Finding and Evaluating Sources

In chapter 5 we are learning on how to find and evaluate research sources. In order to do this you first need to know the topic, the conversation (how the topic is being discussed), and what the different position's are which is the research context. You can gather research from many different places such as, browsing the internet, looking through books and articles at a library, and even interviewing an expert on your topic. Research is like having a conversation, “ composing a response to an ongoing dialogue about a topic.” Research is also like building a relationship with the sources that you chose to use for your topic and the writers who wrote them that you seek along the way. The first thing that you have to do to start your research is look for relevant and interesting sources and then while looking them up you have make sure you use specific search terms. When finding sources make sure you don’t limit yourself to only certain types. There are two different types of sources, primary sources are original texts you analyze in your research paper and secondary sources are sources that provide commentary on your primary material or on your topic in general. Searching for primary sources you should look for original documents, rare books and manuscripts, portfolios of photographs, and government documents. Secondary sources come from dictionaries, library categories, electronic databases, electronic journals, and google scholar. When evaluating sources you have evaluate the author, source or publisher. You have to look for credibility, the arrangement of the text, and the website your information is coming from.