Journals, learning more about

The Encyclopedia includes 253 alphabetically arranged entries written by 170 authors. The text is supplemented with more than 600 photographs, illustrations, sidebars, and maps. Entries contain a set of cross-references to related entries within the set, as well as a bibliography of related books and journal articles to guide readers who want to learn more about a given topic. The front matter in Volume 1 includes a list of entity topics, and the back matter in Volume 3 contains both an extensive timeline of important dates in energy history and a comprehensive subject index. 

Read and review the Discussion sections of the journal articles that you collected during your literature search (begun with Writing on Your Own task 2C). Read these Discussion sections to learn more about your topic and to find ways to describe and interpret your findings. Examine how the authors applied their findings to a broader research context. Identify articles that you want to cite in your paper, such as works that offer supporting or conflicting evidence. Jot down careful notes as you read. 

The next step of the business planning process is to explore the prospects for various types of value-added services. At this point it is helpful to have several ideas for value-added services that could be implemented. One of the best ways to do this is to observe and speak with pharmacy department customers. This is essential to learn more about their needs and can help business planners learn more about their environments (which will be important later in the process). Other sources for ideas about value-added pharmacy services include colleagues, professional organizations, pharmacy magazines and journals, professional meetings and seminars, the Internet, consultants, books, and full-service wholesalers. 

A practical group project often requires students to keep a learning log or journal. This may have different sections, each written differently. In one example of a small fieldwork project, students first had to keep a record of their meetings and the decisions they made. They then had to write more personally about the experience of carrying out the study. Towards the end of the project they had to reflect on what they had learnt, in two ways firstly on how their practical work had helped them to understand more about the theory of fieldwork research that they had learnt at the beginning of the course secondly, on what they had learnt about working in a group and how they had each contributed. 

The paucity of data on MIC at the time of the Bhopal accident and extensive toxicity data on diisocyanates (Anonymous, 1966 Varma, 1986) prompted the prestigious journal Lancet (Anonymous, 1984a) to comment, In a year s time wc will have learned a lot more about methyl isocyanate — at an appalling price. Indeed, wc did learn a lot in a few years time. The U.S. National Toxicology... 

These compounds can be made from the starting materials listed in this chapter in a fev steps. Try to find out starting materials and propose synthetic procedures of your own Then compare with the procedures given in the journal. If you regularly make up your own problems from scientific journals, work them through seriously, and slowly get to more complicated target molecules, you cannot fail to learn a lot about solving synthetic problems in a realistic manner ... 

The statement that the title should be descriptive of the matter of a communication seems to be a truism, but insufficient attention appears to be paid to the titles of papers submitted to learned journals. This is particularly true when papers are part of a series—for example, one of a series of papers may be entitled Studies in the Chemistry of X and Y, Part 47. Attempted Synthesis of Y. Suppose X and Y are complex alkaloids often such a paper deals only with the preparation of some complex ring structures—oxaazulenes, perhaps—from which the investigators hope ultimately to synthesize the subject of their main interest. Hence the paper is really about oxaazulenes and not alkaloids X and Y. The repercussions of this on indexing are serious. However, the new keyword in context indexes Chemical Titles) which are compiled by computer from titles of papers and used for awareness in the period between original publications and effective use of chemical and physical abstracts, may alter this. As special keyword indexes are compiled from titles, authors may give more thought to the relation of a title to its paper. 

As we explored in Chapter 7, when you write essays it can be very difficult to know when and how to put in your own opinion. By contrast, a learning journal absolutely encourages you to do so. This can be empowering and can help you to be more confident about your own ideas. Be as bold or as tentative as you like. Here is an example, about the book Bartleby by Herman Melville (1991). 

Now that you have built your very own bird-house and birdbath, you can become a bird watcher. Pick a spot where you can sit and watch your birdhouse or birdbath. Be very quiet so that you do not scare the birds away. A pair of binoculars will help you to see the birds more closely. This activity will make a great science project, so don t forget to get out your nature Journal and write down what you observe. The following questions will help you learn about the bird family living in your birdhouse. 

I created a computer tracking system that sent automatic e-mails to columnists, reminding them that their column was due in one week, two days, and one day. The reminders worked wonders, and because columns were in on time, the editors and layout staff were able to produce the paper in a timely manner—instead of being forced to pull all-nighters. So, I decided to work on the paper to learn about journalism, but also to tackle a leadership role and to prove that I could implement creative ideas to make an organization run more smoothly. 

This is the difference from print journalism You ll be told by reporters what the story is about documentary filmmakers are telling you what they see. My background is writing, but 1 write differently now because I ve learned a lot from documentary filmmaking. My writing s become much more visual, and pieces are constructed more like documentaries, with scenes in them. I think it makes them easier to read. 

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