Thing #23: Final Quiz

Your exam will consist of 20 questions worth half a point each, for a total of 10 points.

Things to review (use the downloadable handouts from the blog homepage, and the library 1210 delicious bookmarked pages, conveniently tagged by subject and week, at http://del.icio.us/liby1210):

1. Library of Congress call numbers and subject headings (what they are & how they work--you don't need to know what specific call numbers mean)

2. APA format (general rules)

3. Characteristics of scholarly books and journals

4. Search engines & Databases (how to use them and when)

5. Tags vs. Subject Headings

6. Boolean Operators (AND, OR & NOT)

7. Web Site Evaluation

Good luck, everyone!

Thing #22: Final Project Part B--Annotated Reference List

See the project assignment and sample project for details.

Due with thing #22, printed and stapled. Hand in at the reference desk by 5PM
Friday 3/9.

Questions? Contact me.

Thing #21: Final Project Part A--Narrative

See the project assignment and sample project for details.

Due with thing #22, printed and stapled. Hand in at the reference desk by 5PM
Friday 3/9.

Questions? Contact me.

Thing #20: Explore a Few Award-Winning Web 2.0 sites

As we begin to wrap up our exploration of emerging web tools & how they relate to information-seeking, we'd like you to take a look at some of the most innovative sites on the web (2.0, of course).

For this thing, you'll visit SEOmoz.org's 2006 Web 2.o Awards. Browse through the categories and find 2 sites. One should be related to information seeking or organizing, but the second is up to you (pick something fun like shopping, games, etc.)

Here are a few award-winners that I especially like.

knowmore.org: Learn about corporations' labor practices and ethics (or lack thereof) on this wiki
Stumbleupon.com: Randomly connects you with websites based on your personal interests
Rollyo.com: Create your own search engines of web sites; easily add new sites from your browser
Bloglines.com: Multi-functional RSS manager where you can blog, search for and manage feeds
Arcaplay.com: Free, online game central w/classic, puzzle, sports, action and other games

For each of your choices:

• Describe the purpose of the site
• Describe a few interesting features
• How you would use this site to track or manage information in life

Due by Monday, 2/26 @ 9PM

Thing #19: Find Periodical Articles About Your Project

Use the library databases to search periodical literature on your topic.

Types of articles you might look for include:

• Scholarly articles (from academic journals)
• Current newspaper articles
• Articles from popular magazines or trade publications

Databases to consider (Access all from A-Z list on the library web page):

• Academic Search Premier
  
• CINAHL
• Proquest Newspapers
  

Find 2 articles and provide complete APA citations. If you are having trouble with APA, see the class wiki, where I've created a resource page to assist you with APA style.

Post your citations with a brief statement (one or two sentences is fine) about why the article is a good source for you topical project.

Due Monday, 2/26 @ 9PM

Thing #18: Explore iTunesU or OpenCourseware

In the spirit of encouraging the pursuit of lifelong learning, we are asking you to take a look at some sites that provide university level educational materials free to the public. These online resources can supply extra study materials to assist you in courses at CSU East Bay as well as help you learn about new subjects once you graduate.

There are two options for this assignment. One is to take a look at OpenCourseWare at MIT. The other requires that you have the program iTunes loaded on your computer so that you can explore iTunesU. Hopefully, in the near future, CSUEB will be joining the ranks of those schools providing lectures and other materials on iTunesU.

Directions:

1. Go to one of the following: iTunesU at Berkeley OR MIT OpenCourseWare (in order to pick iTunes U, you must have iTunes installed on your computer)

2. Pick a subject and then a course within that subject.

3. Check out the materials available, listen to part of a podcast or lecture, and/or read some lecture notes/handouts.

4. Post the following to your blog:

• Name of the course and course instructor
• Two new things you learned about the subject matter covered in the course

Blog post due: Monday, February 19th by 9pm.

Thing #16: Find Some Books

Using the strategies for book selection we went over in class, find 2 books that are either about your topic or contain a significant section or chapter about your topic. Remember that ebooks "count" as books.

Although we focused on non-reference sources in class, one of your selections here may be a reference source (encyclopedia entry, handbook, dictionary, etc.). You may want to check out some of the library's online reference sources, such as the Gale Virtual Reference Library (see the A-Z list of databases).

Post APA citations for your choices. For APA examples, check here.

Use these examples to guide you through formatting your citations and, if you wish, use Noodletools to generate the citation and save it to your bibliography. With these resources at your disposal, I expect the citations to be perfect.

Due by Monday, 2/19 at 9PM

Thing #17: Podcasting

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You already learned about how RSS feeds automatically send web updates to your Google reader account. Podcasting takes this same idea of content delivery and applies it to digital media, including radio programs, videos, music, class lectures and more.

Just as web feeds are sent to your RSS reader, podcast feeds are automatically delivered to your podcast aggregator, or "podcatcher." Several of these are available online, and Apple's itunes (free) has a built-in podcatcher that downloads podcasts to your computer and syncs with your ipod. There are also several similar podcatchers you can install on your computer available here.

For this thing, you will explore the world of podcasting by finding and subscribing to a few 'casts of your choice.

1. Subscribe to 2 podcasts and listen to a few episodes. One of your podcasts has to be related to health or human biology (even better if it covers your topic), but the other one is entirely your choice. Give me the names of the podcasts, why you chose them, who makes them, and what the 'cast is about. Use one of the following options to complete this thing:

• If you have installed itunes, you can find podcasts by going to the itunes store and choosing "podcasts" from the store menu. From there, search for, browse and subscribe to podcasts.
• If you don't use itunes and prefer not to install third-party software, never fear--there's a free, web-based podcatcher/digital audio wonderland called Odeo. You'll need to create a user account, then browse or search through podcasts. When you find something you like, select "add to playlist" to subcribe.

2. What is your take on podcasting? Do you feel it is a useful method of information discovery and communication? Why or why not? (100 words minimum)

Resources:

NPR Podcast Directory
Podcast Alley
Podzinger

Thing #15: Explore Some Web-Based Applications

When you think of writing a paper for a class or creating a spreadsheet, normally the first thing that pops to mind is Microsoft Office applications: Word and Excel. In order to use these applications, you must buy and install a copy of them on your computer (or borrow someone else's computer - like in the library or other campus computer labs.). But there is another way. You know how del.icio.us allows you to take your bookmarks with you to any computer? And you can easily share those bookmarks with whomever you choose? Now it is possible for you to use an online word processor (or calendar or spreadsheet software) from any computer with internet access.

You can write a sonnet, prepare a budget, plan your wedding, create an organizational chart or presentation - and oh yeah - do your homework! You can create, edit, share and store documents online for free - no purchase necessary. Below is a list of commonly used online productivity web-based applications.

Word processing: Google docs, Zoho writer
Spreadsheets: Google sheets, Zoho sheet
Planners/calendars: Backpack, HipCal
Presentation/visual: Zoho show, Gliffy

Directions:

• Choose two applications from the list above (different types).
• Create accounts for each application (if you use the Google applications, you can user your Blogger account).
• Create a simple document/spreadsheet/presentation or make a few entries in a calendar - play around and check out the features of each application.
• Answer the following questions about each application:
  

1. Tell me about the application and what you found out while exploring it.
2. What might you use this application for in your school and personal life?
3. What special feature of this application do you like best? How does it work?

Blog post due: Monday, February 12th by 9pm.

Thing #13--Wikis and the Wisdom of Crowds

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A wiki is funny name for a user-edited online website/database. The most obvious example of a wiki is Wikipedia - a user-maintained online encyclopedia. Anyone can edit or create an entry in Wikipedia. Not all wikis work like this - often access to editing features is controlled. A wiki can be private or limited to certain users - sometimes this just means signing up as a user.

The defining feature of a wiki is the ease of creating and editing new entries or pages. A wiki allows people to communicate and collaborate with one another asynchronously. Wikis allow us to share information with each other, pool information and build on one another's knowledge. Check out a couple of these wikis (browse/search a few articles) and answer the questions below in your blog post.

wikiHow
Wikitravel
WikiMapia
MemoryArchive
or find a wiki about something that interests you at:
WikiIndex

1. What features do the the wikis that you looked at share in common?
2. What is the origin of the term "wiki"? Cite your source in correct APA style.
3. If you were to create a wiki, what would it be about and why?

Due: Monday, February 12th by 9pm.

Thing #14: Make an Entry in the Class Wiki

Okay, now that you've learned about how wikis work and how you might use them, go to the Class Wiki Site and answer the following questions. (The password to log into the class wiki is library):
javascript:void(0)
Publish
1. How is your research project going so far? Write a few sentences about your topic and what you've learned about it.

2. What area of information evaluation, research or citation management would you like to learn more about in this class?

Don't forget to sign your name so I know you've made your post. Feel free to respond to your classmates' comments and discuss any issues about the Final Project (or whatever else you feel like discussing).

Do this by 9 PM, Monday 2/12 at 9PM

Thing # 12: Explore Flickr

Simply put, Flickr is a website where users can store and share their photos, label them with tags and tag other member's photos. Most of you have probably seen photos that were hosted by Flickr and some of you might even have Flickr accounts.

Go to Flickr and cruise around a bit - browse through some pictures, notice the tags, do a few keyword searches. If you're feeling adventurous, create an account and upload some photos.

1. What is a tag cloud? (hint: check out the Popular Tags option on the Explore menu)
2. Check out the advanced search option. What does the term "Creative Commons" refer to?
3. Given what you have read about Web 2.0, how does Flickr exemplify Web 2.0 characteristics?
4. What is you favorite picture so far? (answer this question with it's URL)

I like this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/conza/378346357/

Blog post due: Mon, February 5th by 9pm.

Thing #11--NoodleTools

What does starchy, carb-laden goodness have to do with properly citing your sources? In reality, not much. There is, however, a growing number of online tools you can use to assist you with citations. One such utility is NoodleTools, a utility recently added by the library that allows you to created formatted bibliographies online, then export them to programs like MS Word.

For this activity, you will:

1. Set up a Noodletools user account.

Follow these instructions carefully:

• Go to Noodletools from the library web page.
  
• If you are off-campus, you'll need to login with your NetID and last name before proceeding.
  
• Select "NoodleBib"
  
• Now, create a user account by selecting "Create a New Folder" under the Personal Id and Password boxes (Ignore the ID and Password boxes for now).
• For your user account, make sure you choose something you'll remember, such as your NetID or blogger login info.
• You are ready to go! Select "Noodebib" to begin a bibliography you can store and edit online.

2. Using the 2 web resources you found in Thing #10, generate 2 APA citations using Noodletools.* Notice that you can save your list. This will come in handy later when your final project is due.

Now copy and paste your APA citations and post them as Thing #11. That's it!

Notice that when you log out of Noodletools and then log back in, all of your stuff is saved online. Very convenient for future papers and your final project for this class.

*Noodletools is helpful, but it's only as good as the data you input. Follow the input instructions carefully and use the help links to guide you in identifying the citation components.

For an online guide to APA style, see Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Also, remember that the absolute authority for APA Style is the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (call # BF76.7 .P82 2001), available at both the reference desk and in the stacks.

Thing #10: A Few Good Sites

Chances are, you've already got a running start on this thing.

Using your web searching skills, your favorite search engine and the web site evaluation techniques we went over in class:


1. Find two sites about your topic that you feel are reliable, quality information sources.

2. Provide a link to each site and tell me why you think it's appropriate to recommend. Pay attention to whether you're recommending an entire site, such as lupus.org, or a document on a site, such as the lupus overview at mayoclinic.com (this will help you in thing #11).

Post by 9PM, Monday, Feb. 5th.

Thing # 9: Set up a del.icio.us account and learn about tagging

Ever wish you could take your bookmarks with you? Got a list of bookmarks a mile long that you wished you could organize without creating a scary complicated file folder structure? Or say you're looking to buy a car and a friend is helping you out - wouldn't it be nice to have an easy way to share websites that you've found without emailing them to each other? Welcome to the world of social bookmarking.

Using del.icio.us, and other sites like it, you can bookmark websites, organize them using tags and access your bookmarks from any computer.

1) Go to http://del.icio.us/ and set up an account.
2) Add a couple of bookmarks to your del.icio.us account. As you add each site, add a tag or two to describe that site. For an example of a del.icio.us account with a lot of bookmarks, see the LIBY 1210 del.icio.us site: http://del.icio.us/liby1210.
3) Post the URL of your del.icio.us site in your blog entry for this week and answer the following questions:

- How might an individual use del.icio.us?
- What is tagging? What are it's advantages and disadvantages?
- How does del.icio.us embody the principles of the Web 2.0 philosophy?

Resources: http://del.icio.us/liby1210/tagging

Post length: At least 150 words.
Due: Wed, January 31st by 9pm.

Thing #7: Explore Web 2.0

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Just when you thought web 1.0 was getting kind of tired...along comes Web 2.0!

Actually, Web 2.0 has been with us for over a year now. While you don't need to become an expert on web history, knowing the current philosophy behind web tools will help you gather and use information more efficiently.Read the following Wikipedia definition to get a sense of Web 2.0 and how it impacts the exchange of information:

Wikipedia Definition:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2

Now review this summary of Web 2.0 and pick an article to read from the list: http://www.squidoo.com/introtoweb20/

Next, answer the following questions and post them to your blog (At least 50 words per answer):

1. Name 2 key characteristics of Web 2.0, and how these developments impact information seeking.





2. What are "folksonomies"? How do they relate to the organization of information on the web?


Extra Credit Bonus Question (worth a point!)

Name two web sites you commonly use and explain why (or why not) they can be classified as Web 2.0.

Thing #8: Compare 2 Search Engines

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You've probably used Google to find information on the web, and with good reason. Google is easy to use, has a simple, uncluttered interface and allows you to apply various search limits. It is not, however, the only search engine out there.

In fact, different search engines have unique features, and rank the sites they return in different ways (which is why the same keyword search in Google will not return the exact list you'll get in say, Microsoft's Live Search).

In addition to the large, well-known search engines, there are also many smaller, subject-specific search engines that comb through a pre-selected set of web sites. Some of these can be very useful, such as the US Department of Health and Human Services HealthFinder

For this thing, you'll explore and play around with two search engines of your choice. I'd prefer you didn't use Google, only because I think you're pretty familiar with that already, but it's up to you. Here are my suggestions:

A9
Ask
Clusty
Exalead
Grokker
Intute
SearchMash
Librarian's Index

First though, I want you to read an article about why finding good health info on the web can be so challenging:

http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3319441

Next, answer the following questions for each search engine you investigate:

1. Who produces this search engine? What do you think is the search engine's main purpose (i.e. to find anything on the web, find specific topical information or formats)?

2. Desribe two or three special features of this search engine you think would be useful in narrowing down your search.

3. Would you recommend this search engine to a patient or friend in need of heath information? Why or why not?


Extra Credit: (1 point)

Create your own search engine using Google Co-op (you can use your google account, which is the same thing as your blogger account to log in). Include at least 5 web resources in your engine. Post the URL so I can check it out.

Here are some resources to help you find even more search engines and see how they work:

http://del.icio.us/liby1210/searchengine

http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html

Final Project

LIBY 1210-04
Brunetti
Final Project
Both Parts Due on March 6 (bring print copies to class)

Copy for download here.

Final Project Assignment: Topical Health Pamphlet

For your project, you will investigate a health topic from the perspective of a future healthcare worker, and create an informational pamphlet or handout to give to your patients. Your pamphlet will contain two parts, worth 10 points each.

Part A. Health Narrative:

Statement of Topic: _____________________________________

Synonyms and related concepts (Provide 3):

Short narrative (a few paragraphs is fine). In your overview, discuss the following:

• Provide a definition of the topic.
• Describe some demographic data (populations affected, regions if applicable)
• What are some common symptoms?
• Describe common treatments.
• Describe some risk factors and/or transmission routes if applicable.

Search Statements:

Provide a BOOLEAN search statement you would use to research the following scenarios. Describe any limits you would place on your search.

a. Current treatment options for a specific age and gender population
b. Recent research on this disease and possible nursing interventions

Part B. Annotated Bibliography

For this part, you must provide 6 information sources you’d feel comfortable recommending to your patient. You must provide a complete APA citation (use Noodletools or the Purdue OWL to help with proper formatting—there’s no excuse to lose points for sloppy citations). An annotation is simply a short description of a resource. After each citation, provide a brief description of why you selected the resource.

You may use more than one source type, (i.e., two web resources or two books) but I want you to choose at least three different source types. Remember that full-text journal, book or encyclopedia articles retrieved through a library database (such as CINAHL, Academic Search Premier or Lexis-Nexis) are not considered web sites:

1. Web Site (can be organizational site, online news story, etc.)
2. Book
3. Reference Source
4. Academic Journal article
5. Magazine or Newspaper article
6. Other media (DVD, video, audio, etc.)

Extra Credit: Can you find a suitable health information source for a non-English-speaking patient? Provide a citation annotation. (2 points)

Suggested Health Topics*

AIDS
Alcoholism
Alzheimer’s Disease
Anorexia Nervosa
Asthma
Breast Cancer
Coronary Artery Disease
Cystic Fibrosis
Depression
Diabetes—Type I
Diabetes—Type II
Food Allergies
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
HIV/AIDS
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
Infertility
Influenza
Migraine Headaches
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Parkinson's Disease d)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Prostate Cancer
Renal Failure
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sleep Apnea
Stroke

* You are encouraged to come up with your own topics, but you must clear them with the instructor by week 3.

Thing #6--Subscribe to Some Feeds

Now that you've set up your Google Reader account and set up a few feeds, I want you to find and subscribe to two feeds that have to do with your project. You can search for feeds using the built in Google Reader feed directory or you can find appropriate websites that concern your topic and subscribe to their feeds.

As you search for feeds, try to find sites that produce content you think is appropriate for scholarly, college-level research. There's quite a lot of questionable health information on the web, so carefully evaluate the sites you visit before subscribing to feeds.

In your blog post, tell me how you found the feeds and why you choose them.

Blog length: at least 150 words
Blog must be posted by: Monday, January 22nd, by 9pm

Extra credit (1 point)

Go to www.pubmed.gov

Do a keyword search on your topic, and see if you can figure out how to set up a feed. Include the URL for that feed in your blog post so I can check it out.

Thing #5: RSS--You're Web Inbox

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Using RSS is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to organize the world of online information for your own personal use. RSS is one of those concepts that is harder to explain than to use. So, I recommend that you listen to the audio portion above and then just dive right in.

If you don't quite understand what you are doing at first, that's okay, it will become clearer as you go. (But if you are one of those people who wants to read about it before you do it, check out the Resources link below).

1) Go to https://www.google.com/reader/ and log in with your Blogger username and password.

2) Watch the short video introduction (very helpful!)

3) Using the "Add subscription" button, search for a topic of interest and subscribe to one of the feeds.

4) Subscribe to a feed from a website. I recommend that you subscribe to the LIBY 1210-04 blog feed (scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" link.

Whew! Now answer a couple of questions in your blog post:

1) How would you explain RSS to a friend? (You might try looking at the Resources below to get some ideas)

2) What might you use RSS feeds for in your school/personal life?

Resources: http://del.icio.us/liby1210/rss

Blog length: at least 150 words
Blog must be posted by: Monday, January 22th by 9pm

Thing #4: Pick your Project Topic

This one's pretty quick and easy.

First, take a look at the project assignment here.

Read through it and then select the health topic you want to investigate and post it to your blog with the heading "Thing #4." That's it!

From this point forward in the class, you'll be on the lookout for good resources to use for your final project. Some of the later "things" will ask you to find specific types of resources. Through posting your assignments on you blogs (and using NoodleTools--more on that later) you'll be assembling the content of the final project as you go.

Questions about the final project? Ask away!

Blog posting due by Monday, 1/22 at 9PM

Thing #3: Take a Tour!

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Your library is lots of things including books, magazines, newspapers, computers, and online databases, but did you know you can also borrow a laptop and find map collections? There's no better way to get an sense of all the forms of information available to you than by taking a library tour.

For this exercise, you'll need a University Library Self-Guided Walking Tour (available at the Reference desk on the lower mall). Grab one and follow the steps. Sorry, no snacks provided.

As you take the tour, you can complete those questions from Thing #2 that require you to flip through a book or two. Just don't forget to post all the answers to your blog.

After the tour, create another post (and remember it helps me lots if you follow the number scheme, so calling it "Thing 3" is very kind!) and answer the following questions:

1. Where, in your estimation is the best library bathroom located? (It's always good to know this sort of thing)

2. If you wanted to take an undisturbed nap in the library, where would you go?

3. What part of the library, in your opinion, offers the best view?

You're done!

Thing #2: Haystac, Your Oddly Named Library Catalog

This first week is just about getting familiar with the "physical library" as in getting such critical information as where the best bathrooms are located, where to take an undisturbed nap or where to enjoy a pleasant vista? So, you're going to take a tour (I confess I once worked as tour guide, but in the spirit of "do it yourself" information seeking, this one is self-guided)

Before you do that, though, take a little time to get familiar with Haystac (the library catalog) - in fact, you can do most (but not all) of this "Thing" from home and fill in the gaps while doing the tour (Thing #3).

Use the blue Library of Congress Classification handout (available at the Reference Desk or try here and find a call number subclass for a topic that interests you. You may want to choose something from Medicine or Science, but it's not necessary for this assignment.

Make a note of the topic and subclass letters. You will fill out the answers to the following and post them in your blog with "Thing 2" as the post title.

Topic:
Call number subclass (two letters):

Okay, that was pretty easy, now find three books and one media item using that call number. You'll need to include the following information for each item (so jot it down as you search):

1. Reference book
* Call number
* Title
* Author
* Subjects (hint: look for the blue links under the Location & Call Number table)
* Two interesting facts or ideas you found in this resource and the page numbers where you found those facts or ideas.

2. Non-reference book:(hint: non-reference books are shelved in the stacks)
* Call number
* Title
* Author
* Subjects
* Two interesting facts or ideas you found in this resource and the page numbers where you found those facts or ideas.

3. Electronic book
* Call number (if possible, some e-books don't have a call number)
* Title
* Author
* Subjects (hint: look for the blue links under the location & call number table to find subjects)
* Two interesting facts or ideas you found in this resource and the page numbers where you found those facts or ideas.

4. Video or DVD or Audio recording (hint: see directions below):
* Call number (if possible)
* Title
* Author
* Subjects


So how do you find these materials? Here are some handy directions:

* Use the Call Number Search option to find books with the two letter LC classification that you have chosen.
* Then use the "Limit this Search" option to limit by WHERE the item is located: reference, book stacks, or internet resource.
* For the video/DVD/audio resource, do a WORD search for your topic and limit the location to "Media/Reserves Collection".


* REMINDER: All of the call numbers for your books should start with the same two letters.

Thing #1: Set up a blog on blogger

We're going to use blogs instead of Blackboard - this means that you will be submitting almost all of your work through your personal blog and, as previously mentioned, I will be posting assignments using the class blog.

Blog is an abbreviation of the term "weblog" - and it is a bit like an online journal. If you have a myspace page, you know what I am talking about. Why are we using blogs? They organize information in an easy-to-read and navigate format and I'll be able to subscribe to your blog's RSS feed to get regular updates. Also, there is the convenient time/date stamp for all blog entries. Questions? Get in touch with me.

Set up your blog and add your first post.
1. Go to http://www.blogger.com and set up and create a blog.

2. The default set-up for a blog is public. If you would rather make the blog private (so that only you and I can read it), go to Settings > Permissions > Blog Readers.

3. Add your first post - a short introduction. Write a little bit about yourself and your interests. Also, please tell me what you hope to learn from the class and how I can best help you accomplish your goals.

4. Email me the URL (address) for your blog so I can check it out. My email address is korey.brunetti@csueastbay.edu

Resources:

Introduction to Blogs and Blogging: http://www.techlearning.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=18400984
Introduction to Weblogs
http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?LibraryBlogs/IntroductionToWeblogs