March 29, 2010

In order to write a research paper with confidence and credibility it is extremely important that you research the topic very thoroughly and use the best sources for your particular purpose. If you are researching a relatively new topic you are more likely to use articles and online resources that can be published more quickly than books that take a considerable amount of time. When I begin on this intimidating task I always start with online research. I simply begin by typing my topic into google, this not only gives me an idea of what sources and websites I can utilize, but also often gives me ideas that I can write about in my essay. Once I have established this foundation for my paper I visit the Washington State library website and search for articles on my topic using World Cat. Often I find thousands of articles that relate in some way to my topic, but I need to narrow down the results in order to find information that will actually be of some assistance to my paper. In order to do this I simply click on the options on the left had side of the screen specify the restrictions I wish to be enforced on the search of articles. By doing this I cut down the results of my search to a reasonable number that I can look through. Another search generator I use to find articles is JSTOR. These articles can most often be viewed online and therefore are more easily accessible than the ones that I must visit the library to retrieve. When looking for books to use as research I must go to the Holland Terrell Library. Once there I use the search engine to find locations of books that pertain to my topic. Although I have found that simply by going to the location of one book I find many others that are similar that did not come up when I searched. It is in this manner that I had discovered many useful sources on my own, with some help. I think the best way for me to improve my method of finding sources would be to visit the library first. Not only will I find the most reliable sources there, but I can also utilize the personnel that can help me in my investigation. By taking these steps I will be able to quickly and efficiently find sources for all my research papers in the future.

March 9, 2010

In the article "Ending World Hunger: The Promise of Biotechnology and the Threat of Antiscience Zealotry" Norman E. Borlaug discusses the advancements him and his colleagues have achieved through all their research and development. They have been able to genetically alter crops to yield more food per acre, have created pesticide resistant crops, and creating foods that have more vitamins and minerals to improve the health of countries and people living below the poverty line. Because many people lack the resources to buy food that will give them the proper nutrients they need, they suffer from lack of nutrition. With the rapid growth in the population this problem is only going to get worse and cause more world hunger. Despite all these apparent benefits there is a large amount of people in opposition of these benefits. They prefer to eat organic food that is one hundred percent natural, well many of these people are able to afford this high quality food. It is the poor and impoverished humans that need the cheap abundant food that biotechnology can provide. Without these genetically modified foods millions of people will die of hunger and the problem will only increase. I myself is one of those people that would prefer to know exactly what I am eating and where it came from and I may choose to partake in that luxury. I will not however fight the development of food for poor people by debating the scientific nature of it. I have the option to choose so I am not going to force others to go hungry because of what I believe in.

Kuparinen, Anna, Schurr, Frank, Tackenberg, Oliver, and O'Hara, Robert B.. Ecological Applications: Air-Mediated Pollen Flow From Genetically Modified to Conventional Crops, Vol. 17, No. 2. (March 2007). Published by: Ecological Society of America

In this article the authors discuss how the one hundred percent, true bred crops may become tainted by the air transportation of genetically modified pollen. This possibility is becoming a big issue with the people that are completely against the biotechnological advances being made in crops. If this occurs and continues to occur, it may become the case that there are no longer any crops that do not have any genetical alterations. They are currently studying to air flow patterns of pollen in attempt to prevent the spread to unmodified crops. With these advances hopefully they will control the transplantation in order to keep both sides, pro-biotechnology and anti-genetically modified, happy.

March 1, 2010

In chapter 19 of The Omnivore's Dilemma Michael Pollan takes on the task of hunting for chanterelle mushrooms. The task is referred to as hunting, opposed to gathering, because it takes "putting your eyes on" and acquiring certain instincts to be successful in spotting these hidden fungi. What I found most intriguing of the statements Pollan makes is when he discusses the fact that some of humans' most popular hobbies are ones that provide basic needs. Some examples include: gardening, knitting, and fishing. These are all activities that I have partaken in throughout my lifetime. After completing all of these endeavors I found myself feeling a great sense of self satisfaction and sufficiency. As Pollan says this occurs in most people when completing these tasks. Just knowing that we could sustain ourselves if we need to, although it may cost more in our time and money, it has a greater reward emotionally. That is why these pastimes will always continue to be parts of our lives. Another benefit to providing your own necessities is that you know exactly where the came from and how it was produced. You can utilize your products without fear that child labor is what created it or that your produce is picked before it is ready and is ripened with chemicals.