THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
School of Information
INF 382L.I-
Information Resources in the Humanities
Philosophy Worksheet, Word format
You are assigned to work on 5 unique questions. In addition, all students should consider responses to the last two questions on this worksheet.
For each question, please provide:
A. An analysis of the question. An acceptable response here would be to (a) highlight clues in the question (you may underline or use a highlighter or use bold type); (b) provide a short statement summarizing the clues.
B. Outline a search strategy, including subject headings you may have used that were successful. You may number your steps. These need not be full sentences.
C. Provide an answer to the question. It is acceptable to provide page numbers for lengthy responses.
D. Verify your answer in one other source. If you use an electronic source, also search in a print resource.
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1. I’m in a philosophy class. I’ll earn extra credit if I locate a quotation about creativity that features the phrase, “dancing star.”
2. I need some recent articles on evil. I would like to see some citations with annotations first.
3. Where is the headquarters of the Baptist Association of Philosophy Teachers?
4. What is the Molyneaux Problem? A professor in a vocational rehabilitation class has mentioned this in a lecture.
5. I need to identify four sources of information about Plato.
6. I am writing a brief paper about Swedish philosopher, Anders Nygren. I need some biographical information, citations to some of his writings, and criticism of some of his writings.
7. I need some obituaries of philosophers.
8. I’m a new reference librarian and I need to conduct an evaluation of our serials collection in philosophy. Can you help me find a core list of journals?
9. I just returned from the Modern Language Association annual conference. A number of presenters used the word, “trope.” What does this mean?
10. I need to identify four sources of information about Voltaire.
11. I would like a definition of “first cause.”
12. I would like a timeline of philosophy--a listing of key events and thinkers.
13. A student is involved in a public debate on the Iraqi war. He wants to read about the “dirty hands” philosophy developed in the 1970s. He’d like to read an in-depth essay that also has a bibliography of resources.
14. I need a few articles about teaching students empathy.
15. I need to identify four sources of information about Nietzsche.
16. What is the liar paradox?
17. I want to locate some schemata of the history and development of western philosophy.
18. Examine the Web sites of two academic philosophy departments. How can these sites provide help to students, including reference assistance?
19. I need to locate citations to longitudinal studies of people of color, especially of African Americans.
20. I need to identify four sources of information about Maimonides.
21. I need a brief (3-4 page) overview of theosophy.
22. A student enrolled in a class on eastern philosophy needs to know about Mencius and Zunzi. How did they disagree about the notion of evil?
23. The symbol @ has a particular, logical meaning. What is it? How is it pronounced?
24. I would like to see some recent articles on computer ethics.
25. I need to identify four sources of information about Schopenhauer.
26. A philosophy student would like to base a paper on `bad logic’ on examples in Alice in Wonderland. Where should she start?
27. Who first used the word “ochlocracy?” What does it mean?
28. I need an explanation of the prisoner’s dilemma.
29. I am enrolled in a course on eastern philosophy. I need to identify views of “essence” across cultures. I’d like to start by reading about the categories of “dravyas.” Also, can you find one or two citations for further study?
30. I need to identify four sources of information about Confucius.
31. I need to read an overview of conflict resolution.
32. I’d like a little information on the impact of Phillis Wheatley’s writing on 18th century thought.
33. An iSchool student in a cognitive science class heard a reference to a Turing machine. What does this mean?
34. I need one or more articles about moral development in adult students.
35. I need to identify four sources of information about Chomsky.
36. I need to locate an essay on Marxist through in Latin America.
37. "I've been looking for an explanation of Occam's Razor." Compare the entries in 2 or 3 sources and write the answer that is clearest to you. What would you do if you cannot understand any of the explanations?
38. I need to read about the ethical considerations of gaming, such as casino gaming.
39. I would like some articles debating the philosophical aspects of the Turing test.
40. I need to identify four sources of information about Heidegger.
41. I’m giving a eulogy at a funeral and I would like to locate a quote that reflects positively on death. Can you help?
42. I’ve just returned from an international conference. One of the speakers had the initials, “DDr,” after her name. What does this mean?
43. I want some historical background on the writing of diaries and memoirs in the 17th and 18th centuries.
44. I need some articles about yin yang philosophy and logic.
45. I need to identify four sources of information about Hume.
46. A drama critic is writing a review of Tom Stoppard’s play, “ Arcadia.” He would like to read an explanation of chaos theory.
47. I would like to locate Garrison Keillor’s short story about poetry contests.
48. A graduate literature student is exploring the possibility of writing a thesis on American Indian thinking, especially interpretations of cultural tricksters. She needs a list of beginning readings on American Indian beliefs.
49. I need to find some articles about views about the Maori on technology.
50. I need to identify four sources of information about Hippocrates.
51. What does the phrase, Bertrand’s Box Paradox, mean?
52. I would like some articles discussing the philosophical aspects of genetic engineering of food.
53. I need to give a brief class presentation on motivation. I’ve run across a reference to psychologist K. Lewin. He or she created maps showing the conflict between negative and positive forces. Can you find an example of one of his or her maps?
54. Who coined the phrase “moral luck?”
55. I need to identify four sources of information about Kierkegaard.
56. Another student in the eastern philosophy class asks: “How did Mencius’s mother get him to stop cutting class?”
57. I would like to submit a manuscript to the journal, Philosophy of Science. What are my chances of having this manuscript accepted for publication?
58. I am preparing for a debate and would like to present some of the philosophical and ethical viewpoints on abortion. Where should I go first?
59. I need some articles about colonialism and American Indians written in English.
60. I need to identify four sources of information about Machiavelli.
61. A beginning doctoral student in a life history research seminar will be interviewing women ministers. She needs to do some background reading on gender and religion. Can you find a reading list for her?
62. I would like a list of noted Japanese philosophers.
63. An anthropology student is writing about the significance of bestowing personal names. What can she read?
64. I need a few articles that discuss Chomsky’s and Descartes’ views on language.
65. I need to locate four sources of information about Spinoza.
66. I would like to submit a book review to the journal, Environmental Ethics. What are my chances of having this review accepted for publication?
67. A student would like an overview of the Frankfurt School.
68. I need some background on queer theory. I would like to see the significant authors and some criticism of this theory.
69. I need some publications that discuss guidelines for conducting research on or with indigenous people.
70. I would like to locate four sources of information about Socrates.
71. A yoga student would like to know more about Vivekananda. What were his main publications?
72. A music student is writing about people’s emotional responses to music. Can you help him with some general articles on how humans are affected by music? He could also use a few good quotes by well-known authors.
73. What does the phrase “free rider” mean?
74. I need a few quotations on anarchism.
75. I need to identify four sources of information about Turing.
76. I need a few articles on the ethics of prostitution.
77. I need to identify four sources of information about Descartes.
78. I would like at least one article on the issue of driving while intoxicated and ethics.
79. I need to find online the full text of Ockham’s “Work of Ninety Days.”
80. I need a list of the online journals in philosophy available at UT-Austin.
Questions for all students:
81. Identify an actual reference request related to some aspect of this discipline. How would you answer this question? What resource(s) would you use?
82. Locate an Internet source related to this discipline. This source may be an electronic discussion list, electronic journal or newsletter, or Web site. Be prepared to describe, briefly, the content of the source and indicate how you might use it in a reference situation. You may want to demonstrate the site.
Revised: December 2004