Instructions

Identify: Sources

Evaluation Title: Finding Sources

For this assignment, you will find and briefly explain the usefulness of two sources (a popular source and a scholarly source) that will help you support your position in the academic argument essay. For each source, you will provide information about the author, date, title, and publication information as well as an explanation of the source’s usefulness.

To successfully complete the assignment, follow these steps:

• Review your template for the academic argument, which you submitted for the unit 8 assignment. (CHOOSE AN ACADEMIC ARGUMENT BECAUSE I DID NOT COMPLETE WEEK 8)
  • Highlight or write down keywords that keep coming up related to your topic and your main points about the topic. These keywords will become your starting search terms.

• Perform a web search:
  • Using the search terms generated from reviewing your template and discussion, perform a web search. Skim several titles and brief descriptions for relevance before clicking in to read results. Find the source that seems to best meet your needs. Open it and skim it to see if it is as relevant as you thought from the title, in other words, does it help provide background information, an example, testimony, or support for your argument position? If so, proceed. If not, find a source that better fits your argument topic and main points. Adjust your search terms if necessary.
  • Evaluate your source for credibility. Is it recent enough that the information on the topic will be accurate? Is it written by someone who is credible on the topic? Is it published on a website with a good reputation and purpose (check the “About Us” section). Is it written to inform or report information to an educated, adult audience? Does the author provide clear references and links to sources of information, or is it otherwise made clear where the information came from? If so, proceed. If not, find a source that is more credible.
  • Include as much of following source information on your assignment as is available: the author, the date, the title, the website it appears on, and the url/hyperlink.
  • Write a quick explanation of why the source will be helpful for your essay. What will it help you explain, support, or accomplish?

• Perform a search in the Ebscohost Library databases for a scholarly source:
  • Go to Ebscohost Find a database to search in using the Databases A-Z list, Quick List of Databases by Subject, or Guides.
  • Use the search terms from your review of your template and discussion to perform a search in the database. Databases do not work well with complete sentences or long phrases. Instead, combine terms using “and” or “or.” For example: ADHD or “Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder” and discipline
  • Narrow the search to include only scholarly journal articles. Explore database features that help you narrow the focus of your search.
  • Skim the title and brief descriptions for relevance. Adjust search terms if necessary.
  • When you find an article that looks relevant, read the abstract (a summary of the article). Then, skim the article, paying attention to the introduction, background, discussion, and conclusion sections. If you article is empirical research, you can skim the methods and results section for now, focusing more on the other areas in the article. If the article has information that will help you develop the background, main points, or opposing views in your argument essay, proceed. If not, keep looking. Adjust search strategies (search terms, the database used, narrowing functions, etc.) as needed.
  • Find the tool in the database that helps you cite the source in APA format. Copy and paste the citation into your assignment.
  • Briefly explain why the source will be helpful in your essay. What will it help you explain, support, or accomplish?

Estimated time to complete: 2 hours