Information Literacy - Resource Ranking Chart

OK.  Here it is.  I finally finalized (sort of, kind of, maybe) that resource ranking chart I mentioned last week.  I'm posting it via Google documents.  You can find it here in PDF.  You can download or print the document from there.  It might be a useful tool when dealing with resource selection in information literacy courses or in any course requiring research. 

I would really like some feedback on this since I know I have at least one librarian reading this (I'm looking at you C).  I waffled between four and five ranking sections before finally settling on four.  However, there's lots of room for flexibility and movement in this chart.  The rankings can break down by decimal if necessary. 

Making a general chart for this sort of thing is more difficult than I originally thought.  I think modifying the chart to be subject specific would take away some of the ambiguity.  However, any little bit of guidance I can create to help students or other curious people is still a good day's work in my book.  Unless, I've managed to confuse them more.

EDIT:  I'm posting a comment from C below.  She was able to email me the comment, but couldn't get anything to post in the comment section.

Future Blog Posts

After 7pm central time, I am taking a weekend break from the internet.  I’m betting I’ll last about five hours before I’m crawling on my hands and knees asking the interwebs to please take me back. 

Before I take my break, I thought it’d be a good idea to post a to-do list to motivate me for the next couple of weeks.  I have readers (according to my stats page), and if I don’t deliver on my promised posts, I’m sure you’ll be very disappointed. 

Here’s what I’m working on now for future posts:

1)     A ratings/rankings system for research resources:  This is kind of my attempt at providing some stability in chart form to choosing resources.  Of course, resources can vary widely in their uses and relevance depending on the situation, so this may be one of those projects that’s in revision mode forever.  Still, I’ll post something next week.

2)     Summary Series:  I think it might be cool to read and summarize some scholarly articles available in the library science journals.  I’ll focus mainly on information literacy and critical thinking but may summarize whatever other articles tickle my fancy.  This is my way of keeping current in the literature and doing a kind of literature review.

3)     Imaginary Lessons and Lesson Plans:  I’ve got some ideas for critical thinking and information literacy coursework that I’d like to get on paper.  I may post lessons or worksheets or possible classroom scenarios.  Some may not be suitable for all classrooms (I have one weird idea involving Crack.com articles).

4)     Logic skills/terminology:  I’m terrible at some of the terminology when it comes to logic.  Not all of it, but it’d be nice to force myself into a terminology tutorial.

5)     Darwin Day!!!  I haven’t read On the Origin of Species.  Can you believe that?  Darwin Day is February 12^th this year, so I’m going to read the book this week and post some Darwin Day themed posts on the big day.

Is that enough for now?

Have a great weekend.

Blood Donation at Red Cross

I donated blood today!  I made an appointment online at the Red Cross and spent about an hour getting questioned, tested, signed up, and poked with pointy objects.  I should receive a donor card in a month or two (that’ll make the process faster), and I plan on donating every two to three months from now on.  I really should have started something like this sooner.  I’m just so used to donating money that I never think about other forms of donation (I think that makes me lazy).  However, with the Hubby the only one employed at the moment, I needed to find another way support my favorite organizations.  Donating blood was the best way I could think of doing that.  And, like the nurse at the facility said, blood is priceless. 

I feel a little woozy and was cold for a couple hours.  I’m just tired right now, but I feel wonderful that I was able to do something helpful.  And I got a neat red bandage. 

Everyone who is able should donate.  You don't have to wait for a blood drive.

Ken Ham and Kentucky

I hate Ken Ham.  I'm not going to be nice or PC about this.  The man is a disaster for the world and for the state of Kentucky.  He and his creation museum and ark theme park make me fear for my state and, more importantly, my job search. 

I have this horrible nightmare that all my applications will be thrown in the trash when the hiring managers and committees see I'm from Kentucky.  The state's current associations make me cringe.

PZ Myers (yes, I get many posting topics from him) posts about Ken Ham's "teaching" style.  Ham is very good at not teaching critical thinking skills.  The video is terrifying.

Lapsing Academia and Woo

PZ Myers posted about bouts of failure in the academic world.  I know that universities and other institutes of higher learning require money to function.  Doesn't everything?  But this selling out to homeopathy and other woo is rather ridiculous. 

My dream job is in an academic library.  I just hope I don't end up at a university that promotes learning through osmosis or astral travel.