prl exercise tutorial

Haiti Earthquake &

Columbine Shootings

Comparing Information Cycles

Start at the MPV Library

Step 1:

Step 2:

Enter Your Search Terms

Each academic search engine (aka “database”) has a different look, but they all have the basic search box.

You’ll do two separate searches, using these exact terms:

1.Haiti earthquake, then2.Columbine

Focus Results by Source Type

Click on newspapers, then do magazines and next scholarly journals

How Have the Conversations Changed?

Read and apply what you learned from the Columbine video, and reference the chart above that we developed. Are they talking about these events differently depending on the publication type?

Let’s Look at Newspapers

How do newspapers talk about this event? Are they in-depth, analytical, asking the big questions like “why did this happen” and studying the long-term impact? No? What do they cover?

Repeat!Haiti earthquake:Newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals

Next

Columbine:Newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals

Now answer the following questions (next page) and post your response to the discussion board.

Compare the Events1. How has the publishing changed over time for each event?

Focus in particular on newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals For example, does each event have these publications, and in the

same numbers? Why do you think there are differences?

2. How have the conversations within those publications changed over time? 

Apply what you learned from the Columbine video, but use specific examples from your searches on Haiti and Columbine.

Do the different publications deal with different kinds of issues/topics?

3. How do you think understanding the “information life cycle” will help you when researching your topic for this class, as well as any other?