Research and Database Development

Introduction

When we visit a library, handy pieces of note paper and small pencils are usually available for writing down call numbers to books and periodicals who's titles inspire us. These slips of paper get scribbled on as we find tidbits of information, then end up as bookmarks in something we check out. Perhaps, then, they find themselves under a chair, when a year later, while vacuuming, we finally throw them away, forgetting about the inspiration we had earlier.

Modern libraries still provide those handy papers, but often provide simpler ways to summarize information we want to keep handy. For example, OSU's online library catalog allows us to mark selected readings, view a "shopping cart" of saved readings, and output them to our email, hard drive, or screen in various formats. These formats can be imported, then, into our favorite database application. The goal is to retrieve what we want when we want it with the most efficient method/tool possible; alleviating information overload (maybe!).

It doesn't take any data or communications tools to see that many of our own neighborhoods are in need of support of one kind or another. But if we want to look beyond our immediate surroundings for models and solutions, research and careful tracking will help us be more successful in our activism. It's important that we keep track of who did what when and how were they successful.

For the next 2 weeks, focus on a method of research that will stretch your technical skills and view of the world's gender issues.

Outcomes and Activities

Blog

As a result of the following activities, students will be able to improve their level of comfort with online web applications and declare personal principles, policies, or intentions for future use of technology.

1. Install WordPress, a web log (blog) application, on the ONID server.
• Use the Blog instruction to help you get set up.
• Use the application to document all aspects of your plan and implementation of the Activism activities you choose.

Research and collect data about where the gaps exist in the world regarding girls, women, and technology

As a result of the following activities, students will be able to summarize the major issues, statistics, and historical significance of technology developed and/or used by women and girls.

1. Consult the following databases to find out where gaps exist.
   • OSU Library catalog for print and online readings and media sources.
   • Delicious/GenderTechnology/ Statistics tags
   • Government documents online
   • Global resources online
2. Read resources to help narrow your focus. Don't go too far without moving to the next step.

Store, summarize, and categorize resources

As a result of the following activities, students will be able to improve their level of comfort with database technology.

1. Store, summarize, and categorize articles, books, web sites, organizations, people, places, interviews, and events using one or more of the following applications:
   • WordPress; provides categories, pages, links, and custom field functions.
   • Use Wordpress like a klog (knowledge log), where the posts store each source, complete with citations (try using the custom fields to separate title, author, publisher, date).
   • Or use Wordpress' Blogroll functions to store each source. Printed materials and offline media don't always have a link, so consider linking to the publisher's site where the book is mentioned, or your favorite review.
• Social tagging web applications make bookmarking online resources fast, searchable, and feedable.
  • Top 20 Most Popular Social Bookmarking Websites, April 2010
• Standalone software
  • EndNote, RefWorks, ProCite, MARC, FileMaker, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice, etc.
• Open Source Web Databases
  • MySQL is free and available on the ONID server.
  • PostGres can be installed on other web servers.
2. Generate a report from your database showing at least 30 items sorted by category. Save in the most appropriate format, depending on the software used:
• Wordpress: Voila! Wordpress already categorizes your Blogroll/Links.
  • They display on the sidebar with a widget, by default, however you can add them to a page if the theme you selected has a Links template.
• Social Tagging: Embed a link to the site's relevant categories in the Report (see step 3).
• Stand-alone software: Print to a .pdf file, save as a .gif, or save as a web page. Add a link to the new file(s) within your report page.
• Online Database: Print to a .pdf file, save as a .gif, or save as a web page. Add a link to the new file(s) within your report page.
3. Write a report to describe your research, explain the process used to collect resources, and display a copy of your resources.
• Use a Page or more in your blog for the report.
• Upload the external files (.pdfs, .html, .gif, etc.) from your database report.
• Link to the external files.
  • Be sure to use embedded links (refer to the Basic Skills page for a tutorial).
4. Submit the address of the introduction page of your Report to the Submit link for the Database project.

Scoring Criteria (30 points)

1. Wordpress blog is installed and configured to include these conventions (5 points):
   • Weblog title is Student's first and last name (update in Options).
   • Tagline is modified to highlight the potential activism project.
   • Theme is updated (does not use the default colors/banner/design).
   • Theme allows all categories to be visible.
   • Pages for each project are listed.
   • Post categories are defined and displaying.
   • At least one Link (Blogroll) is visible and listed under a newly defined category so it'll show up in the menu list.
   • At least one Post for week 1 relates to the blog setup process.
   • At least one Post for week 2 relates to the progress of the research and database development process and tools.
   • Address of the blog is submitted to the Gradebook (using the View/Complete link; click on Submit Projects at the left).
2. A Wordpress Page reports the research topic, storage, notation, and citation process and tools used. (10 points)
3. A sample of at least 30 resources relevant to the topic are displayed in the report and/or Blogroll. (10 points)
4. Citations and descriptions accompany each resource. (5points)

Examples

Delicious/GenderTechnology/interviews

Pam Van Londen and students. 2007-2010. Four-hundred plus resources hosted by Delicious, related to gender and technology. View the list as a cloud or alphabetically.

Database Report for Role Models ~ video interviews of women technologists

Pam Van Londen. 2007. Database development report summarizing the tools, process of research for the Activism Project.