Passage by Sullivan:

Hello!  

This blog is part of the Thinking Activity task assigned by Prakruti Ma'am for Unit 1 of Research Methodology. In this blog, I will explore three key aspects:

1. The topic of my research and its relevance,
2. A paraphrase activity with an analysis,
3. A discussion on the types of research methods.

Through this post, I aim to provide an insightful perspective on my research journey while connecting it with broader methodological approaches.

 

Response to the First Question

Should research always strive to achieve something new and creative, or is it okay to pursue existing ideas?

Research can follow two paths:

1. Creating Something New: Innovating to produce completely original ideas or solutions.
2. Building on Existing Ideas: Reinterpreting or adding depth to already established concepts.

Both approaches are valuable, depending on the purpose. My dissertation falls into the second category—it revisits an existing idea to gain deeper insights, contributing to a richer understanding of the topic.

Paraphrase of the Passage by Sullivan

It doesn’t help much to separate art forms or movements from their history or similar ideas. Ignoring the contexts that shape these practices can lead to a narrow understanding. During times of change, when something new appears, we often forget how it connects to the past. For instance, electronic literature can’t be understood without considering traditional literature, games, and sensory experiences. To study anything critically, we must use these connections. Although we can’t cover everything, we can build on earlier works and focus on what’s most important.

Questions About the Paraphrase

1. Length Comparison: Is the paraphrase roughly the same length as the original text?
2. Copied Content: Are there any phrases or sentences that are directly copied from the original?
3. Meaning: Does the paraphrase convey the same main ideas and details as the original?

Full Form of CIS

CIS stands for Computerized Information System. It is a digital tool that helps in managing, organizing, and searching information in libraries.

Types of Searches in a CIS-Enabled Library

1. Keyword Search:

   • What It Is: Search by entering specific words related to your topic.
   • Example: Typing “feminism in literature” to find relevant resources.
   • Question: How does choosing accurate keywords improve search results?

2. Boolean Search:

   • What It Is: Combines keywords using connectors like AND, OR, NOT.
   • Example: Searching “postcolonialism AND globalization” gives results containing both terms.
   • Question: What happens when you use OR instead of AND?

3. Subject Search:

   • What It Is: Finds materials grouped under specific subjects or categories.
   • Example: Searching under “Postmodern Literature.”
   • Question: Why is this useful when exploring broad topics?

4. Title Search:

   • What It Is: Locate works by their titles.
   • Example: Searching for The Home and the World by Tagore.
   • Question: What happens if the title is misspelled?

5. Author Search:

   • What It Is: Search based on the author’s name.
   • Example: Looking up all works by Jacques Derrida.
   • Question: How does this help when exploring an author’s contributions?

6. Advanced Search:

   • What It Is: Combines fields like title, author, publication date, and more.
   • Example: Searching for works by Meena Kandasamy published after 2015.
   • Question: How does advanced search refine results?

7. Full-Text Search:

   • What It Is: Looks for specific words in the text of documents.
   • Example: Searching for the term “deconstruction” in academic papers.
   • Question: When would this type of search be most useful?

8. Citation Search:

   • What It Is: Tracks works that reference a particular source.
   • Example: Finding articles citing Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth.
   • Question: How does this help in tracing academic influence?