Field Research

For my field research I am going to interview a politician that my mom knows. My mother works very closely to several politicians and many have offered their knowledge to me. I will probably be conducting this interview over the phone since they are located up in Northern Colorado.

Testing Your Assigned Search Engine

• I used Redzee to search my topic

• I used the Keywords US PATRIOT Act for my search

• This search engine does not work very well. It looks nice but does not function the way it says it will. There are supposed to be roaming thumbnails of relevant pages but when you try to move around they do not rotate.

• It says there are 32 relevant hits, but I can only access a few of them.

• The pages it did bring up were fairly relevant, I would give them a 3
  

Using Internet Research Tools

I usually use the basic search engine tools of Google and Yahoo. I have been using them for many years and I am used to the way they function and their layout. Other tools I have used are the links that Prof. Clark has linked on the class Wiki. I find them to be useful as well, but need more practice with them because I have had trouble finding pertinent information in them.

Title: Patriot Act Reconsidered
Author: Bill Walace
Title of Periodical: PC World
Date: Nov 6, 2003
Pages: 2


Resourced Used: Magportal.com
Keywords Used: Patriot Act
Number of Hits: 526
Relevance: 4

Reference Works

• Resource searched: infoplease.com
• Keywords used: Patriot Act
• Date of search: September 22nd
• Number of hits: 120
• Most hits were did not give very good information for my topic, but there were a few that are very useful.

http://www.infoplease.com/search?fr=ipce6&query=patriot+act&in=encyclopedia&x=22&y=2

• Resource searched: infoplease.com
• Keywords used: September 11 2001
• Date of search: Sep. 22
• Number of hits: <120
• Relevance of hits: A lot of information when I searched this topic, but it is going to be difficult finding information to help me with my topic

http://www.infoplease.com/search?q=September+11%2C+2001&in=all&x=32&y=12&fr=iptn

Reference Works

• Resource searched: infoplease.com
• Keywords used: Patriot Act
• Date of search: September 22nd
• Number of hits: 120
• Most hits were did not give very good information for my topic, but there were a few that are very useful.

http://www.infoplease.com/search?fr=ipce6&query=patriot+act&in=encyclopedia&x=22&y=2

• Resource searched: infoplease.com
• Keywords used: September 11 2001
• Date of search: Sep. 22
• Number of hits: <120
• Relevance of hits: A lot of information when I searched this topic, but it is going to be difficult finding information to help me with my topic

http://www.infoplease.com/search?q=September+11%2C+2001&in=all&x=32&y=12&fr=iptn

Search Strings

Patriot Act + Inalienable Rights

(Patriot Act and George Bush)

Bill of Rights + Patriot Act

Patriot Act - protests

Books

1. From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A Fight for Free Speech in America
Author: Christopher M. Finan
Publisher: Beacon Press, c. 2007, Boston, Mass.

I did a keyword search on the Auraria Library site for Patriot Act. I received several hits and may have to research through several books to find pertinent information, but it does look like there is ample information out there for me.

2. The Four Freedoms Under Siege: The Clear and Present Danger from Our National Security State
Author: Marcus G. Raskin
Publisher: Praeger, c. 2007, Westport, Conn.

This was also from the keyword search Patriot Act on the Auraria Library web site. I found the most information when I used "The Patriot Act" as my keyword search.

3. The Patriot Act
Author: Debra A. Miller
Publisher: Lucent Books, c. 2007, Detroit, MI

I used Prospect and searched under the keyword Government Legislation and did not really find much that would help me in my research. So again, I used "The Patriot Act" as my keyword since it had worked so well for me before.

4. Our Rights
Author: David J Bodenhamer
Publisher: Oxford University Press, c. 2007, Oxford, New York

I used Prospect and searched under the keywords "illegal search and seizure" I was hoping to find an opposing side or a strong, laid out objection to the Patriot Act. I feel this book could offer good knowledge of the law.

Field Research

For my topic, The Patriot Act, some of the ideas that I have had for field research are as follows:

1. Interview a local Politician and get his/her point of view on the Patriot Act
2. If possible, attend a court hearing where the Patriot Act is in use
3. Interview a local telecommunication company to see if they understand or know their rights if the government wants to do a wire tapping.
4. Interview citizens that protest/support the Patriot Act (most likely will have to find them on line)
   

Narrowing my Topic

Because my paper has to follow the parameters of my question for my American National Government class, I do not believe that I will have to narrow my topic further. I should try and compile the three questions that are asked by my professor to one so that I have a single point of attack for my paper. After some more research, it may be easier for me to do so.

Research Question

I kind of lucked out because my American National Government class already laid out the questions for research. My very first post included these questions, but I have re-submitted them here.


1. What do the political parties have to say about it?
2. What actions have been taken so far?
3. What types of obstacles might act as constraints on executive action?

Exploring Topic

I have began adding bookmarks on with delicious.com. I am looking for all material about the Patriot Act that I can find. I want to have a firm grasp on all aspects of the Act and would like to hear the pros and cons that our current politicians are saying about it. I have found a few different websites that list court hearings that the Patriot Act was used in and have found a copy of the exact wording of the document.

I have a lot of reading ahead of me, but I am passionate about this topic and look forward to keep going with it.

Since I received my topic from another class, my question is already laid out for me. My very first post explains this in detail.