Mary Jo Garcia
Web Quest
What is a Web Quest?
A web is a learning activity developed in 1995 by Bernie Dodge and Tom
March from San Diego State University that engages students in a
directed, independent research activity that accomplishes a particular
learning goal. The web quest can be complex--a whole course--or
simple--a learning activity that meets a goal. It involves instructor
preparation of a web research activity that enables students to find and
use information available through the web. It is active. It can be a
collaborative or independent project. It should result in a particular
measurable outcome.
Goal
This activity will engage you in a web quest so that you can see the
elements of the activity, experience a search, and think about ways to
adapt the activity yourself. You should leave with this activity
completed and some ideas for using this activity yourself.
Background
The activity you will engage is taken from an English 102 course that
introduces students to research. They have just finished reading the
book, Come Hell or High Water, by Michael Eric Dyson and will
begin to write a short, documented essay using at least two sources that
analyzes some aspect of the book. They have engaged in discussion about
the people, their motivations, inspirations, and actions. Now they are
ready to begin research. This activity will get them started, take them
to a few research sites, and ask them to write a paragraph that could be
used in an essay on Michael Eric Dyson and Come Hell or High Water.
The QuestTop
Introduction
As you begin your study of Michael Eric Dyson, it would be be helpful to
know a bit about his background. Most writers are influenced by their
own lives, and Dyson is no exception. Reading quickly through the
following material will enable you to see how Dyson life shaped his
books, in particular, Come Hell or High Water.
Task
Write a paragraph explaining the ways that Michael Dyson's life
influenced his novel, Come Hell or High Water.
Process
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visit the sites listed below
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skim the material looking specifically for information about his life
and how it influenced Come Hell or High Water.
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jot some notes to yourself
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talk to a partner or two to compare information
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write a paragraph that:
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has a topic sentence that generalizes about the points you will
make
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has at least five sentences
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uses two critics or sources - introduces each critic
-
Provides minimal information about source in parentheses at end of
sentence
Information Sources Top
After the search under the items found choose one or more of the
following articles in the databases or web sites:
Suggested Web Sits:
-
Articles in magazines & Journals:
To access these databases
from home or office please go to
Magazine & Journal page and follow the instructions for setting your
browser.
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Use the
Literature Databases to find the best databases for finding articles
on literature.
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LION (Literature Online) database has information on
Michael Eric Dyson.
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In the search box type Dyson, Michael
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You will find a few articles on this author however many deal with
his other books.
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One article is:
Jones, Meta DuEwa.:
An interview with Michael Eric Dyson. Callaloo: a journal of
African-American and African arts and letters (Univ. of Virginia,
Charlottesville) (Baltimore, MD) (29:3) [Summer 2006] ,
p.786-802,1017.
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Literature Resource Center by Gale is one of the best
database for literary research.
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Click on Literature Resource Center
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In the author search box type in Dyson, Michael
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One article is:
"Michael Eric Dyson", in Contemporary Authors Online. (A profile
of the author's life and works)
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There are also other reviews of his works. Here are just a few of
the 44 articles. Some reviews are of previous works by the author.
Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster
.(Brief article)(Audiobook review) Booklist Jul 1, 2007
Dynamite, Dignity & Katrina. (Michael Eric Dyson's
views)(Interview) Publishers Weekly Jan 16, 2006
Come Hell
or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster.
(Brief Article)(Book Review) Publishers Weekly Jan 16, 2006
-
Ethnic News Watch has reviews and articles on Dyson and on
Come Hell or High Water. Here are a few:
Dyson Dissects The Travesty Of Katrina Charles Hallman. Sacramento
Observer. Sacramento, Calif.: Aug 31-Sep 6, 2006. Vol. 43, Iss.
37; pg. E6, 1 pgs
"When the Levees Broke" destroys illusions of caring
Frederick B Hudson. New York Amsterdam News. New York, N.Y.: Aug
31-Sep 6, 2006. Vol. 97, Iss. 36; pg. 20, 2 pgs
Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster
Angela P Dodson. Black Issues Book Review. Fairfax: May/Jun
2006. Vol. 8, Iss. 3; pg. 40, 1 pgs
Dyson speaks out on key issues Bobbi Booker. Philadelphia
Tribune. Philadelphia, Pa.: Feb 13, 2007. Vol. 123, Iss. 25; pg.
6C, 1 pgs
Michael Eric Dyson on Cosby, Katrina and criticism Charles Hallman.
New York Beacon. New York, N.Y.: Jun 1-Jun 7, 2006. Vol. 13, Iss.
22; pg. 16, 1 pgs
AN ESSAY ON THE DESPUTE BETWEEN BILL COSBY & MICHAEL ERIC DYSON
Malik McCluskey. Black Renaissance. New York: 2006. Vol. 6/7, Iss.
3/1; p. 122 (11 pages)
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Humanities International Complete is another good database
to use.Some of these article are not full text and must be inter
library loaned.
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SocIndex with full text is another database that is useful.
Some articles need to be inter library loaned for full text.
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History Resource Center:
Hurricane Katrina, 2005 - many
articles under this search
The Chronicle of Higher Education,
May 4, 2007 v53 i35 pNA Your Dignity Is an Edifying Example.(Brief
article) Dyson, Michael Eric.
Other web sites of interest on Katrina:
The Online NewsHour: PBSIn-depth Coverage of After Hurricane Katrina by
the Online NewsHour.
After Hurricane Katrina |
FEMA Faces Intense Scrutiny
Archive of Articles on Katrina
Government Web Articles on Katrina
[PDF] The effect of Hurricane Katrina on employment and unemployment
CDC. Surveillance for illness and injury after Hurricane Katrina---New
Orleans, Louisiana, September 8--25, 2005. MMWR 2005;54:1018--21.
07
September 2005
New Orleans a City Characterized by Its Diversity
Hurricane Data and Emergency Preparedness- Hurricane Katrina Census Reports
Other web articles on Katrina:
Poor Still Suffer One Year After Katrina - Newsweek National News ...
Videos from YouTube:
Hurricane Katrina
Remembering Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina Dog Rescue in 9th Ward (MuttShack.org) Video from
YouTube
Kayne
West Hurricane Katrina
ActivityTop
After gathering information, write a paragraph. It should:
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generalize about what you found,
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develop your point in at least four supporting sentences,
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use two critical sources.
You should introduce each critic or critical source in your text and you
should cite enough information about the source that the reader can find
this source on your Works Cited page. For example, you sentence might
begin like this: Interviewer Jones explains that Dyson learned about
Katrina's disaster relief efforts through interviews of the
survivors...... (Jones "An Interview with Michael Eric Dyson"). The
analysis of the political and social aftermath of the storm helped Dyson
criticize the emergency response to poor black people. Not that you only
include what is essential in the parentheses where you cite your source,
for you will include the entire web address in the Works Cited page. Be
sure to copy and save that information as you do your research.
EvaluationTop
Your paragraph will be evaluated by a peer and by your instructor using
the following criteria:
Does paragraph:
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generalize about your point in a topic sentence (ideally the first
sentence)--20 pts.
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have at least four sentences that support the topic sentence--20 pts.
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use two critical sources--20 pts.
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introduce each critic at least once--20 pts.
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provide minimal information on source in parentheses at the end of the
sentence where critic is referred to--20 pts.
Please exchange paragraphs with peers or groups to see the total points
you earned for this activity.
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