Assignment #1

COMPUTER ENCYCLOPEDIA VS. PRINT ENCYCLOPEDIA

DUE: February 1

Reading:

Select a general subject related the Internet, information, research or libraries from the suggestions below or name another general subject related the Internet, information, research or libraries that you might be interested in researching.
(Please be sure to choose a broad subject. Check with me if you're not sure if the subject is appropriate.)

A. Print Encyclopedia: Encyclopedia Britannica

(available at Skyline Library or most public libraries)

*1. Look up your subject in the index of Encyclopedia Britannica and photocopy the listing of all articles (up to 2 pages) that deal with some aspect of the subject. On the photocopy, circle the entry for an article in the Macropaedia (volumes 13-29) that you want to look up.

*2. Find the article you chose. Skim the article to find an idea that is interesting to you. Photocopy the page containing the interesting idea; then, on the photocopy, circle, underline or highlight the interesting part.

*3. Check at the end of the section of the article that you have looked at to see if the author's initials are listed-- if so, look up the author's name in the Propaedia volume (usually shelved after the index volumes), photocopy the page containing the author's name and circle the name on the photocopy.

*4. Check at the end of the entire article you have looked at to find the bibliography. Photocopy the bibliography. If the bibliography is very long, photocopy just the part of the bibliography that deals with the section of the article you looked at.

5. Fax the photocopies (with your name on them) to: (650) 738-4149, attention: Eric Brenner. or
turn them in (in an envelope addressed to Eric Brenner) to the Skyline Library reference desk.

B. Computer Encyclopedia: Britannica.com

6. Access Britannica.com at: at http://www.britannica.com.

7. Click on the "ADVANCED SEARCH" button on the gray bar slightly below the top of the home page to display the Advanced Search page.

8. In the selection box under "Search in this information source:", click on the down arrow next to "Britannica.com" and change the selection to "Encyclopedia Britannica" [See example].

9. In the first selection box on the first line under "Search for documents in which the:" click on the down arrow next to "entire document" and change the selection to "title" [See example]

10. Place the cursor in the text entry box (third column) on the first line and type in general subject (the same as you used in the print version) [See example]. Click on the "Submit" button below the search entry boxes

*11. A list of entries related to your search word(s) will then be displayed.
(If no articles are found for your search or if none of the articles listed seems relevant, click on the back button to return to the search page and broaden your search by changing the search type from "title" to "entire document" and/or change your search word(s) to a broader topic.)
Save this list as an HTML (or "source") file with the file name: 1-11.html to your LSCI 105 folder.

12. Select one of the entries from the list by clicking on a blue underlined word. You must select a long article (the equivalent of a Macropaedia article), not a short article. To determine if the article is long, look near the bottom of the displayed section (use the scroll bar, if necessary) and see if a "Contents" list is displayed. If there is a "Contents" list, it is a long article and you can use it for this assignment. If there is NOT a "Contents" list, you need to either go back to the list of articles (use the Back button on the toolbar at the top of the screen) and select another article or look for an "Index Entry" (cross references to information about the given topic in other articles).

*13. Save this article (or article section) as an HTML (or "source") file with the file name: 1-13.html to your LSCI 105 folder.

14. Find the bibliography for the article. To do this, scroll (if necessary) to near the bottom of the displayed section to find the "Contents". (This is the Table of Contents for the broader article in which your topic is included.) At the "Contents" list, scroll (if necessary) to the end of the list and click on the link for "Bibliography".

*15. Save the bibliography as an HTML (or "source") file with the file name: 1-15.html to your LSCI 105 folder.

16. Find the author(s) of the article: Check at the end of the bibliography (or sometimes at the end of the selected article section) to see if there are initials for the author(s) of the article listed. If so, click on the initials to link to the author's full name.

*17. Save the the entry for the author's name as an HTML (or "source") file with the file name: 1-17.html to your LSCI 105 folder. (If more than one set of initials is listed, save the entry for each author.)

Comparison

*18. Write a brief comparison of your search process using the online encyclopedia vs. the print encyclopedia. What were the advantages and disadvantages of each? What did you like or dislike about each? Did you find information of interest to you? Was the process helpful?


REMEMBER TO:

*E-mail: your completed assignment including:

to: brenner@smcccd.cc.ca.us

*Turn in or fax photocopies for questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 (with your name on them) to: (650) 738-4149.

* Participate in the online discussion described below.


Discussion Question #1 - Answer these questions on the LSCI 105 Discussion Board

What were the advantages and disadvantages of the print vs. online versions of Encyclopedia Britannica? What did you like or dislike about each?
Do you think all books will eventually be replaced by computers? Why or why not?

Using the Discussion Board

Instructions for how to answer the Discussion Question on the LSCI 105 Discussion Board:

a. Link to the LSCI 105 Discussion Board at http://www.smcccd.cc.ca.us/cgi-bin/webbbs/lsci105.pl.
b. Click on "Discussion Question #1".
c. Click on "Post Responses" to add your own response. (Do not click on "Post a New Message")
Please post your initial message as early in the week as possible.
d. Click on "Read Responses" to see a list of other students' responses to the question.
-- Click on any response to read that response.
When you read other students' comments, if you have any thoughts about what they wrote, reply to their ideas.
-- Scroll down below any response you read to respond to that response.

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last revised: 2-1-00 by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA

These materials may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit the author and cite the source as: LSCI 105 Online Research. All commercial rights are reserved. Send comments or suggestions to: Eric Brenner at brenner@smcccd.cc.ca.us