GALE assignment for Library Challenge

GALE is the database I am least familiar with, so boy did I need this one!! I didn't stray very far from just researching topics that were suggested. I used the basic search to find the foods that contain zinc. I discovered the book Minerals by Tom Brody, clicked on that and then used the search box on the left to look for zinc. I like that the search words are in red so I can quickly scan through the articles and find what I am interested in. To quote Minerals page 1188, lamb, beef, leafy greens, root vegetables like potatoes & carrots, shellfish and organ meats (liver or kidneys) contain zinc. And too much fiber can reduce the absorption of zinc and lead to zinc defiancy, which can cause mental retardation. But you probably all know this from your research. You were maybe more comfortable at trying new topics.

I struggled a bit more with the second idea of literary criticism of Huckleberry Fin. I tried many ideas and saw "No Results to Search". I don't know what I was doing wrong, but it took be some time to find what I wanted. I used the Basic Search again, and finally had success when I looked for "entire documents." I clicked on the the book Literature by David Reddall and others. As I scanned this article, and checked the area entitled Civil War to War, I found what I was looking for. "A national masterpiece, Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin (1884) has been universally admired since it's publication though it continues to stir controversy in politically correct circles because the author permits his protagonist to speak the mind of his age and call his runaway slave friend, Jim, "a nigger". Some readers miss the moral metamorphosis that Huck undergoes, and the salvos Twain launches against ignorance and prejudice." In my opinion, we sometimes forget that while the word "nigger" is offensive to us, at the time this literary work was published, it was a commonly used word. But the research was very interesting. I did also try the "read to me", and that is VERY cool, especially for kids.

Just for my own interest, I researched multiple sclerosis, since I have MS. I enjoyed reading some interesting articles from common symptoms to medication, and other available treatments. I missed a week of study since I was gone, so everyone else is probably ahead of me, but I am enjoying the Library challenge.