Researching an Agriculture Issue

Section: Advanced Agribusiness

Unit: Agriculture Issues

Lesson Titles: Researching an Agriculture Issue

Agriculture Issues

1. Should a person become a vegetarian?2. Is our surface water being contaminated by the use of pesticides? 3. Should organic farming be used as an alternative to help maximize

profits?4. Are there reasonable alternatives to animal testing? 5. Why would I want to associate with the agriculture industry that

always seems to be under fire by the public? 6. Do check offs and producer funded programs have a significant

impact on increasing food costs in the United States?7. Is the impact of public opinion affecting agricultural policy?8. Will more funding for agricultural biotechnology research keep U.S.

agriculture competitive on a global perspective?

Questions to Answer

1. What are your opinions on the issue?

2. Is this an important issue in your life?

3. What sides are part of this issue?

4. What history is a part of this issue?

5. Who is involved in this issue?

6. What are the pros and cons of this issue?

How do you get started Researching an Agriculture Issue?

Recall your personal experiences. Visit the concern. Talk with someone who knows. Listen and read. Use the library.

Brain Dump Web Example

Surface water contamination

Pesticides

Hazardous materials

Where should it go

Causes of contamination

The amount of pesticide used

Where do you find Information for an Agriculture Issue? Books Magazines and Newspapers Pamphlets Encyclopedias Biographies Statistical Information Government Publications Valid Internet Sources

Web Sites to Evaluate

http://www.csiro.au/communication/rabbits/qa1.htm

http://www.improb.com/airchives/classical/cat/cat.html

http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/jackalope.html

Evaluating Sources of Information1. Does this source have a reputation for

accuracy? 2. Does this newspaper print the facts about

events exactly as they occurred? 3. Are the facts printed in this website, magazine

or pamphlet verified by reports from other sources?

4. Have the authors of this book checked their facts with care?

Evaluating Sources of Information (Continued)5. Is this source biased? 6. Does the source distort the facts to fit his preconceived

ideas? 7. Does this magazine present only one side of a

controversy? 8. Does this newspaper “color” the news by printing those

items favorable to a particular set of interests or political party?

9. Have the people I interviewed shown a bias because of the company for which they work or the causes in which they believe?

Evaluating Sources of Information (Continued)

10. Is this information complete?

11. Am I given all the facts?

12. Are some facts being withheld?

13. Have I checked every possible source of information?

How do you Cite Sources? Books

Author. Title. City, State where published: Publishing Company, Copyright Date.

Angel, David. The Internet Business Companion: Growing Your Business in the Electronic Age. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.

Magazines Author. “Title of the Article.” Name of Magazine Day Month.

Year: pages. Tully, Shawn. “The Universal Teenager.” Fortune 4 Apr.

1994: 14-16. Newspapers

Author. “Title of the Article.” Name of Newspaper Day Month Year, edition.: number.

Bleakley, Fred R. “Companies’ Profits Grew 48% Despite Economy.” Wall Street Journal 1 May 1995, midwest ed.:1.

How do you Cite Sources? (Continued) Pamphlets

Author. Title. City, State where published: Publishing Company, Copyright Date.

Grayson, George W. The North American Free Trade Agreement. New York: Foreign Policy Association, Inc., 1993.

Encyclopedias Author. Title. Number Volume. City where

published: Publishing Company, Copyright Date. Barnouw, Eric, ed. International Encyclopedia of

Communications. 9 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

How do you Cite Sources? (Continued) Government publications

Name of Government. Name of the Agency. Title of the Publication. Where it was published: Publishing Company, Copyright date.

United States. Federal Trade Commission. Shopping by Mail or Phone. Washington: GPO, 1994.

Valid Internet Sources Name of author. “Title of work.” Title of full website.

date of access Full URL, in angle brackets Stein, Mark. “Poborsky Leaves Manchester United.”

Official Manchester United Home Page. 26 June 1998 <http://www.sky.co.uk/sports/manu>.

Choral Response

What do you need to do before you start researching?

What are the seven areas to find information? What questions should you ask about

information you find before you use that information?

How do you cite sources?