Gay Men in Minnesota

My research topic is “Gay Men in Minnesota”. I am looking for both general and specific information about this population. Also, I am curious to know the stand of the state of Minnesota as regards theirs right and freedom of association.

To be able to do my research on this population successfully, I visited the SCSU Miller library basement to get some traditional print books related to my topic after searching the SCSU website under library. I narrowed my search to current books under dates. I selected a book on my topic from 1998 to 2012.

In addition to searching the Miller library for book related to my topic, I also used some search engine such as Goggle, Yahoo, and Mozilla Firefox to search for my topic. I also visited New York Times and CNN’s websites to search articles related to my topic.

Overall, my search experience was very successful because I was able to gather a lot of information needed for my research. For example, when I went into the SSCSU website under library, I input Gay men and limit my search to 1998 -2012. I got a multiple result of books I needed with the title of the book, the author’s name, the publisher and year of publication, the location of the book, and the call number.

Similarly, there were e-books in the OPAC related to my topic but I prefer the traditional print books.  Besides, I don’t have mobile device to download e-book. The print book is easy for me to carry and read without having to worry about internet or downloading problem.

As regard the website www. grrl.org, I was redirected to word press.com to create a blog. Overall, I think the miller library was more friendly and familiar to me.

               

What Do You Assume to Be True about LGBTs?

During the course of this semester, I intend to research about this population. I want to learn about what really brought about LGBT and how the general public view them. I am eager to know if my own personal opinion about this population is right or wrong. My assumption about LGBT is as follows:

1. They are usually people with same sexual orientation
2. One partner play the role of the husband while the other the role of the wife
3. The male husband sometimes dresses like a female.
4. I assume the population choose their sexual orientation by fantasizing the other partner
5. Majority of the population are introduced into LGBT either by their parent or close associates
6. There is no medical diagnosis related to LGBT. Therefore, this population chose who they are.
7. I assume this population is trying to exercise their right to association. This is a country where people think it is their right to be what they want to be. Isn't it?
8. Some of this population is been traumatized or raped by the opposite sex; hence, they have no feelings for the opposite sex.
9. Some of this population hides their identity for fear of being rejected.
10. Legality of this population by some States increases their recruitment rates.

Most of the information I learn about this population is direct observation of some member of this population and some of this information is just what I heard from other people saying about LGBT. In fact, I have a friend whose daughter is a member of this population.

Some of the challenge I may face during the course of this research are time, cost and ability of some selected member of this population to respond truthfully to some of my research questionnaire.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking involve the ability to think critically. That is, being able to think beyond the surface of a problem or  an idea without been bias. It also entail the ability to view other people view point or idea in another perspective regardless of your initial notion . Critical  thinkers opens their mind to a broader scope of thinking. It's a skill you learn, practice, and develop. For example, if someone want you to buy their laptop. You don't just buy on impulse or draw conclusion to buy because it is a nice laptop rather you weighs pros and cons. I have heard the term"critical thinking" several times. In fact, I look a critical thinking class two semesters ago.

Critical thinking is the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing and synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion. Source: critical thinking. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved January 16, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/critical thinking

The source above sees critical thinking as a process that must be engage in to be able to think critically.

Finally, relating IM 204 Research Strategies to critical thinking, I will say that they are both interwoven. For anyone to carry out a research and come out with a resounding solution or conclusion, that person must be able to think critically.

Test Run

Hi everyone?