Methods Final

How to choose an issue

Will the issue: - result in a real improvement in people's lives - give people a sense of their own power - alter the relations of power - be worthwhile - be winnable - be widely felt - be deeply felt - be easy to understand - have a clear target

Qualities of a successful facilitator

- creates an open and caring atmosphere - clarifies individual ideas and suggestions - keeps group focused on the present -helps set standards and goals - summarizes group ideas or suggestions

Greenwood's 6 Basic Categories of Care

1. Authority, authorship, and scholarly work - important . to ask questions of authorship and credibility of a source. They must be legitimate and qualified to be writing about the topic 2. Accuracy - not all internet pages are reliable. strive to review scholarly documents 3. Currency - updating data is extremely important for many subjects, especially information that can change quickly and often. Is the site maintained regularly? 4. Objectivity - is the person providing the info unbiased? Is there a conflict of interest? Is it free of advertising and inflammatory/provocative language? 5. Coverage - consider the completeness of the document; is it finished or under construction? 6. Purpose - why was the internet page posted? make sure relevant info has not been left out.

10 C's of Evaluating Internet Resources

1. Content - what is the intent of the content? 2. Credibility - is the author identifiable and reliable? is the content credible? 3. Critical thinking - how can you use critical thinking to evaluate an internet source? What criteria do you use? 4. Copyright - the material falls under the correct copyright conventions 5. Citation - the sources give credit to the original authors 6. Continuity - is the site maintained and updated? 7. Censorship - is it moderated? was there limitations to your access of the information? 8. Connectivity - Will more than one person be able to access this information? does it require additional software in order to access this source? 9. Comparability - Does it have a comparable print or CD-ROM date set or source? Does the internet site have comparable information? 10. Context - what is the context of your search? what are you looking for? how does the info fit in the context of your subject? before starting research, define the research context and needs in order to decide which sources might provide the best information

Types of activism

1. Volunteer - joining an organization or agency that deals with the issues you're focused on 2. Grassroots activism - increasing the publicity and support for your cause by grabbing people negatively affected and organizing them 3. Letter writing and petitions - sending letters and petitions to officials and representatitives, informing them of your views, demands, or get a response 4. Direct lobbying - meeting with elected representatitves to request support or pieces of legislation 5. litigation - utilizing lawyers and legal aid groups to enact justice, fight against harmful institutions , or bring more publicity to your movement 6. Consumer boycotts - meant to show grievances with a particular company or institution by refusing to support them or buy their products 7. Sleective purchasing ordnances 8. Ethical investing 9. Economic sanctions 10. Demonstrate 11. Civil Disobedience 12. Agitate

Homogenous vs Heterogenous support groups

Homogenous - IE; have to have lost a loved one to join it Heterogenous - IE; have to have someone that has experienced the loss but not you experiencing it yourself