In my short lifetime I have seen the progression of technology and how it has changed our world. Computers are now integrated into almost every aspect of daily life. I have noticed that my habits and practices have been dramatically altered by this technology.I still perform the same tasks as before, but in different ways. One task in particular that has changed is the way I perform academic research. The traditional method of doing research and citing sources is somewhat different from the electronic methods I use today.
Traditional research requires a lot of time and footwork. I used to use libraries as my main source of information. I can still remember the days when I used reference cards and the dewey decimal system. When I found a useful piece of information I would look inside the cover of the book and write down the bibliographical information on an index card. I would then write the quoted material on the other side of the card. This was effective, but it sometimes caused problems. I always felt that this system was unorganized. I also found that after time I would forget how the quote I referenced related to the rest of the book.
Electronic bibliographical tools such as Diigo and Zotero have made the process of citing information much easier and more organized. These two programs are useful for different reasons. With the click of a mouse Zotero will display the bibliographical information of a book or journal article in MLA format. This eliminates the factor of human error and ensures that the information is correct. Diigo is also quite useful. It allows the user to write comments on the article that is being referenced, which allows the reader to understand the context of a specific quote. These electronic tools perform the same tasks as traditional methods, but with more efficiency. It is amazing to think that a web page that can be accessed from anywhere can take the place of a stack of books and index cards. Both traditional and modern bibliographies perform the same function, but they work in very different ways.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Annotations
Heavy Constraints on a "Weightless World"? Resources and the New Economy(Jonathan Perrington, The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Jan 2006)
This article was published in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology. It addresses production trends that have been seen in industrialized countries since the late 1990's. Developed countries, namely the United States, have seen a shift from material production to service oriented production in recent years. The traditional thought is that a decrease in material production will result in decreased economic activity, and until the late 1990's this was true. In recent years the United States has seen decreased material production, but increased economic growth. This phenomenon was first seen with the emergence of the computer age. Goods such as computer software and programming are greatly contributing to the economy without physically producing anything. The need for information and technology is driving developed countries toward service oriented jobs. This article focuses on this unique situation and some of the factors and causes. The author also goes on to discuss the negative effect that this is having on developing countries who traditionally supply raw materials. Developed countries are now using human resources more than physical resources. The Unites States' reduced necessity for these resources has slowed economic activity in the countries that provide those resources. This article gives great insight into current conditions in the global economy.
Consumer Price Gauges Rise More Than Expected(Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, Feb 22 2007)
The article "Consumer Price Gauges Rise More Than Expected" was written by Jeremy W. Peters and published in the New York Times. The Federal Reserve expected inflation to be low this year, but price increases in January have caused many analysts to become skeptical. During the month of January 2007 prices for several goods including fruit and hotel rooms increased dramatically. The rate of core inflation, as represented by the consumer price index, jumped from .1 percent in December to .3 percent in January. The effect of this inflation has already been seen in the market. Many investors have begun to push stock prices lower in preparation for interest rate changes. The Federal Open Market Committee met and decided that a change in interest rates was not necessary. The article goes on to explain relevant benchmarks in inflation rates. Anything above 2 percent raises concerns for the Federal Reserve. As long as rates are below this mark they will not consider raising or lowering interest rates. Inflation is currently at 2.1 percent, but the Federal Reserve has decided that this is not large enough to worry about. This article may be helpful to anybody involved in stock trading, banking, and real estate. Interest rates and inflation can effect all of these areas.
This article was published in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology. It addresses production trends that have been seen in industrialized countries since the late 1990's. Developed countries, namely the United States, have seen a shift from material production to service oriented production in recent years. The traditional thought is that a decrease in material production will result in decreased economic activity, and until the late 1990's this was true. In recent years the United States has seen decreased material production, but increased economic growth. This phenomenon was first seen with the emergence of the computer age. Goods such as computer software and programming are greatly contributing to the economy without physically producing anything. The need for information and technology is driving developed countries toward service oriented jobs. This article focuses on this unique situation and some of the factors and causes. The author also goes on to discuss the negative effect that this is having on developing countries who traditionally supply raw materials. Developed countries are now using human resources more than physical resources. The Unites States' reduced necessity for these resources has slowed economic activity in the countries that provide those resources. This article gives great insight into current conditions in the global economy.
Consumer Price Gauges Rise More Than Expected(Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, Feb 22 2007)
The article "Consumer Price Gauges Rise More Than Expected" was written by Jeremy W. Peters and published in the New York Times. The Federal Reserve expected inflation to be low this year, but price increases in January have caused many analysts to become skeptical. During the month of January 2007 prices for several goods including fruit and hotel rooms increased dramatically. The rate of core inflation, as represented by the consumer price index, jumped from .1 percent in December to .3 percent in January. The effect of this inflation has already been seen in the market. Many investors have begun to push stock prices lower in preparation for interest rate changes. The Federal Open Market Committee met and decided that a change in interest rates was not necessary. The article goes on to explain relevant benchmarks in inflation rates. Anything above 2 percent raises concerns for the Federal Reserve. As long as rates are below this mark they will not consider raising or lowering interest rates. Inflation is currently at 2.1 percent, but the Federal Reserve has decided that this is not large enough to worry about. This article may be helpful to anybody involved in stock trading, banking, and real estate. Interest rates and inflation can effect all of these areas.
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