals-pets.blogspot.com/p/dangerous-bears.html

17. Debate: Deliverable1 Provide a single page listing of at least six source that you will use in developing your portion of your group’s discussion. Provide them as a journal entry like mine, one that indicates the search terms you used in finding these items, as well as how you completed your search. The idea here is to provide evidence of both the sources that you have found, and how you have found these resources.

18. Basic Process: What’s Next Collect data Develop A Focus Question Or Questions Extract relevant findings Collect the Information that Will h\Help us Answer that Question Explain, further organize and make sense of findings (using strategies discussed in class Come to a conclusion, make some recommendations based on your findings Organized and Make Sense of That Information