Task 4: Reflection

The time has come to reflect on my blogging experience.
I found researching my subject quite interesting and I purposely didn't read the other blog on the Dead Sea Scrolls whilst I was doing my own research as I didn't want to be influenced or downhearted by the information provided although I look forward to reading it now that I'm finished.

I did find the task was time consuming and the formatting issues I often came across did drive me to distraction at times.

I have never used a blog before (also don't Facebook, Myspace or Twitter) and did like being able to consolidate all my research in one place. I used a mixture of books, websites and YouTube to obtain my information and I must admit that I did print out the information from some of the websites as this allowed me to highlight sections I wanted to refer to without having to re-read the whole page again. (I guess I'm a sucker for hard copies of information)

I don't know if I would have hurried out to use a blog again, however as the Education Department who I work for is introducing the Ultranet (one of the main features will be blogs) it is good to know that I will feel fairly confident in helping the students come to grips with blogs.

I enjoyed this subject and just wish that I could have spent more time playing with the layout etc of my blog but time constraints didn't allow for this. (I may spend some time over the holidays fiddling around to see if I can make it look better).

I look forward to now having the time to have a good look at all the other blogs as some of the information I have read so far has been really great.

With regards to my actual research project there are many different areas which could still be researched, such as spending more time comparing the information contained in the scrolls with the Old Testament, finding out more about the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes and about the period of the Second Temple. At this point in time I feel that I have covered, all be it briefly the main ideas set out in me Research Plan and maybe the rest of the information out there will have to wait until I have finished my Diploma.

References:

Books;
Hodge Stephen 2001, The Dead Ssea Scrolls, Piatkus, London.

Websites;

24 Fantastic Facts Dead Sea Scrolls - all about the discovery at QUMRAN 1996 - 2005, CenturyOne Bookstore, viewed 22 April and 18 May 2010.
http://www.centuryone.com/25dssfacts.html

What is the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls 1997, ChristianAnswers.Net, viewed 22 April 2010.
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a023.html

What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? 2002 - 2010, All About The Journey, viewed 22 April 2010.
http://allaboutthejourney.org/what-are-the-dead-sea-scrolls.htm

Importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls 2000 - 2009, Buzzle, viewed 22 April 2010
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/importance-of-the-dead-sea-scrolls.html

Dead Sea Scrolls - a compelling find 2002 - 2010, All About Archaeology, viewed 25 April and 18 May 2010.
http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/dead-sea-scrolls.htm

The Dead Sea Scrolls and why they matter / introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls 2010, Biblical Archaeology Review, viewed25 April 2010.
http://www.bib-arch.org/online-exclusives/dead-sea-scrolls-02.asp

Lundberg, Marilyn J, Copper Scroll, Educational Site, Dead Sea Scrolls, viewed 18 May 2010.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/copperscroll.html

Bard, Mitchell G, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, Jewish Virtual Library, viewed 18 May 2010.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/sadducees_pharisees_essenes.html


Kohn, Risa Levitt, Ancient Copper Scroll: wild goose chase or golden ticket?, San Diego Natural History Museum, viewed 18 May 2010.
http://www.sdnhm.org/description_cs.html


Dead Sea Scrolls digitisation on the occasion of the 60 aniversary, Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority, viewed 20 May 2010.
http://www.archaeology.org.il/newsticker


Dead Sea Scrolls go digital 2008, Independent Media Review Analysis, viewed 20 May 2010.
http://www.imra.org/story_php3?.id=40474


The Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, viewed 28 May 2010.
http://www.english.imjnet.org.il/htmls/Book.aspx


Welcome to the Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation 2008, Dead Sea Scroll Foundation, viewed 28 May 2010.
http://www.deadseascrollsfoundation.com/


Shor, Pina, Conservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Israel Antiquities Authority, viewed 28 May 2010.
http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_item_eng.asp?sec_id=178subj_subj_id=522#MMMas

The Dead Sea Scrolls, University of the Holy Land 2007, viewed 28 May 2010.
http://www.uhl.ac/dss.html

Jastram, Nathan, The Dead Sea Scrolls Lutheran wittness interview with Dr Nathan Jastram, Issues, Etc, viewed 28 May 2010.
http://www.mtio.com/articles/aissar76.htm


Images:

Dead Sea Scroll Jar 1997 - 2003, CenturyOne Bookstore, viewed 22 April 2010.
http://www.centuryone.com/dssjar.html

Schweizer, Effi 2007, Qumran in the West Bank, Middle East. In this cave the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, Wikipedia, viewed 25/4/2010.
http://www.wikipedia.org/File:Qumran.jpeg

Department of Antiquities of Jordan Samarqand Museum Copper Scroll Display, San Diego Natural History Museum viewed 18 May 2010.
http://www.sdnhm.org/description_cs.html

The Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, viewed 20 May 2010.
http://www.english.imjnet.org/htmls/Book.aspx


Videos:

rjhgins2007, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots JewU 164 Rabbi Jonathon Ginsburg.
http://www.jewu.info/, viewed 24 May 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft7NghoxE4

Greyshark09 2009, National Geographic - Riddles of the Bible: The Dead Sea Scrolls 1/5, viewed 28 May 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcCusw7qhg1&8Feature=related