1. Comparing Information Cycles
Haiti Earthquake
&
Columbine Shootings

2. Start at the MPV Library
Step 1: Find e-Resources Step 2: Select ProQuest Research Library

3. Enter Your Search Terms
Each academic search engine (aka “database”) has a different
look, but they all have the basic search box.
You’ll do two separate searches, using these exact terms:
1.Haiti earthquake, then
2.Columbine

4. Focus Results by Source Type
Click on newspapers, then do magazines and next scholarly journals

5. How Have the Conversations Changed?
Read and apply what you learned from the Columbine video, and
reference the chart above that we developed. Are they talking
about these events differently depending on the publication type?

6. Let’s Look at Newspapers
How do newspapers talk about this event? Are they in-depth,
analytical, asking the big questions like “why did this happen”
and studying the long-term impact? No? What do they cover?

7. Repeat!
Haiti earthquake:
 Newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals
Next
Columbine:
 Newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals
Now answer the following questions (next page)
and post your response to the discussion
board.

8. Compare the Events
1. How has the publishing changed over time for each event?
 Focus in particular on newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals
 For example, does each event have these publications, and in the
same numbers? Why do you think there are differences?
2. How have the conversations within those publications
changed over time?
 Apply what you learned from the Columbine video, but use specific
examples from your searches on Haiti and Columbine.
 Do the different publications deal with different kinds of
issues/topics?
3. How do you think understanding the “information life
cycle” will help you when researching your topic for this
class, as well as any other?