Tori Iannarino



Tori Iannarino

Caroline Brown & Stephen Klein

LRS 590

November 2, 2006

Sweatshops

Considering that my knowledge of sweatshops in regard to the fashion industry has not been what I believe it should be for one who is actively pursuing a career in that field, I took on the challenge of finding adequate resources to fulfill my curiosity. As a fashion design student I have become more and more aware of the fact that most companies have their designs sent over seas for production, but recently I have been introduced with the reality that not all manufacturing warehouses are in other countries. In regards to those other “warehouses” I have been mostly concerned with the inhumane treatment of workers in the United States. Since I was under the false impression that sweatshops were not a major problem in this country, I wanted to determine whether or not my assumption was accurate. Furthermore, I was inclined to learn why sweatshops exist, specifically what defines a sweatshop, and where they are most prevalent in the U.S.

Through my research I was able to put truth to the fact that despite human rights laws, businesses are still illegally supporting environments where working conditions are not meeting required standards. Not only do such businesses infringe upon the rights of minimum wage but they also take advantage of their workers by enforcing long hours and poor workstations. I was able to find out specific corporations that are highly known for their support of sweatshops overseas; however, I was not successful in finding the names of businesses that support such conditions within America. I chose not to research apparel warehouses in foreign countries or such events that took place before the early 1900’s because I wanted to find information that would be most relevant and beneficial to my future career. In order to further improve my sweatshop awareness I would want to be able to gather more specifics in regards to businesses in this country, and I also aspire to continue researching about the employees and how they view their inhumane circumstances.

Initially I used the Internet to begin my research since it is what I have become most comfortable with. was the first search engine to come to my mind, but upon using it I came across the predicament of having too many links and options to read through and choose from. In order to find actual relevant websites I next chose to use the search engines and . With the way that Clusty conveniently subcategorized my search for me, I was quickly able to find websites that related to my topic.

I also used the computer in conjunction with catalogs. Prattcat and Worldcat were the tools that were most advantageous to me in this area. In order to look up my topic I found that using the keyword “sweatshops” gave me the most relevant and applicable resources. Whereas, if I used other similar terms such as “fashion industry” or “apparel” the results were more focused on purchasing garments rather than on how they are made.

Another unsuccessful search tool was the website . I had hoped that images of sweatshops would allow me to better form my own opinion of their circumstances. However, when I searched using the keyword “sweatshop” I discovered that many people use that term as slang for their own craft space and work area.

As my research progressed over the weeks I continued with the use of the keyword and subject heading “sweatshops,” and I also opted to use Worldcat more frequently since I had never been accustomed with it before. Its results also proved to be helpful, and due to the fact that Worldcat provides a list of monographs, I wanted to have those kinds of resources that I know I enjoy using. Even though the Internet was extremely helpful with my research, I still regard and feel most comfortable with browsing through books in print because it always seems more valid.

My comfort level also determined the way in which I organized my annotated bibliography. Since I have previously always been required to list my sources alphabetically, I have become most acquainted with and accustomed to that method, and I found no reason to alter that.

With my acquired knowledge on how to successfully find the right kind of resources I would further take my researching skills to look up additional current articles, videos, and any other recordings. Finding a primary source is another area that was not touched upon, and I believe it might prove to be the most informative. I would also continue to search using the Internet with the same tools and keywords that have already been so supportive. With such strategies, I now believe that I would be able to avoid the stumbling block of finding too many websites to weed through. In regards to that problem I first faced, I would warn and advise others who are researching this same topic about the consequences of using certain words and terms that are under the umbrella of sweatshops. I would also inform others about the value in using more uncommon search engines rather than Google or Yahoo. In addition, the simple and convenient use of bibliographies from informative books is another one of the best techniques that I learned to take advantage of. Since I found my topic to be discussed in great detail in both print and online resources I would encourage this technique for others, and I would also continue to search within each type, but I would further try with more determination to locate images that are relevant to inhumane working conditions.

Throughout my research, I determined that my website sources proved to be the most beneficial because they quickly answered my specific questions most readily by simply having a list of answers to frequent curiosities. Sites such as those and recently printed books with statistics about current businesses and sweatshops were easily evaluated as resources to include in my annotated bibliography since they gave the most up-to-date information. On the contrary, websites, journals, and books that focused on the history of sweatshops were readily disregarded in my mind as a useful instrument.

In addition to discovering which search engines, resources, and tools lead to the best results, I also discovered faster and more efficient ways of finding such information that can be exercised with any other topic. My concept of research has also been broadened to better understand how it is an intertwined process that is part of a greater community. I believe this knowledge will not only result in more accurate results, but in addition to what it already has, will continue to strengthen my confidence and comfort with using the internet.

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