DWRL Lesson Plans - Database

Compiling Context with Digitized Periodicals

Coleman — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 01:29:53 +0000

Author:

Image Credit:

Accessible Archives

Brief Assignment Overview:

Students examine and manipulate digitized page images in order to consider the presentation of serialized texts. “Compiling Context” is a versatile introduction to periodical print culture suitable for literature and rhetoric courses.

Type of Assignment:

In-class Exercise

Homework Assignment

Assignment Length:

Single Class Period

One-Two Class Periods

Pedagogical Goals - Rhetoric:

Pedagogical Goals - Literature:

Pedagogical Goals - Writing:

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Multimedia

Multimodal

Additional Pedagogical Goals:

Database and periodical research

Media Requirements:

Adaptable For Use Without Classroom Technology

Media Console/Projector

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Required Materials:

Digital access to periodical with original page images -- ideally with downloadable image files

USEFUL: A forum (e.g. a blog or wiki) where students post and comment on textual or visual compilations

Timeline for Optimal Use:

Useful Anytime

Full Assignment Description:

1. Access original page images of the source text. Library (subscription-based) newspaper databases often include original images, as do some free online services like Cornell's Making of America Collection.

2. Provide access to students by

a) downloading images of all or pertinent issues featuring the primary text (emphasizing the publication itself). High resolution images can be uploaded and selectively shared on Dropbox or Google Drive. The file viewer in Google Drive/Docs allows for high-resolution zoom while maintaining image quality and readability.

b) Create a guide for students to access issues (emphasizing research techniques). See 'Instructions for Students' below for a sample guide to accessing Uncle Tom's Cabin in the National Era through Accessible Archives. This can allow students to familiarize themselves with databases and practice the necessary steps for retrieving and saving page images.

3. Have students visually examine digital images of the issue(s) containing the source text. In engaging with the serialized version of the text they can be encouraged to

a) Consider relevant content published simultaneously with the primary text

b) Trace the evolution of political and social discourses across several issues or selected issues

4. Students then engage in the process of interpretive selection through either

a) Visual manipulation of the digitized source -- selection, cropping, digital mark-up, collage-making, etc.

AND/OR

b) Textual summary of the digitized source

5. Have students submit or post their compilations of context (image files, short write-up) -- ideally in a forum that allows commenting or other forms of feedback.

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

Secure access to page images in advance. You may wish to limit or direct the attention students devote to the original publication. You might

Limit students to front pages, especially if the primary text customarily appears on this page. This is the case with Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Have students access issues and then peruse textual (OCR) lists of content rather than page images
Have students select a topic ahead of time and run limited searches on the periodical to trace how discourse shifts across a broader range of issues

Instructions For Students:

I provided the following instructions for accessing Uncle Tom's Cabin in the National Era through the University of Texas at Austin's subscription to the "African American Newspapers: The 19th Century" series of the Accessible Archives primary-source database to students in my English 314L: Banned Books and Novel Ideas -- "Citizens and Censors" course:

1. Go to Google Drive where high quality jpeg images of the first ten installments of Uncle Tom’s Cabin are posted.

2. With a partner (where possible) note any significant headlines accompanying the installment you’re assigned.

3. If there are no significant headlines on the first page, or if you’d like more information:

a. navigate in a browser to http://lib.utexas.edu/

b. Click on the tab for ‘Databases’ and click the small link ‘Browse by type’ c. ‘Historical Newspapers’ > ‘African American Newspapers: The 19th Century’

d. On Accessible Archives, click the ‘Show more search boxes’ link.

i. ‘Stowe’ (AND) ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’

ii. Under Source, click and highlight ‘The National Era’

iii. 1851-06-01 to 1852-05-01

iv. Sort by Date

v. Scroll down to your installment date.

vi. Click on the installment or another article from your issue.

vii. Click ‘Issue Contents’ in the top menu

viii. Browse articles searching for anything relevant to Stowe’s novel.

Once students have access to issue images (and content lists, if need be) they can compile and present pertinent elements either visually using Photoshop and/or other image manipulation software to cut out specific articles or headlines. They may then unite these texts in the form of a collage or a written exposition interspersed with clippings from the digitized issue.

Evaluation Suggestions:

This assignment can be designed to target specific skills (research, visual manipulation and creation, etc).

Notes on Reception, Execution, etc.:

I would ideally preface this assignment with an Archive or Library day where students can at least see old periodicals and recognize how publication size/design standards have shifted over time.

Students were intrigued by the material elements of these publications (varying text sizes, different conceptions of "headlines" and emphasis, fading and blurring, markings suggesting provenence) even when they were only working with digitized images.

Course Type:

Intermediate Writing Course

Literary Studies Course

Course Description:

E314L: Banned Books and Novel Ideas -- "Censors and Citizens"

Tags:

Database

Literary research

Blogging Research from the Oxford English Dictionary

Gulesserian — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:42:54 +0000

Author:

Lisa Gulesserian

Image Credit:

aznael on deviantart

Brief Assignment Overview:

In two short blog posts, I asked students to choose an interesting or perplexing word to look up in the books we'd just finished reading. After conducting their research, students blogged about their findings and made a quick effort at applying their research to a passage.

Type of Assignment:

Homework Assignment

Assignment Length:

One-Two Class Periods

Multiple Class Periods

Pedagogical Goals - Literature:

Close Reading

Historical Context

Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

Textual Analysis

Word Choice

Pedagogical Goals - Writing:

Pre-Writing

Research

Word Choice

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Open Access Software

Additional Pedagogical Goals:

I wanted students to get used to close reading and using the OED in a low-stakes environment. I also wanted students to start thinking about what kind of paper topic they might pursue if they were to use their OED research.

Media Requirements:

Adaptable For Use Without Classroom Technology

Media Console/Projector

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Required Materials:

Computers with internet access. I use Wordpress as my course's blogging platform, but I can see a number of different sites fulfilling the same function.

Timeline for Optimal Use:

Early in the Semester

Full Assignment Description:

To prepare for their blog posts, students chose one important, unique, and interesting word used in the assigned text; located all instances of the word in the text and noted their initial opinion of how the word functions in these instances; looked up the word in the OED, paying particular attention to the word’s etymology, historical definitions, and examples of usage; and summarized the three most useful pieces of information they learned from their research in the OED. In their blog posts, students used their OED research to better explain at least one passage in the text that includes their chosen word; developed a sentence-long thesis; and listed possible Paper 1 topics that might stem from their research.

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

Before assigning these blog posts, I showed students how to find and use the OED by asking students to look up words as we close read the texts together in class.

Instructions For Students:

Your goal in these two blog posts is to analyze the use of a single word in eitherOroonoko or Heart of Darkness by referring to information from the Oxford English Dictionary. To complete this assignment, you will choose one important, unique, and interesting word used in the assigned text; locate all instances of the word in the text and note your initial opinion of how the word functions in these instances; look up the word in the OED, paying particular attention to the word’s etymology, historical definitions, and examples of usage; summarize the three most useful pieces of information you learned from your research in the OED; and write your blog post. In your blog post, you will use your OED research to better explain at least one passage in the text that includes your chosen word; develop a sentence-long thesis; and list possible Paper 1 topics that might stem from your research.

Choose one important, unique, and interesting word used in the assigned text: As you’re reading a text, you should underline or note interesting words in the text. Look specifically at words that are used frequently in the text, though you might also notice a word that is only used once but seems especially important because it is part of a crucial scene in the text. You might be drawn to words that are unfamiliar to you. You might be interested by words whose meanings may have changed since the time of the text’s publication. Make sure to choose a word that seems important, ambiguous, unique, or interesting. Even if the word you end up choosing seems “basic,” you’ll find that the OED’s entries could open up a world of possibilities!

Locate all instances of the word in the text and note your initial opinion of how the word functions in these instances: Identify passages in the text that include your chosen word. Try using a searchable, electronic version of your text to find passages.Project Gutenberg or GoogleBooks might be good places to check for searchable versions of your text. In your search, make sure to include variations (like “slaves” and “slavery” for “slave”). Examine these instances and make a few preliminary notes about how the word functions in each instance and what each passage means.

Look up the word in the OED, paying particular attention to the word’s etymology, historical definitions, and examples of usage: Navigate to the Oxford English Dictionary resource page at the UT Libraries website by visiting the “Reference Sites” page under the “Research Tools” dropdown menu. Choose “Dictionaries/Translation” at the “Reference Sites” page, then choose the “Oxford English Dictionary” link. Once you’re able to access the online OED, use the site’s search function to look up your chosen word. Click on “Full Entry” (not “Outline”) once you’re at the word’s page.
- Research the word’s etymology: What part of speech (noun, adjective, adverb, verb) is the word you’re looking up? Make sure you choose the right one, but remember that your chosen word might be interpreted as multiple parts of speech. What language is the word descended from? Is it French or Saxon, Greek or Latin?
- Research the word’s definitions: How many different ways has the word been defined over time? According to the date the text was published, how many definitions would have been available to the text’s author? Note all definitions—even conflicting ones—that were in use at the time of the text’s publication.
- Research the word’s historical usage: Look at the etymology and sample quotations listed. What is the earliest known usage of the word? Which usages are familiar to you? Which usages by famous authors or well-known texts might merit your attention? Keep in mind that some usages might have become popular after your text was published, in which case they aren’t as applicable for close reading your particular text. Are there any other words or allusions you need to look up to close read the text?

Summarize the three most useful pieces of information you learned from your research in the OED: As you’re researching in the OED, make sure to take notes on your findings. Write down the entry headings and definition numbers for information that might prove useful down the road. In your notes, summarize at least three pieces of information from your OED research. Remember to choose the most compelling and pertinent tidbits to summarize—what pieces of information might help you understand the text better?

Write your blog post: Draft a single paragraph that encapsulates your research. When writing your blog post, you must:
- Use your OED research to better explain at least one passage in the text that includes your chosen word: Earlier in your notes, you summarized your three main pieces of information. With these three main pieces of research outlined, reexamine the passages in the text that make use of your chosen word. Choose at least one of these passages to better explain with your OED findings. Describe the scene and cite its page number. Next, explain your preliminary hunch about the word’s usage—a sentence taken from your early notes should suffice. How did your OED research change your interpretation of this passage? What information from the OED has helped you understand this passage from the fictional text better? Do your chosen word’s origins matter? Which definitions of your chosen word apply in the passage? If the word is used more than once in the passage, do multiple definitions apply? Does the word’s meaning shift in the course of the passage? Are there any images or allusions to previous usages of your chosen word?   Quote from the OED and your text, making sure to cite your sources. To cite the OED, make sure to include the entry headings and definition numbers, like so:

According to the OED, the word “home” could also mean “the usual contents of a house; a houseful” (“home, n.” 2c).

Develop a sentence-long thesis and move this sentence to the beginning of your blog post: After you have written a paragraph about the use of your chosen word in one passage from the text, try summarizing your ideas about the word’s usage in one sentence. Your thesis should confidently state how and why the text’s author decided to use your chosen word.

End your post by listing possible Paper 1 topics that might stem from your research: Think about possible paper topics that might come out of your OED research. What questions about the text might be addressed by your findings?

Evaluation Suggestions:

I use the Learning Record, so I did not grade these assignments. I had students post comments on each others' blogs, and I also posted comments in a separate private file on PBworks. I mostly wanted students to practice close reading and researching using the OED, and that goal was definitely met by the end of these assignments!

Notes on Reception, Execution, etc.:

Students loved this assignment because their blog posts could be used to build Paper 1. If I assign these blog posts again next year (which I intend to), I might have students only write one of these posts. My class is quite jampacked in the first unit, so it'd be a good idea to give students some more breathing room!

Additional Resources:

wordpress.com

oed.com

Course Type:

Literary Studies Course

Course Description:

Cultural productions have been banned and censored for a number of reasons, some expected—profanity, lewdness, vulgarity, sacrilege—and some surprising—retelling the past. This course will attend to books, graphic novels, short stories, plays, and films that have caused public controversy because of their unique representations of historical events. Whether nostalgically revisiting “the good old days,” vehemently criticizing “the dark ages,” or merely telling a story that “is not a story to pass on,” many from England, South Africa, Iran, Antigua, Israel, and America have been banned, censored, or criticized for their historical imaginings. Through close reading and critical writing using formal, historical, and cultural approaches to literature, we will work to uncover some versions of the past that have gotten a few authors in trouble. The Oxford English Dictionary and other resources essential to literary study will aid us in this endeavor and will also help prepare you for upper-division courses in various disciplines. The stakes are high when representing difficult, forgotten, or unwanted stories from the past—in this course, we will examine why reimagining the past in cultural productions around the globe was, and continues to be, so fraught.

Tags:

Composing Tutorials for Navigating Databases

Schultz — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:18:29 +0000

Author:

Patrick Shulz

Image Credit:

"Database cleanup work" by windsordi on Flikr

Brief Assignment Overview:

RHE 306 group work: Students write short manuals outlining how to use databases (LexisNexis, Infotrac Newsstand, Academic One File, Opposing Viewpoints, Google/Wikipedia).

Type of Assignment:

In-class Exercise

Assignment Length:

Single Class Period

Pedagogical Goals - Rhetoric:

Audience

Delivery

Pedagogical Goals - Writing:

Research

Summary

Technical Writing

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Additional Pedagogical Goals:

Teach students how to use databases; students familiarize themselves with advanced search techniques

Media Requirements:

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Required Materials:

Each group needs at least one computer with internet access; probably will not work very well outside computer classrooms.

Timeline for Optimal Use:

Early in the Semester

Full Assignment Description:

We look at the UT library website to find opinion, editorial and viewpoint articles.

Then students work in groups of four or five; each group produces a guide (including screenshots) to one database to help their classmates use this database. I usually make them them look at LexisNexis, Infotrac Newsstand, Academic Onefile, Opposing Viewpoints, (Factiva), Google/Wikipedia.

They basically write down (1) how to search the database most efficiently (2) how to find opinion articles as opposed to news reports (3) what kind of material this database offers. See below for detailed instructions.

They then present their findings to class and e-mail the completed manual to me. I put the .pdf on the wiki for students to use later on. We talk about strengths and weaknesses of each database (How to use texts from Opposing Viewpoints? Is it okay to use Wikipedia? etc.).

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

Print out worksheets and familiarize yourself with databases enough to assist students.

Instructions For Students:

This is the worksheet (needs a little adaptation to work with Google/Wikipedia).

Group X: Database X

Go to the University of Texas Libraries website, and access the databases

Pick a topic you are interested in (or just use the "Texas textbooks" example) and search for material in this database.

1. Do you get useful results? How can you sort your results?

2. Does the database focus on a specific sort of text, e.g. scholarly articles, newspaper reports, editorials? Does it include other media such as videos?

3. Is it easy to tell opinion articles and news texts apart? What is the easiest way to find an opinion article?

4. Take screenshots* of the homepage and the results page, be prepared to show your classmates how to navigate the database.

5. Does the database have an “Advanced Search” feature? How can you filter your results? (For example, can you restrict the search to a text genre like “editorial” or a newspaper, e.g. “The New York Times”?).

6. Take a screenshot of the “Advanced Search” interface and be prepared to show your classmates how to use this feature.

7. What is good/bad about this database? Does it have any special features that seem helpful?

8. Is it a good place to find material for your research summary? Why (not)?

9. Put all the screenshots in a word document (one per group) and write a little manual on how to use this database. Present to class and email the document to the instructor. Make sure to put the names of all group members in the document.

*Taking a screenshot on a Mac: Press Command-Shift-3. The image will be saved to the desktop. In Word, click “Insert”, then choose “Picture”/”from file” in the drop down menu to insert the image into your word document.

Taking a screenshot in Windows: Press F14. Open “Paint”. Click paste. Save image to desktop. In Word, click “Insert” and then “Picture”.

Evaluation Suggestions:

It was not graded.

Course Type:

Introductory Writing Course

Course Description:

RHE 306:

This course is grounded in the rhetorical analysis of "controversies," broadly defined. It is divided into three units, each one requiring some sort of outside research. The first two units are devoted to rhetorical analysis; they are mostly descriptive and allow students to become familiar with what is being said and how. The third unit is devoted to advocacy; having become familiar with the controversy, students now take a position within it and produce an informed argument for that position.

Tags:

Advanced Search Techniques

Group Work