finding and using sources

Choosing sources for my papers in english 101, or any class for that matter, is a process that I put a lot of thought and time into to make sure they complement my paper flawlessly. The first thing I do when I know I have to use sources in a paper is begin searching online journal databases such as jstor and ebsco for articles that relate to my topic. Depending on the topic, I find that some information is easier to find than other information, so I really try and be specific when I enter my search terms to save time and make the initial process of finding sources easier. Luckily, so far I have found researching information for many of the food topics in english 101 is pretty easy because things such as the controversy over organic foods and the industrial food industry are a hot topic right now with the The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

The first thing I usually notice about a source is the title, if it catches my eye and seems relevant, I skim the source for information that may be helpful in my paper. I also believe it is very important to look at the author and even the publisher of the source so I can determine if it is credible or not. I choose to use the sources that are both credible and offer a good amount of information that would be helpful in my paper. I pull out quotes from the source and place them where I know they could further support some of my own points and make me seem more credible as a writer, showing that I really did my research. I always make sure to give a good lead into the quote by using a template, and never leave a quote hanging in my paper by not explaining it.

I believe I could improve my method for finding sources by trying to not just use online journal sources. While online journal databases are definitely a good place to find credible sources for a paper, books are another good option, and a goal I have for my next paper is to try and use at least one scholarly book as a source.

Source for paper 3

Mail, Daily. "Kellogg's Will Use Laser to Burn Logo on to Individual Corn Flakes to
Stamp out Fakes." October 13, 2009. Website Article. March 8, 2010.

I believe the article “Kellogg's will use Laser to Burn Logo on to Individual Corn Flakes to Stamp Out Fakes” by Daily Mail Reporter would be a strong source to use in paper three. This article is significant because it explains how Kellogg’s is planning to use a laser to burn their logo on to the corn flakes so everyone will know that they are genuine Kellogg’s flakes. Kellogg’s has become concerned with all of the generic brands making cereals that imitate their unique flakes, and the company wants to make sure everyone knows they only make flakes for Kellogg’s and no one else.
Paper three deals with the ethics of eating and food, and I believe the Kellogg’s counterfeit flake situation is a perfect example of what is ethical and what is not in the food industry. The flakes are being modified, and although the article claims using a laser to burn a logo on to the flakes is perfectly safe, it would still strike me as funny to be eating cereal flakes that have a burned logo. This situation can be compared to the situation in the Norman Borlaug article, where it is questioned as to whether using genetically modified food to feed starving populations in third world countries is really ethical. In addition, I also find myself wondering if it is ethical and even necessary to even put the logo on individual flakes, the logo is already on the box and the flakes come in the box, isn’t that enough proof? As this article shows, ethical problems can arise in any system, specifically a cereal company, providing good support for the analysis of ethical eating in paper three.

Norman Borlaug Article

I found the article “Ending World Hunger. The Promise of Biotechnology and the Threat of Antiscience Zealotry” by Norman E. Borlaug to be full of many intriguing concepts. I find the whole idea of genetically modifying foods to be fascinating. Creating hybrid crops has the potential to make the nutritional qualities in food greater (such as raising the protein level in corn), eliminate the need for harmful pesticides, and grow mass quantities of crops that can withstand the extreme heat and cold in summer and winter. Although I initially found the concept of genetically modifying plants to be unsafe and impure, as I read on I found out that mother nature has been creating hybrid plants for years, farmers are only helping the process along that has been around since the beginning of time.
I found the most intriguing, and most controversial, part of this article to be the fact that genetically modified crops could be used to help those countries struggling with starvation. Although some argue the countries will disapprove of the genetically modified food, it seems like it is a perfectly safe and genius idea to put a damper on world hunger. And unlike those countries wealthy enough to be picky about their food, a third-world country would be happy to have any food at all. Therefore, I agree with Borlaug that the technology used to genetically modify foods should continue to be developed and expanded.

Omnivore's Dilemma chp. 15, 18, 19 & 20

From mushroom gathering to pig hunting, I found chapters 15, 18, 19 and 20 of The Omnivore’s Dilemma to be genuinely intriguing. I loved Pollan’s concept of preparing an entire meal without spending even one dollar. All of the food was to be hunted or gathered, allowing Pollan to know exactly where it came from and see what it truly means to create a meal that is undoubtedly 100% pure and natural. My grandpa being an avid mushroom gatherer, I found I could easily relate to Pollan’s mushroom hunting experience. Like Pollan’s mushroom expert friends, my grandpa does not let anyone in on his secret mushroom “hot spots.” Mushroom hunting is serious business to those who regularly pursue it. But when my grandpa prepared his meticulously gathered mushrooms as a side dish for my family this past thanksgiving, I found out, just like Pollan, that nothing tastes better than something that goes straight from the earth to the table, no costs or unknown ingredients or chemicals, just time.
I do not believe there could have been a better ending to The Omnivore’s Dilemma. After reading about Pollan’s self-prepared feast consisting of hunted pig, gathered mushrooms, bread from yeast captured straight from the air, and dessert made from fresh-picked cherries, it really made me ponder about the food that comes from grocery stores. We really don’t know what lingers amongst all the processed food and meat slaughtered from behind closed walls. By preparing an entire meal purely through natural means, it feels good to know exactly where everything came from. As Pollan showed throughout his entire process of hunting, gathering, and final meal preparation, eating truly is a ritual.