Team+1,+ref+log+1a


 * Team 1, Reference log 1a: Encyclopedias ||  ||<   ||
 * Reviewed by //Ginny//

Information attempted (repeatedly) but NOT retrieved on February 8, 2010, from [|www.encyclopedia.com] || Powered by High Beam Research, Inc., Encyclopedia.com is a free online encyclopedia and winner of the 2010 SIIA “Codie” Award for Best Online Consumer Information Service. Featuring over 100 trusted sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses, it promotes itself as a source of facts, articles (current and archived), pictures, biographies, definitions, and so forth. Encyclopedia.com offers information of use to researchers, students, educators, and professionals. In addition to general encyclopedias, such as the //Columbia Encyclopedia// (6th ed.), Encyclopedia.com provides access to specialized encyclopedias such as the //Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery// or encyclopedias dedicated solely to science or computers. Likewise, additional reference materials (e.g., dictionaries) may be general or specialized in nature. From the Home Page, users may conduct searches using a traditional search box feature or may select from a defined set of twelve categories including topics such as medicine, history, science and technology, or places.

For the purposes of this assignment, the //Columbia Encyclopedia// (6th ed.) was my intended target of investigation since a second general encyclopedia was required. From the Encyclopedia.com Home Page, the //CE// was mentioned in three different places but none of them hyperlinked to access it directly. Clicking on the featured article (from the //CE//), I was led to a LIST of advertisements before scrolling down to a small article. Unable to locate a portal to the //CE// at large, I returned to the Home Page and clicked “Research Categories” at the top of the screen which led to a small drop-down menu where I selected “View all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com.” This led me to a list of Research sources, grouped according to type. Scrolling down to the “Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Transcripts, and Maps” link, I was provided a two-page list of available resources…but no //Columbia Encyclopedia//. (On a side note, I don’t see much value in the //World Almanac// publications from 2002-2005.) Returning to the Home Page once again, I utilized the generic Search box in the hopes this would gain access to the //CE// but once again, my efforts were fruitless. In frustration, I gave up and decided to write this review as an honest reflection of my experiences. If a nearly 40-year old woman was ready to lose her temper over such a frustrating website, one can only imagine how an adolescent middle school student might react?!! I’m sure the nice people at SIIA have their reasons for honoring Encyclopedia.com with their “Codie” but I don’t believe it was based upon easy accessibility to the //Columbia Encyclopedia//!! ||

Grades: 5-12+ Subject(s): All Rating: //2// || ||< //Kesha's// comment :

//Claudie's// comment : I appreciate your frustrations. I found it very difficult to find a legitimate, worthwhile source on-line. If it is any consolation, I did find the Compton's print version very good. I have chatted with some media specialists I worked with in Texas, and they really love the GALILEO opportunities we have here. I only use the resources within GALILEO when dealing with students (my children or students). Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance. (2005). New Jersey: Ferguson Publications. The purpose of the Career Guidance section is to provide a brief overview of all of the aspects of career guidance.
 * Reviewed by //Kesha//

The career guidance section covers a number of topics that entry level job seekers would find relevant. Included in this section one will find different tools that a potential job seeker may use to identify careers of interest, including web sites for assessment tests.

The Career fields section provides an overview of over 93 fields.

Each career entry contains vital information for career seekers including: a background of the industry the structure of the industry an outlook for the future of the industry contact information for related professional organizations words to know (vocabulary related to the career field potentially interesting careers are included

Review of Material As a business education teacher, this would be an extremely valuable tool to use in my class because each grade level has a standard that addresses developing a career plan. This encyclopedia provides any student, who is examining their future career potential, with a tool that they can use on their own. While college recruiting is covered, this encyclopedia is definitely geared toward 7-12.

A piece of information that is noticeably missing from this encyclopedia is a salary or wage statement for the careers.  Subject: (Business Education, Guidance)

Grades: 7-12 Rating: // 9 // ||  ||<  //Ginny's// comment : Sounds like a great resource. The next time I'm at the high school where I previously worked, I'm going to check with the Media Center and the Career Center to see if either have this title. Career exploration and development is increasingly important for secondary school students with the influx of jobs that simply didn't exist when we were in college.

//Claudie's// comment : I look for a version of this ot public librarynd it was a 2000 edition but I did like the layout. My youngest daughter is starting to look at careers in communications and I think a book like this might help her. When my oldest daughter did a project in school that dealt with career and budgeting she used many different on-line sources. They gave her a salary scale. ||  Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press (2009). //The New Georgia Encyclopedia//. Retrieved February 2, 2010 from [|www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Home.jsp] The //New Georgia Encyclopedia// is an on-line encyclopedia for information about the people, places, events, and institutions of Georgia. The site [|www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Home.jsp] contains articles, images, and audio and video clips on the history, culture, and life of the state of Georgia. Drop down menus list quick facts and detailed historical events from folklore to current events. Various information cataloging types help every type of learner. The Index menu gives options of alphabetical lists by articles, authors, forthcoming articles and new articles. Plus a search engine that reflects suggested and matching titles as you type. Each article is full of related (referenced) links and sources are cited on the page/paragraph. Very current yet surprisingly in depth covering the early settlement, native American influences and current issues. Within NGE’s Editorial Policy you will find standards in place to ensure information is authoritative, educational and provides expert coverage of every subject. During the editorial process insurances are made to identify the best authors, relevant changes and revisions, internal and external links are checked. The articles strive to be free of bias or personal opinion give a balanced approach to the subject. Prior to final posting and inclusion on the site, everything (text, multimedia) go through a strenuous editorial review process. Age/grade level:6th and up Subject area(s): All about Georgia Overall rating (1-10): very good (8) Cost: free to those with internet access ||   ||<  //Ginny's// comment : What a great website! With the 8th grade Social Studies curriculum consisting primarily of Georgia history, I talked with those teachers at my school who assured me this is a frequent site of reference throughout the school year. I appreciated that in addition to a nice quantity of information, its visual presentation & organization was pleasing.
 * Reviewed by //Claudie//

//Kesha's// comment : ||