Day 17: Evaluating Sources

Congratulations on finishing Unit 2. We are now (almost) 50% finished with the semester! To recap: we began the semester with a diagnostic unit designed to get me acquainted with your individual writing styles. During Unit 1, we also reviewed the basics of EAP. From there, we moved on to Unit 2, the Pre-Research Portfolio, which was designed to reinforce the idea of writing as a process. During Unit 2, we chose topics for our final research papers and tried to find as much general information about the topics as possible, using a wide variety of different "pre-research" techniques (keywords, database searches, UGL Librarian Chat, visiting the library and talking to a GA, Google, etc.). 

Now we move on to Unit 3: The Annotated Bibliography. In this unit, you will be asked to choose at least five reliable, academic sources as a base for the research you will do in order to write your final paper (the major assignment for Unit 4). This process will involve you choosing your sources by closely evaluating them based on the criteria we talk about in class. We will continue to use our demo topic as a way to hold in-class discussions about the criteria and techniques used for finding reliable, academic sources. Your out-of-class work will primarily deal with finding sources and then writing the annotated bibliography. Here is a tentative outline for the lessons in this unit: 

Module 3.1 Evaluating Sources

Module 3.2 Choosing Sources 

Module 3.3 An Introduction to the Annotated Bibliography

Module 3.4 Reference Page Citations

Module 3.5 Source Reliability 

Module 3.6 Source Relevancy 

Module 3.7 Summarizing Sources

Finally, here is an example of the kind of work you will be submitting as a final draft for this assignment. 

Now that we've established an overview for our projected trajectory through Unit 3, let's begin. The outline for today's lesson is below: 

Evaluating Sources 

I. Brainstorming

According to the Randomizer, you will be put into groups. Once in your group, you'll be asked to discuss the questions found here. Be sure to come up with at least one answer for each question. Once you've had some time to discuss in small groups, we will come back together to compare answers as a class. 

II. Evaluating Websites (Pre-Practice)

Now with a partner, take a look at the following three websites: 

-DHMO

-WTO

-Feorran

With your partner, take a few minutes to evaluate these websites and decide whether or not you think they should/could be used in a formal academic research paper like the one we'll be writing in this class. Be sure you can back up your reasoning with examples/explanations. 

III. Evaluating Source Reliability

What does it mean for a source to be 'reliable'? Let's take a look at this short presentation that establishes the criteria for source reliability. After we look at the reasons behind the criteria, we can move to using this checklist for determining source reliability. Finally, for more information on determining source reliability, be sure to check out that section of the OWL Purdue page, found here. Also, you can check out the resources on the UGL ESL homepage, found here.

IV. Evaluating Source Reliability: Website Practice Activity

Now you're ready to determine source reliability on your own (or with a partner). Take a look at this activity that asks you to determine the reliability of each website. For each, please answer the question on the source reliability checklist. After you've determined the (un)reliability for each of the three sites, take a moment, choose the most reliable site and then give a rationale (explanation) for your choice. 

Housekeeping Details and Homework for Thursday (10/24/2013)

-Start reading through the APA Student Handbook and be ready for a short, open note quiz. 

-Take a look at the three sources about your topic that you chose to bring to class today. Determine their reliability using the source reliability checklist. For any reliable sources, start writing "reliability statements" like the example in the ppt. Discard any unreliable sources and continue the search until you have 5-6 reliable sources. 

-Read the short overview in "Writer's Help" entitled, "Citing Sources, APA Style" and do the second activity (in the long list of activities), entitled, "Exercise: APA documentation: identifying elements of sources". As usual, you must receive an 80% to get full credit on this assignment.