Author Archives: mdilwort

Author Archives: mdilwort

Biography Sources

Biography Sources

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
There are lots of types of things to research, but often we seem to focus on issues or abstract concepts. Are people better off if they do A over B? What does the experiment show? How do we decide a difficult policy question? But those issues and events are put into motion by people, whose lives and ideas shape the ideas. We turn to biographies when we want to learn about people’s lives. But sometimes, even if it seems like you’re dealing with an abstract issue or policy question, your work will be deepened by an understanding of the people behind it. Who they are, and why they formed the ideas they did. Literature has long embraced this – as … Continued
LGBT Resources

LGBT Resources

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Programs
With the controversy in Indiana over State Bill 344, there’s never been a better time to learn more about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues, perspectives, and resources. And while IU East offers a lot of support, from student groups like the LGBTQS Alliance and cultural opportunities like the annual Drag Show, there’s no better place to research and learn than the library. Numerous databases have insightful and authoritative articles on any LGBT issue or interest. But several databases are even more useful, such as LGBT Studies, which includes material like films, documentaries, interviews, and archival video that explore every facet of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, including cultural, social and political changes through history. Another great choice is … Continued
Prejudice and Pride

Prejudice and Pride

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Programs
On Tuesday, February 9 at Morrisson-Reeves Library (5:30 in the Bard Room), students and the Richmond community will have an opportunity to see episode 5, Prejudice and Pride, of the Latino Americans: 500 Years of History film series, continuing the yearlong program of cultural conversation that started last September. Latin American food will be available, and students in Spanish courses at IU East will lead a discussion after the film. Prejudice and Pride covers the period of the 1960s and 70s, focusing on Latino activism and the formation of modern Chicano identity. If you can’t attend, the video is also available online: But these videos are just a starting point. There’s lots more to do and learn, whether for your … Continued
Holocaust Remembrance

Holocaust Remembrance

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Programs
January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day (chosen as the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp), a time to commemorate and honor the victims of one of the worst genocides in the entirety of human history. The ramifications of human evil displayed in the Holocaust changed the world’s understanding of and responses to genocides, and memory of this horror has influenced virtually all responses to genocides since, from Indonesia to Cambodia to Sudan to Bosnia. This pivotal point in history has thus been the topic of significant vital scholarship, from those grappling to understand evil to those hoping to improve humanity’s moral bearing. IU East is a participant in this scholarly endeavor, with several upcoming events occurring … Continued
A New Semester of Finding Great Things

A New Semester of Finding Great Things

, Matt Dilworth, Research
Welcome back! As the semester gets into gear, papers, projects, and assignments will begin to accumulate again. And to do them well, you’ll need to do research. You’ll be asked to find scholarly sources. Peer-reviewed sources. Primary sources. The kinds of things that Google and Bing just aren’t good at. But Google and Bing are easy to use. Scholarly tools take a bit more work. How do you get started? Scholarly databases use a very precise type of language that tells the computer how to search. Much of this computer language is based on something called Boolean logic. Boolean data is that which you can label ‘true’ or ‘false’ without any ambiguity. When you search, a database or search engine … Continued