Use of Information Sources
ILS 244W Unit 4
Fall 2009
September 21-28
NOTE: Please print a copy of this page and keep it nearby for ready reference.
UNIT 4 READING ASSIGNMENT
- LECTURE: Read the lecture notes below (then take a quiz on the material).
- READINGS IN TEXT: Read chapter 4 (pp 77-91) in List-Handley (then take a quiz on the material)
UNIT 4 WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
DAILY THEMES - [Persons, Personae, Characters]
Day 1: Think about a person you know well. Make a list of this personÕs characteristic traits: appearance, gestures, habits, tastes, attitudes, and so on. Your list should contain at least ten items and occupy most of a page. Then, in one sentence, define what it is about this person that makes him or her important to you.
Day 2: Narrate an invented or remembered incident involving this person that shows his or her importance as you defined on Monday and that includes mention of some (but certainly not all) of the traits listed above.
Day 3: Reflect for a few minutes on your own character, jotting down traits and remembering incidents in which you came to know yourself better. Then create a character Ð this time fictional Ð who is like you in significant ways. Place this character in a brief narrative that brings out his or her significance or inner "character."
Day 4: Revise a theme from week 2 in order to make it into a stronger piece of characterization.
Day 5: Revise a second theme from week 2 in order to make it into a stronger piece of characterization.
UNIT 4 RESOURCE GUIDE ASSIGNMENT
This week you will look for dictionaries specific to your subject area.
In your Guide you will give an overview of what kind of information is available in these resources and list specific sources and their call numbers (if in print) or URL (if on the Web); where appropriate, give notes on coverage of and how to use each resource.
UNIT 4 LECTURE
All dictionaries are not the same. They can differ in the range of words they define and in the kinds of information they give about each word. Two main types of dictionaries are Dictionaries for general use and Dictionaires for special use.
Examples of Dictionaries for general use are:
- Defining dictionaires: a general purpose dictionary that excludes proper names, obsolete and dialetal words and only touches on slang and abbreviations.
- Encyclopedic dictionaries: includes entries for famous people and institutions and also important places; it defines terms in the arts and sciences and contains illustrations.
- Dictionaries of abbreviations: contains abbreviations and acronyms (a 'word,' such as 'NATO,' formed from the initial letters of other words).
Examples of Dictionaries for special use are:
- Learners' dictionaries: developed for foreign students of the language.
- Historical dictionaries: includes how words have been used since they entered the langage and may give examples.The Oxford English Dictionary is an exampe of an historical dictionary.
- Slang dictionaries: contains jargon and phrases peculiar to certain occupations or groups or regions.
- Dialect dictionaries: generally deal with the dialects of paricular regions.
- Subject dictionaries: contains terms used in particular trades and professions (for example, The Librarian's Glossary and Reference Book by Ray Prytherch). [NOTE: Be sure to locate any subject dictionaries in your major area of study and add these to your Resource Guide.]
- Glossaries: a dictionary of words not part of present-day standard vocabulary.
- Dictionaries of synonyms: gives terms of the same general meaning; generally coupled with antonyms (a term opposite in meaning).
- Thesauri: a classification of words and phrases of similar meaning intended to help writers find the word or words eith the exact shade of meaning they want for a particular composition. [NOTE: the terms used to classify books and other library materials can be found in thesauri -- they are intended to help the seeker locate the best terms for entering into online or print catalogs when looking for books, articles, etc.]
A very small sample of dictionaries available online:
Even the same kinds of dictionaries differ considerably in portability, durability, legibility, understandability, and finding aids. It is important to explore a number of different dictionaries and find the one that is best suited to you for your current needs. An individual's need in dictionaries changes over time. If you are using the same dictionary you had at the beginning of high school, it might be time to start shopping for a new one.
Dictionaries of quotation and concordances
A dictionary of quotations are collections of striking observations from many sources. They identify the authors of the quotations and some also give the location. Dictionaries of quotations vary in scope and arrangement. Some arrange quotation alphabetically by authors, some chronologically by author, and others alphabetically by subject.
A concordance is defined as an alphabetical arrangement of the principal words contained in a book, with citations of the passages in which they occur. Most concordances, however, are an index to the writings of individual authors of classic works.
UNIT 4 QUIZ
Test what you learned from this week's reading.
This is a short 5 question quiz covering the assigned reading for this unit. Take a maximum of 10 minutes. Some questions require you to apply what is learned from the readings. Other questions ask you to recall specific material. After you have taken the quiz, go back and check you answers in the text.
UNIT 4 JOURNAL ENTRY
In the appropriate threaded discussion,, write a narrative describing what you have gained from this course so far, your feelings toward this mode of instruction, and problems you may have encountered--including any solutions you may have already found. Be sure to mark the entry with the title "REFLECTIONS AT THE QUARTER -- date".
On this class site, every effort has been made to acknowledge the work of others. Any omission is unintentional. If anyone finds an oversight, please contact me at brownm6@southernct.edu immediately so that any error can be corrected.
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