[LM_NET] University of Michigan Grad student : Need data for my research paper!

[Anne Ostby <aostby@UMICH.EDU>]

Greetings from chilly Ann Arbor, Michigan!
        I am doing a research paper on "Cultural Bias in Subject Headings". I
need to
        know how students have searched for various subjects over the years and
        presently as well, and the terms they use (or ask you about).
        For example, do students ask for information on "African-Americans" or
do they
        use the term "Afro-Americans" or "Blacks" and has that changed over the
years?
        Or do students ask for information on "Eskimos" or "Inuits??
        Do students use the term ?Homosexual? or ?Gay? or ?Lesbian? or some
other
        related term?
        Do they ask for information on ?Native Americans? or ?American Indians??
        What terms do they use when looking up ?abortion?? (partial-birth;
pro-life;
        pro-choice, etc).
        Do you feel that high school students are more politically correct than
middle
        school students?
        How do you teach students to use unbiased terms when searching?
        Also, if there is anything else you can think of as far as subject
headings that
        students use or don't use that prevents them from doing a thorough
search, or
        subject headings in the online database that prevent or limit searches,
that
        would be great to know also.
        Thanks so much!

        Anne Ostby, Graduate Student
        The University of Michigan School of Information
        aostby@umich.edu

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