8.1 Internet Reading and Ivory Tower Reading

The "Knowledge Networks or Discourse Communities" article is about communication on the Internet. The article author, Zariski, describes how it is nearly impossible for scholarly articles or conversations to exist online. Zariski says how there are more personal eJournals or web sites then there are scholarly scientific conversations. The "In the Basement of the Ivory Tower"article is told by Professor X, who teaches English classes at night to people who are required to take them. This article shows the difficulties of being a professor, as he is obligated to fail many of his students, giving him guilt about them wasting their money and time. The articles are similar in that one of X’s students, Mrs. L has troubles on a research paper assignment which requires internet research. She has difficulties because of her age and is completely computer illiterate, she too ends up failing the class, much to the dismay of Professor X. As far as reading the two articles, the first one is difficult to understand and follow in comparison to the second, which is less objective and more laid back. I sympathize with Professor X and find his story much more relatable and its point is clear cut. I’m still unsure as to what the first article seeks to prove.