[nabs-l] research methods

Thu Oct 30 15:54:50 UTC 2008

Corbb,

I like your idea to read the first few paragraphs and last few paragraphs of 
the article.  I've done that with a reader.  I know jaws can go by paragraph 
in word as well.  I think I'll use your strategy of one document
for each source.  My note files are big and then I often don't know what 
notes came from wich source even though I label it on top before writing. 
Its just that when reading further down in the document I forget what source 
it is.  If its named at the top of the document maybe this will help.

I don't use Kurzweil but do have Openbook.  Is there a similar feature in 
it?  If so how do you use it?  Many database files are in PDF.

Ashley

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Corbb O'Connor" <corbbo at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 9:54 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] research methods

> This will be brief because I am running to class in a moment. If you
> use Kurzweil, I open the articles in Adobe Reader, then print to "KESI
> Virtual Printer"--installed when you install K1000. The page numbers
> then appear at the top or bottom of the Kurzweil pages, as those are
> printed on each page of the journal. There's an option in K1000 to
> "review" or "skim" or something like that -- basically it reads the
> first sentence of each paragraph. I read the first few paragraphs of
> the article, the last few paragraphs of the article, and the first
> sentence of each paragraph. That usually tells me whether the article
> will be helpful -- if so, then I find parts that seemed of use and
> read those.
>
> I use a magnification program, not JAWS, so I am not sure about
> database accessbility.
>
> I am trying a new strategy for notes -- a new Word document for each
> source, and then later blend those together into an outline of quotes,
> paraphrases, etc. Then it's writing time!
>
> Good luck.
> Corbb
>
> On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 2:09 AM, Serena <serenacucco at verizon.net> wrote:
>> I used the library data bases.  Proquest Direct and Ebscohost are pretty
>> accessible.  If the articles were relatively short, I read them all the 
>> way
>> through with Jaws, but if they were really long, I used readers.  The
>> librarians often helped me find books.  That often helped, so I wouldn't
>> have to use readers for that.
>>
>> Serena
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ashley Bramlett"
>> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:14 PM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] research methods
>>
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I wanted some more ideas on this.  Then I'll have a sheet with ideas for
>>> myself and others wo ask me.  I am about to begin a big research paper 
>>> for
>>> my senior class.  All seniors do this to demonstrate critical thinking,
>>> organization and writing skills.  Research has been quite challenging. 
>>> I
>>> use readers a lot but its hard to communicate what I am looking for. 
>>> Much
>>> research is at the library and books and some other matterial is not
>>> accessible.  So my questions.
>>>
>>> Do you use your school's databases?  What ones are jaws friendly?  Its
>>> been my experience that databases are not very accessible.  There are 
>>> lots
>>> of boxes and info before jaws reads the titles of articles.  In an 
>>> article
>>> I'm sure you read the abstract first to determine relevance.  I do as 
>>> wel.
>>>
>>> How do you skim the article for relevant info?  Or perhaps you read it
>>> all?  Scholarly articles are big, about twenty pages long on average 
>>> from my
>>> experience. With jaws or a reader, skipping info is hard since I don't 
>>> know
>>> what I'm looking for exactly.
>>> How do you cite pages?  Does someone read you the page numbers as well?
>>> This has been problematic for me.  I write notes but don't know later 
>>> what
>>> page it was on and cannot skim the article for that info.
>>>
>>> Have you used the librarians for help?  If so, what role did they play?
>>> Did you ask them to search for you and they read you the titles of
>>> articles/books?  I have used them and they pointed me to the right 
>>> databases
>>> and card catalog for books but also served as a reader sort of as we
>>> gathered info.
>>>
>>> I find research frustrating when you think something sounds great and 
>>> read
>>> it but then its not so good.  I think this happens to all students, but
>>> since it takes longer for us its more frustrating.
>>>
>>> Any ideas are appreciated.
>>>
>>> Ashley
>>>
>>>
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