Finding Information in a Web of Lies

What is the hardest thing about finding information and doing research on a topic for you personally? Did this library research course help? In what ways did this course help you?

Every single day, a student logs on to a computer, clicks the Internet Explorer link to search something for their class, and forgets the original reason why they came to the computer in the first place. The truth is that students would rather find the fastest, easiest way out of assignments. Thus, we often will settle for bad information on the web just to get finished with our assignment at the last possible minute. Our lives, as students, are focused on being fast, and being finished first. We sacrifice education and knowledge for the mountain of work we have to do in the most compressed amount of time. You can almost say this exact procedure occurs for a lot of tasks...text messaging, talking on the phone, typing a paper. Everything is fast.

The hardest thing about finding information or doing research on a topic is finding information which is truly valuable and valid. Although it may seem like such a trivial task, going on the internet has become such a challenge in the modern day. Often times, people do not take the time to find information that is appropriate for their given tasks. For instance, say a student is searching information about Brown v. Board of Education. The student believes that the most convenient and true information will be found on a search engine. So, he types “google.com” into the web address box, types “Brown v. Board” and receives a Wikipedia page as the second link. He clicks this link and believes that he is truly looking at valuable information on the internet, making his life easier and accomplishing the task faster. Nowadays, people just do not know how to distinguish true information from false facts.

In addition, the trouble with this fast-paced method of operation is that the purpose for finding information is lost. We get so caught up in accomplishing the task fast and forget about the quality of our response. I blame this disconnect partly on the teacher and partly on the student. First, teachers will give an assignment to students, assuming that they know how to find the information or that they have access to the resources which the assignment requires. And second, students take the easy route out of things instead of actually struggling through the research process (an arduous task for those willing to battle its incessant trials). The teacher makes the assumption, the student makes the mistake—it is a vicious cycle of a less than perfect academic relationship.

Personally, this situation is exactly what is troubling for me when I am finding information or doing research on a topic. I argue that finding information which is both “easy to find” and “true to the very end” is extremely hard to do. We, as students, have a limited amount of time to complete a project. Thus, our research demands a certain amount of punctuality. In terms of solving this problem, this eminent library research answered some imperative questions. The class avoided the vicious cycle between teacher and student since I was able to learn so much in such a short amount of time without any trouble. Specifically, I learned about finding valuable information and making sure to cite the works used in my paper. Also, I feel that I learned how to balance both punctuality and finding valid information...it is all about finding some sort of equilibrium. Now, when I have a research project, I know that I will have the skills to see past the “web of lies” and use true, cited information to prove my analysis.

"Since everything is on the internet, I don't need books...right?"

Wrong. Many people may think that books are no longer important or that their use in society is neither functional nor efficient. This scenario actually reminds me of the book, Fahrenheit 451—a synecdoche for the broad disrespect for literature and books. In this classic novel, books are burned to symbolize the disregard for knowledge. Often, this dramatization becomes reality when a person asks, "Since everything is on the internet, I don't need books...right?"

This statement is an example of a logical fallacy. First of all, "everything" is not on the internet. There are so many things that are false on the internet which claim to be true. Since this hasty generalization is the main foundation of the argument, the argument is obviously invalid. In addition, books offer so much more than the regular biased internet. Books offer intellectual stimulus without the distractions of Youtube or Facebook or Blogger.

If one were to truly realize the beauty of books and the written word, he or she would see the complication with the internet or technological world. With books, nothing can be truly altered without someone easily noticing. On the internet, anything can be changed with the quick expertise of an online hacker. Books offer valuable information which is tangible and can be easily distinguished—they are either obviously fictitious or obviously truthful.

The truth is that most teenagers would say this exact phrase to get out of having to do book reports or read textbooks for classes. We would be devoid of so many tasks, assignments, and class work. Essentially, life would be easier…more time for fun and games rather than homework.  

But who ever said easier is better?

People should not take the easy way out of things. The easy route would be to use the internet to find out information. But with so many websites like Wikipedia (where "volunteers" can edit the information on every page), most of the information presented on the internet is false or just pure opinion. Thus, sometimes being courageous and taking the harder route in life (reading an actual book) symbolizes one's perseverance and effort to seek truth outside of the "web" of lies.

Libraries and Librarians

I think Librarians help people find information and books in a library. They also act as a liaison between group and individual setting by being able to adapt to a plethora of different situations. For example, Ms. Moser could help an entire class with its library research assignment which focuses on a broad scope of health topics. Meanwhile, a minute later, she could help a first-year medical student find information on a specific type of adenocarcinoma. In this example, it is evident that librarians can easily work in individual and group environments which, in turn, exemplifies their versatility.

I also think that it would be really cool if librarians held teaching sessions where they could inform students about the latest information regarding library research or new books in the library. Students are always looking for the most recent information for their intense graduate or professional classes; thus, an informational session could be handy for research projects.

In the future, I think libraries around the world will have little white cubicles where only one person can sit and read a book or work on homework in complete silence. However, inside the normal library section where the bookshelves are located, people can converse as loud as they please while the quiet cubicles are located in a different section of the building. In Manhattan, New York, one of the busiest cities in the United States, there are companies which have locations across the city, offering cubicles where citizens can get 3-10 hours of sleep in a quiet, uninterrupted area. This type of cocooned bliss would be the basis behind the quiet centers of future libraries.

The Future

I have a passion for talking, communicating, and writing. In college, I plan to major in molecular biology and minor in general business. Eventually after undergraduate, I would like to become a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist (M.D.) with an emphasis in cognitive neuroscience. My passion for helping people and talking through problems will clearly be developed through this career choice. The Pre-Collegiate Program is helping me accomplish my goals through introducing me to the world of health careers. Before this program, I had no clue about half of the health professions available after college. Consequently, the program has also given me access to fields of academia through attending classes on the Anchutz Medical Campus which, in turn, has developed my interest in health careers.

What an interesting prospect...the future. Almost always when I think of my future and what I would like to do and accomplish, I think of all the people who I know will help me along the way. Friends, family, and even casual acquaintances will all help me discover what I really want to do in life. As discussed today during my math class, I believe that people are generally nice. Now, with that being said, of course there are some individuals who are inherently brutish; but for the most part, there is at least some light inside of each individual. In the future, I would like to inspire this light to shine.

I want to help people. I know this simple sentence makes one think, "Well, many people want to help, why do you think you are any different?" And the truth is, I do not always know what I want to do in the future, but I know I want to inspire the best in people. I want them to feel good about themselves and trust in their ability to survive life's hardships. I want people to feel that there is no need for isolation and loneliness in a world where feelings are universal. I want the individual to understand that it is not the events in our lives which define who we are as people, but our reactions to the events which truly count.