Research Plan

1. My group’s has decided to do our research topic on Alaska Native oral storytelling. Some questions:

-When do storytellings occur? Are they told often or only on special occasions?

-Is there music playing during the storytellings?

-Do the animals in the stories represent the same thing in all the tribes?

-Are the stories told in their Native languages or in English?

2. Living in Sitka, the Tlingit tribe was prominent everywhere. When I was little in school, I remember going to the Naa Kahidi House (the Tlingit ceremonial house) and watch dances and listen to stories told by an Elder. I also learned about the Raven being the creator but also a trickster. The stories were pretty interesting/entertaining (from what I remember). From that, I want to learn more about storytelling in general throughout the different tribes and why storytelling is important to tribes.

I think the audience for the wiki would be anyone who wants to learn or is interested in Native oral storytelling.

3. During the beginning stages, we all decided to find as much information as we can about storytelling and then share it with one another. In our individual portions, I have been delegated to write the music sections of the wiki.

4. I think that by finding sources about the general information of storytelling, I could find more sources/links to the subject I am looking for.

5. Outline/Timeline

By April 2 – Have general information about oral storytelling

By April 9 – Have more information about specific subject

By April 14 – Bibliography due

By April 14 – Rough draft due

By April 26 – Final draft due

In high school, I was discouraged to cite Wikipedia as a source because it was unreliable. Though we weren’t allowed to cite Wikipedia, some teachers suggested using it to find sources that were listed on the bottom of the page. With the fact that my high school is banned from editing any Wikipedia pages for vandalism, I didn’t think of it as a very reliable source. But I still used it for homework. Knowing that Wikipedia is cracking down on vandalism and misinformation, I am becoming less skeptical of Wikipedia, but I still wouldn't use it for any research paper.