evaluating source material

“Researching, Reading, Writing, & Thinking Critically”

Greta Wood, Reference/Instruction/Catalog LibrarianKevin Winchester, Writing Center Director

Remember the 6 Important Steps

Thoroughly Understand the Assignment

Do a little Thinking before you begin your research or your writing

Invent to further define and narrow your topic

Visit the Library, start gathering source material

Create your Research Map

Assemble Your Research Dossiers

As you begin evaluating your source material, you should have:Determined from Thinking about your Assignment if your paper’s style will be Argumentative of Analytical.

Developed a “working thesis” for an argumentative paper, or posed a question to explore for an analytical paper.

Gathered the initial sources you hope to use in the paper.

Now you’ll need to:

1. Determine which sources will be useful

2. Invent and Revise Search Strategies to supplement your sources, narrow or broaden your focus, and address “new” information you’ve discovered

3. Prepare your Research Dossiers

When Considering the Usefulness of a Potential Source: Analyze the Title

Scan the Table of Contents for Chapter or Essay Titles

Read the source’s abstract or summary

Consider the source’s bibliography or index

…for EACH source you consider.

Enter the proper citation info FIRST!

Research Dossier #7 – for “Hills Like White Elephants” paper

Start with citation information, properly formatted:

(Works Cited vs. Bibliography)

Ranft, Gerardine Luongo. “End, Not Reduce, Abortion.” Sojourners Magazine. 38.2 (Feb. 2009): 4.

Then, if you think the source is useful:

READ IT!Use the SCIP reading strategy.

Reading: SCIP

S: What Surprised you in the source material? Summarize it!

C: What Challenged you about the material?

I: What Inspired, Intrigued, or Interested you?

P: What Puzzled you?

Which of these might you use?

Make Notes for your RESEARCH DOSSIER!

Research Dossier #7 – Hills Like White ElephantsRanft, Gerardine Luongo. “End, Not Reduce, Abortion.” Sojourners Magazine. 38.2 (Feb. 2009): 4.

SCIP:Article is a “letter to the editor.” The author states plenty of “facts” about the negative effects abortion has on women, things like: it changes the relationship; they might abuse their other children, etc. It is well written and the author of the letter seems to be intelligent and informed about the subject.

One quote I might be able to use is: “greater alcohol abuse has been found among women having abortions” since the couple in the story are also drinking alcohol. Pg 4.

If the Source is not useful, or it leads you to new information to explore…

…it’s time to return to the invention / search

stage

Searching for Sources: The Information Cycle Timeline and Types of Resources• Information cycle timeline– The three main types of resources fall at

different intervals on the Information Cycle Timeline• Primary (Original event)• Secondary (Analysis of the event)• Tertiary (Broad overview and summary of sources)

Information Cycle Timeline and Types of Resources• Typically an academic research paper will

require you to find secondary sources to support your thesis– There is a broad range of secondary sources

on the information cycle timeline• What kinds of secondary sources will be useful?

– Websites? Magazines? Journals? Books?

The Context of Usefulness

• The concept of “usefulness” shifts with the context of your need– Understanding the assignment will give you

guidelines for determining what is useful for the purposes of this particular project• What types and kinds of secondary sources are

required by my professor?• Research papers typically call for scholarly books

and peer-reviewed journal articles

Scholarly Books

• When considering the usefulness of a book as a potential secondary source, look for:– A title that provides clues to the item’s

purpose and contents– A table of contents in the front with chapter or

essay titles applicable to your topic– An index in the back with names, themes, and

keywords applicable to your topic– A bibliography providing evidence of scholarly

support and ways to extend your research– BUT FIRST take a look at the publication

information

Scholarly Books: Publisher, Publication Date, and Title

Scholarly Books: Publisher, Title, and Notes

Peer-Reviewed Articles

• What to use and when– Magazines and newspapers transmit

information earlier in the information cycle timeline than peer-reviewed journals, so they may be good sources to keep tabs on current trends, but academic research papers typically require peer-reviewed secondary sources

– The New York Times is a respectable publication useful to many people in many situations, but if your assignment calls for peer-reviewed articles it is not a useful resource in this context

Peer-Reviewed Articles

• Periodical Terminology– Magazines/Newspapers: topics of popular

interest written in a non-scholarly style for a general audience

– Journals: original research and commentary written for a specialized audience including footnotes, a bibliography, and/or works cited • Peer-reviewed/Refereed/Juried• Prior to publication, articles are subjected to a

critical review process by one or more experts (referees, jurors) on the subject who evaluate the quality of the research

Research Minutes, Olin & Uris Libraries, Cornell University

Library Databases vs. The Internet

• Why can’t I use Google to find sources for my research paper?– Access and Evaluation

• Google = Pay Per View & Library databases = Free• Is what I find using Google an appropriate resource for

my assignment?– What type of source is it?

» Wikipedia is a tertiary source– What kind of source is it?

» Library databases offer the peer-reviewed limiter

• If you are working on an academic paper that requires scholarly, peer-reviewed sources, it’s easier, faster, and cheaper to use the Library databases to find your sources

Need Help Evaluating A Source?

• Ask a Librarian• Ask your Professor• Consult these online sources:– Duke University Libraries: Evaluating

Information Sources: Basic Principles• http://library.duke.edu/services/instruction/librar

yguide/evaluating.html

– Duke University Libraries: Evaluating Web Pages• http://library.duke.edu/services/instruction/librar

yguide/evalwebpages.html

Evaluate specifically for your paper…

…using the STAR strategy!

Evaluating: STAR

S: Is there Sufficient evidence and support for the position?

T: Is the evidence / article Typical of other source material on the topic?

A: Is the evidence Accurate, without bias, measurable or verifiable?

R: Are the author and publication Respected & Reliable?

Make Notes on your Research Dossiers!

Research Dossier #7 – Hills Like White ElephantsRanft, Gerardine Luongo. “End, Not Reduce, Abortion.” Sojourners Magazine. 38.2 (Feb. 2009): 4.SCIP:Article is a “letter to the editor.” The author states plenty of “facts” about the negative effects abortion has on women, things like: it changes the relationship; they might abuse their other children, etc. It is well written and the author of the letter seems to be intelligent and informed about the subject.

One quote I might be able to use is: “greater alcohol abuse has been found among women having abortions” since the couple in the story are also drinking alcohol. Pg 4.STAR:She mentions plenty of “facts,” and I’ve seen/heard similar comments. But, this source is somewhat unreliable in my opinion. The author does present info in the form of “facts” but she does not cite where she found those facts, so she could be making them up. Also, Sojourners Magazine has the reputation of being a conservative Christian publication, so it probably has a bias against abortion in general. May be able to use to present an opposing view in my paper though.

…it’s time to start your first draft!

BEFORE you draft:

Organize your Research Dossiers

• You may want to prepare an outline at this stage

Revise your working thesis / question

Consider the most interesting aspects for your AUDIENCE and draft your introductory paragraph to “hook” your reader

Next Session:

Tuesday, Mar 24, 9:30“Writing the Paper: Integrating Source

Materials”

Strategies for working “quotes” smoothly into your paper, working with in-text citations,

formatting the Works Cited / Reference sections, and final revisions.

The Writing Center & The Ethel K. Smith Library