David Arnason
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David Arnason
Introduction
In this paper, David Arnason is the chosen writer. I chose David Arnason because of three reasons. First, I have read several of his works such as King Jerry and Baldur’s Song. I found these stories to be very well written and interesting and they have remained etched in my memory ever since. This made me admire Arnason’s writing style, creativity, and story-telling abilities hence it was quite easy for me to choose him. Secondly, he is a modern writer and I can easily relate to his themes. Thirdly, Arnason is a well-respected writer. Before picking the author, I knew that he is the chair of English Department at University of Manitoba and has authored several short stories. The selected source is from the University of Manitoba’s Library webpage (University of Manitoba, 2014). This particular source was selected because of several reasons. First, there is a dearth of comprehensive information about David Arnason on the internet. Sources that have information about this writer are few and majority of the few that are available are very short with limited information. In contrast, the chosen source contains a relatively large amount of data about Arnason including a sketch of his biography. Secondly, the webpage from the University of Manitoba Library was also chosen because of its credibility. There are several other sources with information about Arnason but these sources were rejected because they are less credible. The lower credibility of the rejected sources is attributed to lack of proper citations and references in the said sources. Others such as Wikipedia are less scholarly and the data contained therein cannot be relied on completely.
1. Summary of the Source
The source used is from University of Manitoba’s Library page (University of Manitoba, 2014). The webpage is about work by David Arnason called David Arnason fonds. The source provides a description of the work and its detailed archival information in the library. The information that is provided include the call number, title, dates, extent, biographical sketch of the author, custodial history of the fonds, its scope and content, restrictions, related material, source of supplied title, and finding aid. The source is written in formal U.S. English and is 646 words long. The title of the source is “David Arnason fonds” and there are no pictures or illustrations given. The webpage containing this information is contained in the Library section of the University of Manitoba website.
The text is divided into 11 sections each with a title. The titles are bold. The font used is Times New Romans and its size is 12 points, single-spaced. The text is aligned to the left. This textual arrangement is easy on the eye and enhances the legibility of the webpage. Additionally, three links make navigation easier. One of the links allows the user to go to the homepage of the library, another one to access the three call numbers, and another one to get assistance due to trouble logging in. Other quick links lead to the homepage of the university, maps, eLearning centre, webmail, and A-Z index, JUMP, and social media pages including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. A search tool makes it easier for one to find the required information. Searches can be refined based on one’s interests and there are radio buttons that allow one to search for people, research experts, or to make a search in the main webpage of the university. Finally, the color scheme used in the webpage contains a mixture of tan and yellow, colors that complement each other and are cool to the eyes of the reader.
2. Analysis of the Source
The purpose of the source is to provide information about the works of David Arnason already archived in the University of Manitoba Library. Therefore, its main purpose is information provision. The information provided is meant to assist users of the University of Manitoba Library. Users of the library may be University of Manitoba students and faculty, researchers within and outside the university, and the public and these cadres of people are its target audience. The breadth of the topics covered is wide because the source provides a comprehensive description of the archived works including author’s biography, call number, title, dates, and extent of the fonds. Also covered are the custodial history, scope and content, source of supplied title, restrictions, related material, and finding aid.
The depth of the topics covered is deep. The biographical sketch of the writer provides details about his death and place of birth and the names of his parents. It also contains information about his educational background, and current position. A list of his poems, short stories, and other publications are listed as well and the custodial history of the materials described. Contents of the fonds are described. Material contained in the fonds include interview transcripts, Arnason’s doctoral thesis, copies of newspaper clippings, maps, letters, poetry, stories and songs written by Arnason, articles by Arnason and other writers, and Arnason’s manuscripts. Also contained therein are manuscripts written by other authors, book reviews, academic material, and other miscellaneous writings. There are three call numbers and these are Mss 197, Mss SC 171, and Pc 183 (A 98-57). The fonds are quite extensive with textual records measuring 5.3 m and it contains five photographs. The style of the source is formal. The language used, choice of words, and general page layout and design including the fonts and textual arrangement evidences formality of this source.
3. Conclusion / Evaluation
This source was useful because it provided reliable and credible information about David Arnason. Its credibility as a communication tool of the University of Manitoba cannot be questioned as it presents verifiable data of this prestigious institution. I also found it useful because it has made my work easier and I will not have to struggle finding any of Arnason’s work in the library since all the archival information about his work is provided. Thirdly, the source was useful since it has comprehensive information that contains a list of other publications of Arnason. Since I am a great admirer of Arnason, I now know all the works he has written and this will help me to get hold of his works, which I was not aware. I learnt a lot about this author including his biography, complete list of works, educational and professional background. This will be of great help to me as a reader of his work and will allow me to better appreciate his works and understand the themes he brings out. It will also help me understand criticism about his work and possibly make my own literary contributions about Arnason’s work.
4. Works Cited