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Friday, March 27, 2009
8a: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
ORIGINAL PASSAGE: During the 1920s, Colorado had the largest and most influential Knights of the Ku Klux Klan following of any other state west of the Mississippi River. In the 1924 elections, the Klan gained control not only of state government with the election of Governor Morley, but also of many local governments. Fremont County was one of those local governments with a dominating Klan presence, having a particularly large following of Klansmen and Klanswomen in Cañon City and Florence. These two local Klaverns claimed that they organized to improve the schools, end the liquor problem, stop crime, and promote the state and national Klan agenda.
LINK: KKK essay
1. Write a paragraph incorporating a short quotation from the passage. Modify the quotation using an ellipsis and brackets.
In Colorado, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was able to build a massive following and exert profound influence on state politics; indeed, “during the 1920s, [it] had the largest and most influential. . . Ku Klux Klan following west of the Mississippi” (Gunn). The source of the Klan’s authority came straight from Colorado citizens, who looked to the Klan to cure society’s many ailments. The reform that the Klan promised gave it the platform it needed to establish a foundation in Colorado, and once it became entrenched, it had only to infiltrate the political realm.
2. Paraphrase the passage. Check your paraphrase carefully to make sure that it is accurate and appropriate.
In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan amassed an extremely powerful population in Colorado. By the middle of the decade, the Klan had members filling many local government offices, and even had a knight, Clarence Morley, elected governor. Two of the largest Klan followings resided in Canyon City and Florence, where the Hooded Empire vowed to alleviate the many social problems plaguing these communities, and also to push the Klan initiative.
3. Summarize the passage. Check your summary carefully to make sure that it is accurate and appropriate.
Colorado had a massive Ku Klux Klan population in the 1920s. Its members held enormous influence in state and local politics, particularly in Florence and Canyon City; here, its members struggled to purify and improve society, as well as to advance the Klan agenda.
LINK: KKK essay
1. Write a paragraph incorporating a short quotation from the passage. Modify the quotation using an ellipsis and brackets.
In Colorado, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was able to build a massive following and exert profound influence on state politics; indeed, “during the 1920s, [it] had the largest and most influential. . . Ku Klux Klan following west of the Mississippi” (Gunn). The source of the Klan’s authority came straight from Colorado citizens, who looked to the Klan to cure society’s many ailments. The reform that the Klan promised gave it the platform it needed to establish a foundation in Colorado, and once it became entrenched, it had only to infiltrate the political realm.
2. Paraphrase the passage. Check your paraphrase carefully to make sure that it is accurate and appropriate.
In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan amassed an extremely powerful population in Colorado. By the middle of the decade, the Klan had members filling many local government offices, and even had a knight, Clarence Morley, elected governor. Two of the largest Klan followings resided in Canyon City and Florence, where the Hooded Empire vowed to alleviate the many social problems plaguing these communities, and also to push the Klan initiative.
3. Summarize the passage. Check your summary carefully to make sure that it is accurate and appropriate.
Colorado had a massive Ku Klux Klan population in the 1920s. Its members held enormous influence in state and local politics, particularly in Florence and Canyon City; here, its members struggled to purify and improve society, as well as to advance the Klan agenda.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
7b: Evaluating Sources
Goldberg, Robert Alan. Hooded Empire: the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado. University of Illinois Press: Chicago, 1981.
Relevance:
The info will help me accomplish my purpose, and it wil help me address my readers' needs/interests. The book offers enough and the right kind of evidence, and uses it faily; it is convincing, and its sources are provided. The author is knowledgable, is an expert in the field, and does not write with bias. The publisher, too is reputable.
Quillen, Ed. "Welcome to Kolorado, Klan Kountry." Colorado Springs Independent 22 May 2003.
Relevance:
This is published in a repuatble periodical. It is up-to-date, and it is written with historical and fairly-used evidence, not personal bias. It provides good information that I can use in finishing my paper. It is approrpiate and relevent.
Gunn, LaDonna. "The Protestant Kluxing of Canyon City, Colorado.".
Relelvance:
The domain name is .lib, so it is a reliable source. There is a site information page. The author is knowledgable in the field, and writes without bias. It offers plenty of valuable and relevant information, and it will help me accomplish my purpose. This, too, is a credible source.
Relevance:
The info will help me accomplish my purpose, and it wil help me address my readers' needs/interests. The book offers enough and the right kind of evidence, and uses it faily; it is convincing, and its sources are provided. The author is knowledgable, is an expert in the field, and does not write with bias. The publisher, too is reputable.
Quillen, Ed. "Welcome to Kolorado, Klan Kountry." Colorado Springs Independent 22 May 2003.
Relevance:
This is published in a repuatble periodical. It is up-to-date, and it is written with historical and fairly-used evidence, not personal bias. It provides good information that I can use in finishing my paper. It is approrpiate and relevent.
Gunn, LaDonna. "The Protestant Kluxing of Canyon City, Colorado."
Relelvance:
The domain name is .lib, so it is a reliable source. There is a site information page. The author is knowledgable in the field, and writes without bias. It offers plenty of valuable and relevant information, and it will help me accomplish my purpose. This, too, is a credible source.
7a: Conducting Internet Research
Search engine used: hakia.com
Keywords used: ku klux klan, denver, authority, politics, government
Search methods: ku klux klan + denver + (politics OR government) + authority NOT "colorado springs"
Date of search: 3-15-09
Number of hits: 30
Relevance: 2
Metacrawler used: leapfish.com
Keywords used:kkk, colorado, influence, business, religion, politics
Search strategies: ku klux klan + colorado + influence + business + religion NOT politics
Date of search: 3-15
Number of hits: 3,130
Relevance: 3
Directory used: joeant.com
Keywords used: influence, 1920s, kkk, denver
Search strategies: influence + 1920s + kkk + denver
Date of search: 3-15
Number of hits: 457
Relevance: 1
Other tool used: incywincy.com
Keywords used: ku klux klan, colorado, 1920s
Search strategies: ku klux klan + colorado + 1920s
Date of search: 3-15
Number of hits: 112
Relevance: 2
Keywords used: ku klux klan, denver, authority, politics, government
Search methods: ku klux klan + denver + (politics OR government) + authority NOT "colorado springs"
Date of search: 3-15-09
Number of hits: 30
Relevance: 2
Metacrawler used: leapfish.com
Keywords used:kkk, colorado, influence, business, religion, politics
Search strategies: ku klux klan + colorado + influence + business + religion NOT politics
Date of search: 3-15
Number of hits: 3,130
Relevance: 3
Directory used: joeant.com
Keywords used: influence, 1920s, kkk, denver
Search strategies: influence + 1920s + kkk + denver
Date of search: 3-15
Number of hits: 457
Relevance: 1
Other tool used: incywincy.com
Keywords used: ku klux klan, colorado, 1920s
Search strategies: ku klux klan + colorado + 1920s
Date of search: 3-15
Number of hits: 112
Relevance: 2
- Resource searched or tool used
- Keywords used
- Search strategies used (including operators and types of searches)
- Date of search
- Number of hits
- Relevance of hits (on a scale of 1 to 5)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
6c: Planning Field Research
For my field research, I am planning on interviewing my grandfather, who was a teenage boy when the Klan was coming to power in Denver. He has talked about the organization frequently, and this will be a good opportunity to get some formal statements from him. I realize that he is not the academic or scholarly source that some might say should be used, but I think he can provide an interesting perspective: he was the ordinary citizen trying to get by in Denver under the Klan's reign, and he knows what life was like for the average Denverite during this time. He may not know the Klan's history in Colorado like those who have written the books I am scavenging for information, but he knows how the Klan affected the lives of real people. Right now, I am considering the following questions for an interview:
1. How widespread would you the Klan's influence was? More specifically, how did the Klan influence religion, politics, and business affairs in Denver?
2. Despite the Klan's stigma of being a radical racist group, it had many goals to reform and clean up criminal activity in Denver. To what extent do you think the Klan actually had a positive impact on Denver?
3. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan violence, corruption, or bigotry?
4. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan benevolence or altruism?
5. How difficult was it for you and your family to go about your daily affairs being non-Klanmembers? Did you ever feel threatened?
6. Were you or anyone you know ever pressured or threatened into joining the Klan?
7. Were you ever tempted or at least intrigued by the idea of joining the Klan?
8. How common was it for ordinary people to lead the double life of buisnessman by day and Klansman by night? That is, what was the likelihood of finding Klansmen in your or any other average neighborhood?
9. Many people were very fearul of standing up to the Klan. How much open resistance to the Klan was there? To your knowledge, was it common for people to oppose the organization but be too scared to act against it?
10. What would you say is the Klan's most enduring legacy from its reign over Colorado politics?
I am planning to conduct this interview at my grandfather's home the week after next.
1. How widespread would you the Klan's influence was? More specifically, how did the Klan influence religion, politics, and business affairs in Denver?
2. Despite the Klan's stigma of being a radical racist group, it had many goals to reform and clean up criminal activity in Denver. To what extent do you think the Klan actually had a positive impact on Denver?
3. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan violence, corruption, or bigotry?
4. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan benevolence or altruism?
5. How difficult was it for you and your family to go about your daily affairs being non-Klanmembers? Did you ever feel threatened?
6. Were you or anyone you know ever pressured or threatened into joining the Klan?
7. Were you ever tempted or at least intrigued by the idea of joining the Klan?
8. How common was it for ordinary people to lead the double life of buisnessman by day and Klansman by night? That is, what was the likelihood of finding Klansmen in your or any other average neighborhood?
9. Many people were very fearul of standing up to the Klan. How much open resistance to the Klan was there? To your knowledge, was it common for people to oppose the organization but be too scared to act against it?
10. What would you say is the Klan's most enduring legacy from its reign over Colorado politics?
I am planning to conduct this interview at my grandfather's home the week after next.
6b: Testing Your Assigned Search Tool
Resource searched: triplify (triplify.com)
Keywords used: ku klux klan, power, politics, colorado
Search strategies:
- Search engine math:
ku klux klan + colorado +"political power"
Date of search: 3-3-09
Number of hits: 46
Relevance of hits: 5
Resource searched: triplify (triplify.com)
Keywords used: ku klux klan, denver, grand junction, authority, politics, grand junction
Search strategies:
- Search engine math:
Ku Klux Klan + politics + denver -Canyon City -Grand Junction +authority
Date of search: 3-3-09
Number of hits: 17
Relevance of hits: 0
Resource searched: triplify (triplify.com)
Keywords used: ku klux klan, denver, grand junction, authority, power, politics, sway, influence, clout, colorado
Search strategies:
- Boolean:
Ku Klux Klan AND (power OR influence OR sway OR authority OR clout) NEAR (Colorado OR Denver)
Date of search: 3-3-09
Number of hits: 50
Relevance of hits: 3
Keywords used: ku klux klan, power, politics, colorado
Search strategies:
- Search engine math:
ku klux klan + colorado +"political power"
Date of search: 3-3-09
Number of hits: 46
Relevance of hits: 5
Resource searched: triplify (triplify.com)
Keywords used: ku klux klan, denver, grand junction, authority, politics, grand junction
Search strategies:
- Search engine math:
Ku Klux Klan + politics + denver -Canyon City -Grand Junction +authority
Date of search: 3-3-09
Number of hits: 17
Relevance of hits: 0
Resource searched: triplify (triplify.com)
Keywords used: ku klux klan, denver, grand junction, authority, power, politics, sway, influence, clout, colorado
Search strategies:
- Boolean:
Ku Klux Klan AND (power OR influence OR sway OR authority OR clout) NEAR (Colorado OR Denver)
Date of search: 3-3-09
Number of hits: 50
Relevance of hits: 3
6a: Using Internet Search Tools
I generally only use two internet search tools: Google (www.google.com) and Prospector (http://prospector.coalliance.org/screens/opacmenu.html). I use these two not only because I am comfortable and familiar with them, but also because I have never failed to find adequate information for a paper or project while using them. I like Google because it is exceedingly simple, it allows for advanced searches, and it has a vast amount of information. On the flip side, however, Google can sometimes provide too much information, and it is difficult to weed through all of the fluff to find information that might be useful. Prospector, likewise, is simple, and it is very effective for locating resources. It would be very frustrating to find a great resource but be unable to use it because it's from a library in Grand Junction, for instance; Prospector eliminates this problem by having the resource sent to a convenient place from which the user can access it. There is nothing that I do not like about Prospector.
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