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Source Analysis Essay: Drafting Workshop

The Assignment

For the remainder of the semester, you will be developing and completing a research project on a topic that corresponds with the course theme. This project will have several components including the Source Analysis/presentation, Essay IV and presentation.

For this assignment, Source Analysis/presentation, I will assess your ability to choose, read, and evaluate appropriate sources on a narrowed topic. You will also improve your ability to use the internet and the library’s resources to locate non-academic secondary sources that are rich and credible.

You can think of this project as a documentation of the research process you will use in future courses (and for life!). It will also serve as a fund of material for the research and ideas you will incorporate into the final paper for this course, the Research Essay.

Overview

15% of final grade

Typed and double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, MLA format.

At least 3-4 pages

IMPORTANT: You must include (within your essay) links to your sources that actually work--please check them! If you used databases you'll need to find the permalink or stable URL. Alternatively, you can email me PDF or doc versions of the sources. The draft should be submitted as a link to your online Word or Google doc.

During our library research days, you will find 5 credible, relevant sources on your focused research topic and choose three of these sources to discuss.

The heart of the Source Analysis Essay will be a write-up for each of the three sources, immediately following the source’s citation in MLA format, that explain the rhetorical context (the publication and its audience, the purpose of the article, the conversation/debate to which it refers, its organization, the evidence it marshals in support of its argument, and any assumptions and values). This essay will also include a reflection on the process of finding these sources and a discussion of how you plan to use the sources in your final essay.

Details

Process

First

You will locate 5-10 sources on your topic during and after two library research days (one when you use the internet and one when you use library databases). The sources you locate should be examples of public writing, similar to the kinds of articles we have been reading in class. Try to choose a variety of sources for how they help you learn about your topic and the problems associated with it. These sources might include newspaper articles, magazine articles, government sponsored studies, or even an individual chapter in a book. You may choose a website or blog post from a credible source. Students have also found ted talks and Frontline episodes. You will be evaluated on whether these articles are substantial, credible, and on the same narrowed topic.

Second

You will choose the three sources on which to focus in your Source Analysis. As you decide which sources to focus on, ask yourself the following questions:

Are they “meaty” or substantial in length and perspectives (such as a feature article in a newspaper or magazine)? In breadth or depth of research (such as a government report)? In depth of research (such as a newspaper expose)?

Do they meet the evaluative criteria discussed in class (published by a disinterested, relatively unbiased publisher, vetted in some way, recent)?

Are they on same narrowed topic as other two sources?

Third

Read each of your 3 best sources through carefully, ideally multiple times. Knowing these sources well will prepare you for the research Essay. 

Then for each source, you will write 1-2 good-sized paragraphs (bullet points are fine) that describe what kind of source it is and consider its rhetorical situation—audience, publication venue, author, type of evidence included. You should describe what kind of publication the source came from (a news magazine for general readers; a trade journal for practicing nurses; a website aimed at cancer patients) and answer the following questions: who is the author (and what qualifications does the author have); who published the source; what is the purpose of this publishing venue; what biases or slants might be connected to this purpose; and, most importantly, who is the audience of this publication venue (and hence the audience of the article). This discussion of rhetorical context should also consider the main types of evidence the source employs (research studies, first-hand accounts, etc.) and perhaps the ways the author accommodates or appeals to his/her audience.

Fourth

Write about your research process. (1+ page double-spaced) In addition to the write-up for each source, you will also reflect on the process of finding these sources and how you will use the sources in the final essay. What search terms did you use? What worked and how did you change your plan based upon your initial searches? Did you need to narrow or broaden your topic? How do the sources connect with each other? How do you plan to use the sources in your final essay?

Objectives/Outcomes for the Source Essay

  • Create and implement a research plan.
  • Practice using MLA citation style and formatting techniques.
  • Practice source literacy and applicability
  • Develop a pre-research and research strategy that focuses the scope of a research project
  • Become familiar with library databases
  • Effectively gather internet research, identifying the author and publisher of online material and evaluating the hosting site of that material as well as the material itself
  • Collect, evaluate, interpret, and synthesize information from a variety of valid and relevant sources, which can include field research
  • Adequately paraphrase and quote source material while documenting all research accurately using MLA citation style

Remember that about 1/3 of the grade for this essay is based solely on the quality of your sources.

The grading criteria for source quality:

The source is “meaty” or substantial

  • in length and perspectives (such as a feature article in a newspaper or magazine) or
  • in breadth of research (such as a government report)
  • in depth of research (such as a newspaper expose)

It meets the evaluative criteria discussed in class (is published by a relatively disinterested, trusted publisher; is vetted in some way; is recent)

It is on same narrowed topic as other sources in annotated bibliography

1/3 of the grade is your discussion of your sources

The write-up of the source correctly describes the rhetorical context of the source (bullet points are fine) including

  • the main idea and purpose of the source
  • who the author is (and what qualifications the author has)
  • who published the source; what is the purpose of this publishing venue; what biases or slants might be connected to this purpose; and, most importantly, who is the audience of this publication venue (and thus the audience of the source)
  • what types of evidence the source employs (research studies, first-hand accounts, etc.)
  • perhaps how the author appeals to the audience

Description of research process (25 points)

Includes well-written description (NOT bullet points) of your research process including some of the following:

  • What's your connection to the topic? Why did you choose this topic?
  • What search terms did you use?
  • What worked and how did you change your plan based upon your initial searches?
  • Did you need to narrow or broaden your topic?
  • What connections can you draw among your three sources? How do they work together to give you a good sense of your topic overall?
  • Why did you choose these three sources out of you 5, and out of the many sources you found during our library research process?
  • How will you use each of your sources in the final essay?
  • What kinds of sources might you still want to locate? What gaps in knowledge about your topic exist that future research could fill?

5 source citations and working links to sources (15 points)

Includes citations for 5 sources, including the two you chose not to focus on.

I will NOT be able to grade the project if I do not have working links to all five of your sources.

For each of your new articles, answer the following questions:

Getting our thoughts together

  • What topic does the article focus on? Write it at the top of your page.
  • What is the article’s thesis? Remember that the thesis must indicate the purpose as well as the topic. What does the author want to communicate about the topic? Is s/he trying to present information, make an argument, propose a solution, etc.? Write it down.
  • What major points does it make to support the thesis?

Focused Topic

Focused topic

Think for a few minutes about how your research process helped you focus your topic. What do each of your 5 sources have to say about the topic? How do they relate to each other? Where do you think your specific topic is at this point?

  • See if you can formulate a focused statement of your topic in 1-2 complete sentences.
  • Then write 1-2 sentences about the particular dimension each of your sources adds to your understanding of this topic. How do your sources relate to each other? To your topic as a whole?

Share with your group.

  • Present your focused topic to your group.

  • Share your new articles with your group and remind them (and yourself!) of what the two articles from last week were about. You should pull out your writing about the two sources from last week. Explain the thesis and purpose of each of your five sources.

  • Which 3 are you leaning toward focusing on? If you don't know yet, discuss them with your group and see if they can help you narrow it down.

Let's start working on the draft due next class: a draft of your research reflection + one source discussion.

Drafting

Now let's describe the research process.

  • Look back into your research logs from day 1 and day 2 of our library visits.
  • What search terms did you use?
  • What worked and how did you change your plan based upon your initial searches?
  • Did you need to narrow or broaden your topic?

Let's work on the research reflection

Look back through your notes for this project--you should have 2 days worth of notes from our two topics brainstorming class periods. Have you already discussed some of the following?

  • What search terms did you use?
  • What worked and how did you change your plan based upon your initial searches?
  • Did you need to narrow or broaden your topic?
  • What happened on library day 1 when we used a regular Google search? Did you get different results using the databases on library day 2? Which search did you find more effective?

If you discussed some of these issues in your earlier brainstorming work, highlight those ideas or copy and past them at the top of your document--this will be the start of your research reflection, which should be 1+ pages double spaced. If you haven't yet discussed these questions, do so now.

Let's work on the research reflection

Now consider these questions. Draft your responses below the previous ideas.

  • How did you go about selecting each source?
  • Did you use the ACORD model? Did you have to throw out any sources you found? Why?
  • Which three of your five sources are you going to choose to discuss in Project 3? What made you select these over the others?
  • How do the sources connect with each other? How does each add a unique angle to your understanding of your topic?
  • How do you plan to use the sources in your final essay?
  • What kinds of sources might you still want to locate? What gaps in knowledge about your topic exist that future research could fill?

Pick your best source, or one you're certain will be included in the Source Analysis Essay.

Work on answering the following questions. Remember that bullet points are fine for the source discussions.

  • the main idea and purpose of the source (you probably have this already from previous writings we've done)
  • who the author is (and what qualifications the author has)
  • who published the source; what is the purpose of this publishing venue; what biases or slants might be connected to this purpose; and, most importantly, who is the audience of this publication venue (and thus the audience of the source)
  • what types of evidence the source employs (research studies, first-hand accounts, etc.)
  • perhaps how the author appeals to the audience
  • Be careful with paraphrase--put the original aside while you summarize to make sure the words and sentence structures are entirely your own. Use quotes if you need to.

Examples

In the article, "Why College Students Are so Stressed Out," Mathis explains that college students are facing unprecedented mental health challenges (68).

The article "Why College Students Are so Stressed Out" explains how college students are facing an unprecedented mental health challenge (Mathis 68).

Mathis claims that "students are at a time in their lives when social interaction is a necessity, not a luxury" (68).

As the article explains, "students are at a time in their lives when social interaction is a necessity, not a luxury" (Mathis 68).

MLA citation

You'll need to include an MLA citation for all of your five original sources--with WORKING links to each-- in a "Works Cited" page at the end of your essay.

After you complete the peer review, work on drafting your two additional source discussions and your conclusion.

Following Up

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