Weaving

As I set about weaving my information into an understandable output I tried to focus on the topical elements “big picture” concepts with my research. As mentioned by several authors of research models students struggle with formulating a plan to guide their research. Hence several folks sought to create a model for their students to use / follow.

While I followed Carol Kuhlthau’s model for the most part I found myself coming back to step two of the Big 6 approach; information seeking strategies. As I gathered information I was struggling to keep track of what I was discovering with combinations of keywords. It wasn’t till I discovered the AWEA’s website that I began to piece together the concepts that would guide my information seeking strategies later in the hunt. Below is a diagram that I constructed that guided my initial thoughts about the information I was seeking and information I was digging through.

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While at the AWEA’s site I began to gain an understanding of the many purposes wind power could provide. Like my Venn diagram infers each of these categories share common traits with each other and each of the three are dependent upon each other. For example “benefits” and “purpose” share the positives that consumers of wind turbines experience. The larger the blades and the taller the tower more collecting of power could exist. This premise also fed “benefit” and “types”. Depending upon what types of results users were looking for the type of wind turbine application would be considered. “Purpose” and “types” are connected also on this premise. The type of equipment end users would erect hinges upon their purpose or end result.

After seeing the light with this diagram and gaining insight into the foundation of choices a consumer faces when considering wind power I began to research the types of equipment. This research lead me a bit off the beaten path however it was a pertinent path to explore. It was at this point I began my exploration of Vestas Corporation from Denmark.

After gaining insight into the large corporate world of Vestas I realized I need to steer more towards my Essential and Guiding Questions.

To get my searching back on track I once again started looking at the American Wind Energy Association. This time around I began to dig deeper into their website. The Vestas corp site gave me some of the basic knowledge of wind systems and their implementation however they didn’t give me the specific economic aspects I was looking for with my inquiry questions.

It was at this point that I began to formulate another diagram to guide my searching.

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The diagram allowed me to sketch out my project so I could create a meaningful finished product. Void are tons of lines showing how the benefits, purposes, and types of wind turbines fit the individual questions. I hope to make this clear in my finished product the web page I’m building.