Oct. 20, 2014

I have decided to research topic k): what is happening to the retirement age in Canada and what impact is this having on young workers?

For my initial research, I looked at data on Statistics Canada under the sub-topic of seniors (work and retirement), database articles under the search term “retirement age Canada”, and a website, CARP (Canadian Association of Retired People) that I accessed via a Google search under “retirement organizations Canada.”

I will proceed to take notes on these three sources. I can already see that my notes will include some data.

I will do the CRAAP test on the CARP website because their website has useful publications under the Resources tab. Upon my first glance I see that all their data is footnoted, meaning they give a reference for where each piece of data comes from. This gives me confidence that the website will pass the CRAAP test. I will now fill out the form.

Oct. 21, 2014

Tonight I took notes on three articles from Statistics Canada (they are summaries of big reports; summaries are usually found in “The Daily.”)  Two are on retirement (delayed retirement and employment transitions for older workers) and one is on the employment situation of young workers. I am realizing that I need to balance the two sides of the focus question (trends in retirement rate and effect on young workers). Tonight’s notes really just provided background data. I also want to connect the two parts of my topic so I did a Google search under “Canada baby boom and young workers cbc” because I wanted to see what was available from a trusted news source, CBC. This search yielded two articles which I printed. I will take notes on them soon.

I realize that for the proposal part 1 I need to identify the theme of my future argument; whether it is justice or injustice, equality or inequality, deviance, exploitation, or social change. I clearly see social change because of demographic shifts but I’m not sure about the other themes yet. That’s why I need to read the CBC articles. Data without a direction is only background.

 Oct. 24

This morning I went back and took notes on my first article, the one I used for my CRAAP test. I’m definitely read to commit to social change as one of my themes; I go back to the definition of social change (change in the beliefs, practices and organization…). From what I’ve read so far the changes here are in practices and organization. I definitely have taken notes on statistics that support this: there are more older workers than ever before in the labour force as shown by this stat – from 2006 to 2013 305, 800 people over 65 joined the working population, an increase of 96% (CARP, 2013).  Similarly there is a trend of delayed retirement of older workers; in 2008 a 50-year old worker had at least 3.5 more years to work than a similar person in the mid-1990s (Statistics Canada, 2011). I still need to read the articles about younger workers before I can decide whether to go with justice/injustice, equality/inequality, deviance (probably not), or exploitation.

Half an hour later

Okay, I realize I should have paid more attention to the TWO sides of my topic right away. I got stuck on the senior/retirement part because I know more about it. So, I just read and took notes on the two CBC articles that say it is not older workers’ fault that young workers can’t find jobs. This gives me more direction when it comes to themes. For now I think I’ll go with injustice. There is a certain unfairness in the structure of the labour market which in turn leads to injustice for both older and  younger workers who need to adjust to the new conditions of the economy.  My next task is to write my Proposal Part 1, maybe later this afternoon, since I will be busy marking this weekend and the assignment is due Monday.

 Half an hour later

I completed my Proposal Part 1. Sample_Proposal_Part1_MsG_2014