Web Links for Research

Internet Public Library

http://www.ipl.org/

A vast and free resource of information on a wide range of disciplines started by the University of Michigan School of Information Science and now operated out of Drexel University’s College of Information Science and Technology.

Social Science Resource Council

http://www.ssrc.org/

A site focusing on global issues of special interest to social scientists operated as a non profit organization since 1923.

Project Gutenberg

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

A phenomenal project that maintains a large collection of free, high quality electronic books including some audio books.

Internet Tutorials

http://www.internettutorials.net/

A comprehensive guide to use the Internet for research. This site includes advanced, highly specialized search engines and many tips on finding quality resources for both textual and visual information.

Bartleby

http://bartleby.com/

A preeminent place for the publication of books and information in electronic format.

The Bedford Bibliographer

Use the Bedford Bibliographer to collect your sources. This citation machine provides you with a template for entering your sources. This machine then converts the sources into the appropriate citation format. Please make sure to review Dr. David Taylor’s simulation on how to use the Bedford Bibliographer.

Bedford Bibliographer simulationhttp://eclearning.excelsior.edu/ecshared/tutorials/bedfordbib/bedfordbib.swf

CLRS research Guide
http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/Big_Six_Steps.asp

SNL - Jim Carrey - Fire Marshall Bill

Veteran Administration’s Educational Benefits

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs web site reports that there are 23.4 million veterans currently living and three out of every four served during a war or an official period of hostility. Approximately, a quarter of the nation or 70 million people are potentially eligible for VA benefits and services because they are veterans, family members or survivors of veterans.

In January 2009, the VA reported that the responsibility to care for veterans, spouses, survivors and dependents can last a long time. Two children of Civil War veterans still draw VA benefits. About 184 children and widows of Spanish-American War veterans still receive VA compensation or pensions.

The VA’s Fact Sheet on their website on Education and Training reports, the first GI Bill began in 1944. “Since that time, more than 21.8 million veterans, service members and family members have received $83.6 billion in GI Bill benefits for education and training. The GI Bill recipient numbers are: 7.8 million World War II veterans, 2.4 million Korean War veterans, 8.2 million post-Korean and Vietnam-era veterans, and active duty personal that have received VA benefits. In 2008, VA assisted in the payments for the education and training of 336,527 veterans and active duty personnel, 106,092 reservists and National Guardsman and 80,079 survivors”.

This activity will involve researching the current VA benefit that you are using. If you are eligible to transfer to another benefit you can make comparisons between the current VA benefit and another VA benefit you are eligible to use. Be sure to consider your current and future education goals you have set for yourself and how you will finance current and future educational requirements to reach your career goal. Students can utilize the Veterans Administration website, VA counselors, and Excelsior College Financial Aid officers to research their VA Education Benefit.

Veteran Administration’s Educational Benefits

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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Link List:

• Post 9/11Transferability - http://www.military.com/education/content/gi-bill/gi-bill-transferability.html?ESRC=family.nl

• Get Started Using the GI Bill (MGIB & Post 9/11) - http://www.military.com/education/content/gi-bill/get-started-using-the-gi-bill.html

• The Do's and Don'ts of Using the GI Bill on Active Duty - http://www.military.com/education/content/gi-bill/the-dos-and-donts-of-using-the-gi-bill-on-active-duty.html

• The New GI Bill - Who Gets What? - http://www.military.com/education/content/gi-bill/the-new-gi-bill-who-gets-what.html

• GI Bill Then and Now - http://www.military.com/education/content/gi-bill/gi-bill-then-and-now.html

• GI Bill History - http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/history.htm

• GI Bill Info and Pamphlets - http://www.gibill.va.gov/Training/Pamphlets.htm

• VA Benefits - http://www.gibill.va.gov/

• Post 9/11 - http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/Post-911.htm

• Montgomery GI Bill - http://gibill.va.gov/post-911/montgomery-gi-bill/

• Montgomery GI Bill – Select Reserve - http://gibill.va.gov/post-911/montgomery-gi-bill/selected-reserve.html

• Educational Assistance – Section 901 - https://www.gibill.va.gov/post-911/other-programs/educational-assistance-test-program.html

• REAP - https://www.gibill.va.gov/post-911/other-programs/reap.html

• DEA - http://gibill.va.gov/post-911/other-programs/dea.html

• VEAP - http://gibill.va.gov/post-911/other-programs/veap.html

• Voc Rehab & Employment - http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/

Link List - Professional Development: Continuing Education

Grants and Scholarships:

The Smart Student Guide/Grants- http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/grants.phtml

Scholarships and the Fastweb Search - http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/

Scholarships and Fellowships - http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/

Federal Government Grants - http://www.grants.gov/

College Scholarships - http://www.collegescholarships.org/grants/

Federal Student Aid - http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DirectLoan/index.html

Free Application for Federal Student Aid - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

The Five-Minute FAFSA Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kor_9cK593M

College Gold - http://www.collegegold.com/index.phtml

College Gold Quiz - http://www.collegegold.com/quiz

National Scholarship Databases - http://www.tericollegeplanning.org/plan/natsc.html

Financial Aid Tips - http://www.financialaidtips.com/



Financial Aid for Adults:

You're never too old to learn, and grants are there to help pay for it USA TODAY, May 12, 2009 Tuesday, MONEY; Pg. 3B, 746 words, Sandra Block
http://www.lexisnexis.com.vlib.excelsior.edu/us/lnacademic/api/version1/
sr?shr=t&csi=8213&sr=HLEAD(too+old+to+learn)+AND+DATE+IS+May+12+2009

College for Adults: Financial planning
From: National College Transition Network
http://www.collegeforadults.org/finaid/index.html

Financial Aid for Older and Nontraditional Students
From: Fin Aid
http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/nontraditional.phtml

Excelsior College Financial Aid Information:
Excelsior College Scholarship Programs -
http://www.excelsior.edu/scholarships

Federal Grant Programs -
http://www.excelsior.edu/grants

Essay Notes - Pursuasive Essay's

References:

Wyrick, J. (2010). Steps to Writing Well with additional readings. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Pub Co.

Chapter 10: Argumentation

Developing the Essay:

• Focused on a specific topic; narrow and define your subject
• Choose an appropriate subject within the overall controversy
• Research your topic thoroughly
• Write down a list of pros and cons
• Anticipate the opposing views so that you can address them in your argument
• Remember the audience because it is to them you are presenting your argument
• Organize your essay clearly
• Backing up your argument with logical and emotional appeals:
• give real or hypothetical examples
• present a comparison or contrast
• show cause-and-effect
• argue by definition
• Offer evidence that effectively supports your claim, such as:
• personal experience
• testimonies of others (especially whose opinions are prominent to the topic such as experts)
• factual information based on research
• statistics
• Try to include charts, graphs, or diagrams to illustrate your point
• Do not alienate your readers, change your tone when trying to persuade them (Try Carl Rogers debate technique)

Most common fallacies to avoid when writing a persuasive essay:

• Avoid logical and irrational emotional appeals to persuade your readers
• Avoid generalization
• Do not base topics of off insufficient or unsupported evidence
• Non sequitur - do not base your conclusion on a perceived result of the facts
• Do not present opinions as true statements unless you can support it with solid evidence
• Do no divert the reader’s attention with an irrelevant point
• Do not employ political tactics to you support your point (i.e. attacking the opponent's character rather than the argument)
• Steer clear of fault evidence
• Ad populum - do not try to appeal to the people's emotional reactions on certain subjects to evade the issues
• Do not try to convince your readers that there is only one right answer-yours.
• Do not only present "one voice" - hypostatization - using an abstract concept as if it were a concrete reality.
• Avoid the bandwagon appeal i.e. trying to validate a point by illustrating that "everyone believes this".
• Avoid using the weakest or most insignificant point to argue against in effort to divert the reader’s attention (such as President Nixon did in 1952 when he address the nation with his cocker spaniel diversion, when he was accused of misappropriating campaign funds for his personal use)
• Avoid using analogies as an extended comparison as proof of your point
• Avoid leaning too heavily on catch slogans - do not try to oversimplify your argument

Chapter 1: Philosophy & Education

Reference:

    Webb, L. Dean. (2006). The History of American Education: A Great American Experiment. United States of America: Pearson Prentice Hall.

The three branches of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology.

• What is the nature of reality?
• What is the nature of knowledge?
• What is the nature of values?

Define Metaphysics: is the philosophy of being (the theory of reality). The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of the nature of being and beings, existence, time and space, and causality. Concerned with the nature of reality and existences, as well as with the nature of the person or self. Subdivisions: Ontology and Cosmology.

Define Epistemology: is the theory of knowledge. The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, in particular its foundations, scope, and validity. Concerned with the investigation of the nature of knowledge and logic. Subdivisions: Deductive logic and Inductive logic.

Define: Axiology: is the study of values. The study of the nature, types, and governing criteria of values and value judgments. To seek/determine what is of value pertaining to evaluations, judgments and/or apply a set of norms to human conduct or beauty. Subdivisions: Ethics and Aesthetics.