Review

1. What is your topic?

My topic for this assignment is the space weather Aurora Australis in Tasmania.

2. Why did you choose it?

I chose it because my parents are avid Aurora Watchers, as are a lot of other people in Tasmania and I thought it would be an interesting subject to look into. I structured my question around a potential client requiring particular internet resources on a topic. I imagined a scenario that may happen to a customer service officer in a school library, that a teacher would approach the person and require particular internet sources on a topic. I anticipated that the sources would be informative, current and visual. I looked for pictures, information websites and news articles. My required outcome was that I could find (at minimum) an image, a video, a social media tool and one other source of information. I believe that I covered all bases.

3. What retrieval strategies did you use?

I used Google a lot initially and, once I found a resource, I looked for social media sharing opportunities. With the ones that I couldn't transfer to a blog post, I created a "Links" widget on the right-hand side using the layout option so that I could still include those resources. For example, I found that news articles could not be reblogged directly, so I used links in posts with annotated citations to assist the client to retrieve them.

4. Which of the following tools were relevant and why?

Print - Print was extremely relevant as it was the seed that started this whole thing! On my parents coffee table was the Aurora Chasers Handbook, full of beautiful imagery and information on auroras. I wanted to find out more.....

Non-Print -  I used Blogger, Flickr, Twitter, Google, Youtube and loads of webpages to create my blog. I tried to use as many trustworthy sources as possible, while still remaining within the framework of the assignment. I used Flickr and Twitter because I have not had much experience with them and wanted to have a bit of a play with them, and also because they are easy to embed in my pages. I found most of the sources to look at to be relevant, if not blog-friendly. I would have really liked to include a Facebook feed to my blog, but it was not to be! But I did manage to get a single Facebook post on so you win some, you lose some. 

Definition of Social Media

: forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos) - Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

My understanding of using social media as a tool is to communicate with others online in a visual and textual sense. You can share ideas with others throught the use of Blogs, share interests through pictures and videos, and communicate with people on a more regular basis than you would without social media. The downside of that is you don't get the quality face-to-face that you would get by making the effort to physically be with another person. You can network for business or to share similar interests.

5. Which information agencies or internet sites did you use? 

I focused on sites such as the Australian Antarctic Division website, and Google to lead me to enthusiasts pages on my subject. I tried out Trove to see if I could find any articles on my subject. By going to the enthusiasts sites I found my way to information sites as there is an extensive list on the Facebook page. 

6. How did you analyse/sort the information?

I followed the guidelines of the type of social media to include in my blog and (using my original question needs) found information on how auroras occur, where to see them and current information like news articles and alerts. I needed my information to be directed at a primary school level with subject matter appropriate for children. With the exception of possibly the Facebook page (which the teacher can access on his own to see if there is any relevant information he wants) all content is appropriate to show his class. 

7. Did you need to reassess or follow up?

Every time I accessed my blog I went through my pages to see if I was still satisfied with the content. For the most part I was, sometimes I would check to see if my links were still current and appropriate. I did a lot of editing with the way the information was set out, I think I'm finally happy with it!

8. How have you recorded or managed your information?

I kept a resource page going which I published at the end of my process. I decided on the format of pages on my blog instead of posts because I found it easier to navigate around my information that way.