Research Process - DRAFT

Clean Water for Impoverished, Least Developed People Groups
By Jana Lu Williams
Research for the 21st Century: Fall 2008 WAOL course


Introduction

Access to clean drinking water is critical for human survival and is an essential ingredient for improving the lives of those living in poverty in developing countries. It is said that there is plenty of fresh water on this earth to meet all human needs. Unfortunately, it is not always distributed adequately in the right places at the right time, and sometimes its fitness for consumption is compromised by environmental factors (such as floods and drought) and/or by pollution (which is closely tied with the lack of adequate sanitation).

It is estimated that one-third of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water, and that one-fourth suffer from waterborne diseases which are the leading cause of death worldwide. In addition, it is estimated that forty billion hours are lost annually to the hauling of water. When put all together, the statistics on the water crisis, and its effects on health and quality of life, are both staggering and sobering.

The focus of my research is to look at possible solutions for providing clean water to people groups where only tainted water is available. This includes looking at both the types of systems that are available, the type of environment in which those systems are most effective, and what does it take to have large scale distribution of those systems.


Topic Analysis

Academic Disciplines
Environmental Science, Technology, Health and Medicine, Social Sciences

LOC Subject Headings Key Terms
Water Sources water
– Global Distribution drinking
Water Supply fresh
– International Cooperation potable
– Engineering filtration
– Equipment Industry sanitation
Water Crisis health
Water Conservation developing countries
Water Pollution LDCs (least developed countries)
Water Purification third world
Water Filtration poor
Water Quality
Water Resources Development
Water Harvesting
Water and Health Issues
Sanitation in Developing Countries

Library of Congress Classification (LC) Areas
A -- General works
AE -- Encyclopedias
H -- Social Sciences
HD -- Industries, Land use, Labor (1635-1702 Water Resources Development)
HN -- Social history/conditions, Social problems, Social reform
HT -- Communities, Classes, Races
R -- Medicine
RA -- Public aspects of medicine
Q -- Science Specialty Encyclopedias
T -- Technology Specialty Encyclopedias
TC -- Hydraulic engineering, Ocean engineering (401-506 Water supply engineering)
TD -- Environmental technology, Sanitary engineering (201-500 Water Supply, 419-428 Water pollution, 429.5-480-7 Water Conservation, 481-493 Water distribution systems)

Most Important Databases/Periodical Indexes
To my surprise, the Heath Reference Center Academic database rendered some of the most useful information for my topic. The more general ProQuest database proved quite useful as well.

Description of Search Strategy
Initially, Google Directory was helpful in helping me come up with a topic idea. Once I chose the broad subject of “water,” the Library of Congress Subject heading listing was very helpful in my initial attempts to come up with specific a sub-topic and it provided a useful list of search terms. The second most useful means was using the subject categories listed for the articles I found. The third most useful means was using the “suggested” search terms displayed with the database search results listings.


Review of My Research Process

To me, research is somewhat like being a detective or treasure hunter. You investigate, follow your clues and leads, check out your sources, determine what holds true and what doesn’t, then put it all together to find what you are looking for. Research takes a lot of work, and it must be done right to be of any value. In the end, it is satisfying and edifying.

I discovered there is a world full of good, scholarly information on the internet. Much of it must be accessed through an electronic library database rather than through general Google-type search engines. Many of the reference materials, periodicals, and journals that once were available only in print, are now digitized and accessible electronically. For example, initially I visited the Walla Walla Community College library to look at both general and specialized encyclopedias. I found good information in both types. Later, I discovered the very same articles were available in online versions of those encyclopedias. I also found a DVD with a short video on water pumps designed by Waterloo University. Later I found it on the internet. So, did I really ever need to leave the comfort of my own home? I did find a few relevant books at the library that are not available electronically. But, in all honesty, none of them provided unique information or a unique perspective that I could not get from some other on-line resource. Therefore, in regards to my topic, I’d have to say that using solely the internet for my research was quite adequate. However, I do not believe this to be true for all research topics.

My strategy in this process was to find information that addresses the “bigger picture” of the global water crisis as well as to find information regarding specific solutions in specific places that help solve this problem. I used advanced search options to narrow down the results to more relevant information. I expected .org websites to be my greatest resource. I was surprised to find several encyclopedia articles that provided good overview information, and more surprised to find that journal articles proved to be the best resource. There is much information for my topic focus that comes from university studies and research projects. Within the journal resources, I was even more surprised that medical journals provided some of the best information I found. The book resources provide a longer-term perspective, but I was primarily interested in more current information.

I found that for larger urban areas the factors and solutions are more complicated due to the scale and magnitude of it all. In contrast, it seems that there are many success stories in more rural areas. I found that many university teams, environmental engineers, and humanitarian aid organizations have made significant strides in solving the issue of both sanitation and water purification for various people groups around the world. There are various low-cost methods of providing simple water systems that service either entire villages, or individual homes within a village.

My perspective (and perhaps my bias) on this issue is that it is important to get beyond the, “We’ve got a huge problem that is next to impossible to solve without worldwide cooperation of all governments, industries, businesses, economies, and people everywhere,” way of thinking, and instead to begin seeing that, “We all can help make a difference if we work together in small groups to make it happen one little bit at a time.”